SB Nation - Jason Avant

The Linc - Two Eagles remember Chris Henry

JasonB — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:00:19 -0000

Two Eagles knew Henry well | Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/17/2009
Cornerback Geoffrey Pope and guard Stacy Andrews were both deeply saddened today by the news that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry had died this morning after falling from the back of a pickup truck Wednesday that reportedly was being driven by his fiance Loleini Tonga. Pope and Andrews had both been teammates with Henry in Cincinnati. Pope, in fact, dressed in the locker next to Henry at the start of this season.

Winter wonderland for Eagles-49ers? | Philadelphia Daily News | 12/18/2009
Well, into every perfect last weekend to shop a few snowflakes must fall - or a few hundred trillion. The Philadelphia region and most of the Middle Atlantic states are on the cusp of one of the biggest pre-Christmas storms in local weather history. It could be right up there with the near-blizzard that struck a few days before the Eagles' 1960 NFL title victory over Green Bay. It could remind old-timers of the driving snowstorm Steve Van Buren mushed through in Shibe Park when the Birds beat the Chicago Cardinals for the 1948 title. The Eagles had to help the grounds crew shovel the field.

Phil Sheridan: One ex-player presses on for safer NFL helmets | Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/18/2009
As Roger Goodell fires off memos and issues edicts - and as star players like Brian Westbrook, DeSean Jackson, Ben Roethlisberger and Kurt Warner miss games after shots to the head - thoughts turn to a couple of safeties who were in the Eagles' 1985 training camp.

Paul Domowitch: Eagles' Weaver, Avant have stake in bargaining deal | Philadelphia Daily News | 12/18/2009
This should be a great time to be Leonard Weaver and Jason Avant. Both are having breakout years. Both are in the final years of their contracts with the Eagles. Both should be red-hot commodities in the 2010 free agent market. There's only one problem. Unless the owners and players unexpectedly shake hands on a new labor deal in the next 3 1/2 months, which is about as likely as Tiger and Elin Woods renewing their wedding vows, neither Weaver nor Avant will have enough years of service to qualify as unrestricted free agents.

Who would you take from the Philadelphia Eagles? - Niners Nation
We break down some of the Eagles that we'd be interested in having on the 49ers roster.

49ers-Eagles: Final Injury Report

Fooch — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:00:28 -0000

The 49ers had their last bit of practice today and I believe are heading off to Philly at some point today. I'd think leaving today could help with that early Sunday start, but we'll see. After the jump I've posted what was a very brief post-game press transcript. Staley will definitely be starting on Sunday, and Arnaz Battle will be returning punts, so we'll all get to collectively hold our breath for small chunks of Sunday's game.

49ers
Out
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)

Doubtful
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle)

Questionable
T Barry Sims (knee)
TE Delanie Walker (ankle)

Probable
LB Ahmad Brooks (foot)
S Dashon Goldson (chest)
RB Frank Gore (toe)
CB Marcus Hudson (back)
RB Moran Norris (toe)
RB Michael Robinson (shoulder)
T Joe Staley (knee)
LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)

Eagles
Out
WR Jeremy Maclin (foot)
RB Brian Westbrook (concussion)

Questionable
TE Brent Celek (back, thumb)

Probable
DE Victor Abiamiri (knee)
WR Jason Avant (hamstring)
C Nick Cole (knee)
DE Trent Cole (hamstring)
WR Kevin Curtis (knee)
LB Akeem Jordan (knee)
DT Mike Patterson (wrist)
RB Leonard Weaver (hamstring)

Head Coach Mike Singletary
Post-Practice - December 18, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

Opening statements:

"We had a good week this week, a couple of days of good practice. It is more about getting mental work this time of year. We are trying to get our guys healthy, fresh and ready for the game. As far as [T Joe] Staley is concerned, we are glad to have him back. He will start. [T Barry] Sims will back up."

On what he saw in Staley this week:

"Actually, even the last couple of weeks, he has been talking about how good he was feeling. Of course I keep a rapport with the trainer, Fergie [Jeff Ferguson], and Fergie kept giving me updates here and there and said he was doing great. He possibly could have gone last week, but I wanted to give him another week simply because we just really wanted to make sure he was ready and didn't want to take any steps backwards because he has been doing so well. He has looked great. He looked good last week in the things he did and I am very excited to see how he does."

On how well Sims filled in for Staley:

"Outstanding. I don't think anyone really knew what to expect. Last year, he played some right tackle and did a good job last year, but I think this year he exceeded that by far. He held up and just did a really nice job."

On who will return punts Sunday:

"[WR] Arnaz [Battle]."

On whether taking Wednesday off had the desired effect on the players:

"You really won't know that until Sunday, but I think so. I believe so."

49ers-Eagles Thursday Injury Report/Coordinator Transcripts

Fooch — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:41:51 -0000

The 49ers had their normal Thursday practice session and I believe will be heading out to Philly tomorrow. In the meantime, the practice reports would seem to indicate that Joe Staley will be back in his spot at left tackle on Sunday against the Eagles. Barry Sims banged up his knee on Monday and has been out since then (even though today is technically the only practice of the week). With Sims looking likely to be on the shelf on Sunday, the return of Staley turns into a pretty important storyline. The team has done a solid job keeping Alex Smith on his feet, and a nice chunk of that has been due to the impressive play of Barry Sims off the bench. The question now is how injecting Staley into the lineup might affect that.

49ers
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)

Did not Participate in Practice
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle)
T Barry Sims (knee)
TE Delanie Walker (ankle)

Limited Participation in Practice
LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)

Full Participation in Practice
LB Ahmad Brooks (foot)
S Dashon Goldson (chest)
RB Frank Gore (toe)
CB Marcus Hudson (back)
RB Moran Norris (toe)
RB Michael Robinson (shoulder)
T Joe Staley (knee)

Eagles
Did not Participate in Practice
WR Jeremy Maclin (foot)

Limited Participation in Practice
TE Brent Celek (back, thumb)
RB Brian Westbrook (concussion)

Full Participation in Practice
DE Victor Abiamiri (knee)
WR Jason Avant (hamstring)
C Nick Cole (knee)
DE Trent Cole (hamstring)
WR Kevin Curtis (knee)
LB Akeem Jordan (knee)
DT Mike Patterson (wrist)
RB Leonard Weaver (hamstring)

After the jump check out OC Jimmy Raye and DC Greg Manusky's transcripts from after practice today.

Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky
Post-Walk Thru - December 17, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On the Eagles use of screen passes:

"I think with the athletes that they have across the board with the wide receivers and the running backs, it is part of their game and we have to play the call and defeat blocks and feel the screen and get to them."

On why the team has struggled against the screen this year:

"Maybe situations, also the linemen have to feel it. I think the screen game is a team thing from a defensive standpoint where you have to hustle to the ball and make plays. That is what we have to try to focus on and get it done in practice."

On defending WR DeSean Jackson:

"You just have to make sure you have somebody on top of him. He has great speed, a vertical threat. He catches the ball very well and the quarterback throws to him. Basically, that is what you have to do."

On what he meant by "have somebody on top of him":

"Have a safety on top of him."

On S Dashon Goldson's range:

"He has some range. That's why we drafted him where we did. He did a good job last week making plays on the deep balls and also coming up and filling in in the run game. He has had some good games in the last couple of weeks, so that's good."

On CB Shawntae Spencer's season:

"That's why we made our decision early on after camp was over to make him the starter. At first we were a little bit tentative because we didn't know where he would be, but it has worked out for us with him coming back from that injury."

On Spencer's speed now compared to before his injury:

"Like I said during training camp, he is very clean. He had a clean training camp and he has been playing well the last couple of weeks. That's what he is."

On whether this is Spencer's best season:

"So far, yeah. I think so for the years I have been around. I don't know about the years prior to when I was here, but he is playing very consistent and steady football, which we like."

On whether Spencer is a leader in the secondary:

"I think all those guys take the lead. Shawntae does his job and he does it well. He is a professional at it and it is good to see that things are working out for him."

On whether Spencer has stepped up more since CB Nate Clements became injured:

"Yeah, he goes out there and does his job. He's not a big talker, at least I don't hear him out on the field talking. He matches up against some good wide receivers and he goes out there and plays week-in and week-out and he has had a fine season thus far."

On whether LB Ahmad Brooks has Lawrence Taylor-type ability:

"He has ability. I played against LT, never offensively, but he had some moves. Ahmad is a good, talented player. He has a lot of physical talent, and if we can just hone those skills like we did last week and keep getting better each and every game and each and every practice, the sky is the limit for the guy."

On why he moved Brooks to the outside linebacker position:

"I think during training camp and OTAs, particularly last year during the season and stuff, his ability to come off the edge and rush in the scout team stuff and against our tackles we saw something there. We made the decision this past offseason to move him strictly to that position and it has benefitted him."

On what Brooks needs to become an every-down player:

"Reps. That is the most important thing, seeing the picture over and over and over again. For players that haven't played outside or played inside and are trying to make that conversion at times is hard. For him, it is always a process. Even for guys coming out of college who are defensive linemen who get to stand up and pass rush, it takes them a little bit of time to figure it out and the body leans and everything and get those pass-sets and feel where the set-point is. His progress is good."

On what he meant by "body lean":

"Feeling the offensive body lean, if he is over-set and you are under-set."

On the hostile environment in Philadelphia:

"We have to play the game. We get paid to play, and same thing with the players, they have to go out there and perform. Even though we are going back east, there are always obstacles and things in your way, I think we just have to keep on focusing on us and just play the game."

On whether this is the most diverse offense he has faced this year:

"Yeah, they have some different people that they put in in different packages. We will have a plan for them."

On why the turnovers have come in bunches this year:

"It is kind of like a feeding frenzy sometimes. When one guy gets one you feel... I remember when I played when I used to get one, it just kind of builds on itself. I think that is what happens, so hopefully we will get one early in Philly."

Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye
Post-Walk Thru - December 17, 2009
San Francisco 49ers

On the difference between QB Alex Smith dropping back and being in the shotgun:

"I think we're over-analyzing this thing way, way, way too - we're just playing football. We're just playing football. This isn't an exact science, and Alex's progress has been very good from the time that I arrived here back in February and to the time he's been able to get on the field and play. The problem, I guess, that I have with qualifying that is I don't have the previous history that you all observed from before. I didn't go study that and don't know the nuances of what took place, but he has been effective under, as he was in Houston, threw three touchdown passes in the second half of that game, and he's been effective from the gun. But, as it goes forward, the mixture of that as the offense finds its level of consistency repetitively, I think the way he's playing and the way the people around him are playing and the continuity continues, I think that will be a good fit."

On whether he's seen enough of Smith to determine if he's the 49ers starter for 2010:

"When you say ‘our,' are you including me? I think you can only judge that by how he has played to this point, and if he continues to win games, which I think he will, and I think he will continue to improve as he gets more familiar with playing the game itself within the constraints of the offense. I would think, for this organization, that he would be their quarterback in 2010, yes."

On whether he is planning on coming back in 2010:

"I don't think that question was about me. I think it was about Alex Smith in 2010."

On whether he's planning on being a part of the decision making process for Smith in 2010:

"Yes."

On whether the type of run-pass ratio from Monday Night Football is the type of balance he was hoping for:

"In terms of the quantity of run selection and pass selection it was, if you take the last three kneel downs out of it. I would like to lean a little bit - I think the balance would not be 50-50. I'd like to lean a little bit more toward the pass. I think we're in pretty good shape when we're in the plus 28-, 32-run category - when we get to that point. The numbers favor us if we're in the plus 28-32 run ratio to pass attempts. I think that favors us, and if we take care of the ball in that process, I think it breeds very well for us."

On whether the range was 28-32 runs:

"Yes."

On the desire to run 60 percent of the time at the start of the season and now looking for 60 percent pass:

"You've got to understand, guys, that when we started we had a different group of people than when we started. To me the balance, the 65-35, or the 60-40 balance is where you'd like to be, and with the change in quarterback and the addition of [WR Michael] Crabtree and the emergence of [TE Vernon] Davis and the development of [WR] Josh Morgan, I think it tilts the scale just a little bit the other way. That is the proportion of balance that you're striving for, and if it happens to be 60-40 run, I think that would be OK. If it happened to be 60-40 pass, ideally 65, if it was 55-45, those numbers would be in an ideal situation, though I don't think, other than last week, that would be possible to achieve on a weekly basis based on the defense that you play."

On whether the flexibility in offensive styles is a benefit because defenses must prepare for various looks:

"If it causes the defenses that we're going to play more preparation time because of all of the packages that we're in and the problems that we present, then it's a real benefit to us, provided we're efficient in them. We've done a pretty good job in 11 personnel, 12 personnel, and as we've gone forward, 22 group has kind of moved ahead of the 21 group - but that has been dictated by the defense that we're playing. All of the things that we have available to us in those personnel groups means that it's something they can't hone in on and get really specifically good at, so that's a positive for offense and allows us to stay in attack mode."

On his personnel group philosophy on first and second down:

"I don't know the reference to last year, what that means. We would like, from the quarterback standpoint, the feeling as we practice and prepare the plan, the feeling of being able to put him in the things in that particular package that have run-down and pass-down features to it, without people running in and out of the huddle constantly helps him settle and anticipate the call of what we practiced and what we anticipate seeing by down and distance, and hopefully, those things are fluid enough that we can do them as well out of 11 as out of 12 or 22 and 21. The thing that has been a little bit what you haven't seen and the thing that has hurt us a little bit in terms of being able to do that and maintain the fluidity of that is we lost [RB] Michael Robinson, who is kind of a back hybrid like [TE] Delanie Walker is a tight end hybrid guy. We haven't had that available to us because of injury, but that allows you - the 21 package - to be as fluid as the other packages if he's available because he has pass receiving skill, run blocking skills and can line up in the backfield. So, the personnel groups that we play through and out of, as I said way back early on in the spring, is that you'd like to have offensively the things that you're doing by the people in the game, the ability for the personnel on the group and the plays to be able to take care of the contingencies of the defense, and then they have to defend all of those things and matchup the personnel that's in the game. That would be ideal. It doesn't happen very much, but that's ideally what you're looking for."

On whether the QB Alex Smith's hard count is a part of the offense:

"That's a big part of the offense. We practice that. It got us there in the end on the one play in the four-minute deal where the right tackle hitched. It is a part of what we do, the cadence and when we start it. We have mandatory cadence sessions in practices where we use the hard count and we have the clown cadence. I don't want to tell everything that we do to the people that we play, but that is a part of what we do."

On FB Moran Norris' strong play on Monday night gives him more confidence to go with the 22 package:

"Yes it does, he played well. The 22 is a little bit heavier package, so he plays the same position in 21. But, 22 is a little bit heavier package. We think of it as a little bit heavier of a package. The thing you have to understand is that [RB] Frank [Gore], the runner has a real feeling of security when [No.] 44 is in the game as a lead blocker, different than some of the other personnel groups that we have. When he plays well, that helps all of us, in particular the guy that is important is that it helps [No.] 21."

49ers-Eagles: Can the 49ers even hope to contain DeSean Jackson?

Fooch — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:06:34 -0000

More photos » by Julie Jacobson - AP

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On Tuesday, Frank Gore was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week following an impressive 167 yard, 1 TD performance in the 49ers win over the Arizona Cardinals. As was briefly mentioned, some folks were surprised to not see DeSean Jackson's name on the award given his incredible performance against the Giants on Sunday Night Football. Well, Jackson ended up being named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his punt return touchdown.

As much as I loved Frank Gore's performance, if there were an award for overall player of the week, DeSean Jackson would have had as strong a case as any player with his punt return TD, along with his 178 receiving yards and receiving touchdown. I'd say that's a rather adequate performance, wouldn't you?

The 2009 Eagles have put together some impressive offensive performances at times and have a host of intriguing weapons with which the 49ers will have to contend. At this point, the biggest threats are in the passing game. It sounds like Brian Westbrook will likely be out again this week, leaving the remaining Philly running backs who have been rather inconsistent at times, and downright awful the last couple weeks.

When looking at the Eagles passing game, Donovan McNabb is guiding things and Brent Celek is certainly a very solid tight end. However, at this point DeSean Jackson is the guy who probably scares me the most. Given his career at Cal that's not exactly shocking, but it's still the biggest issue to be addressed at this point. Jackson can certainly be contained, but it takes a whole lot of work on a whole lot of fronts. After all, he's continued to impress as a punt returner, and has blown past cornerbacks with ease much of the 2009 season.

After the jump we look at DeSean Jackson the punt returner, and DeSean Jackson the wide receiver.

DeSean Jackson - Punt Returner
As solid as Jackson can be as a wide receiver, the punt return game is where he is often his most dangerous. To date Jackson is averaging 17.7 yards per punt return. In 10 of 13 games he's had at least one 20+ yard punt return. Generally punt returning can be boom or bust for most teams. And yet I consider myself surprised when Jackson doesn't have a big return in a game, even if he doesn't take it the house.

Of course, this plays somewhat into the 49ers wheelhouse given the fact that they have one of the best in the business in Andy Lee. Lee gets an impressive combination of distance and hang time that usually allows him to avoid over-kicking the punt return coverage. Lee is 2nd in the NFL in net punt yards, and the 49ers are 14th in the league in punt return average at 8.3 yards. While that is not fantastic, it's still solid enough. The 49ers will be facing their toughest test of the season in Jackson. When a team faces a great punt returner, the team will aim for shorter punts out of bounds rather than give up the big return. I'd imagine initially the 49ers are going to be willing to play with fire and see if Andy Lee and his punt coverage team can contain the best returner in the game right now.

DeSean Jackson - Wide Receiver
Jackson was certainly a solid receiver in college, but I always thought he did most of his damage as a return man. I was able to pull up his ESPN college stats page, and it's an intriguing group of numbers. His final season saw an increase his receptions, but a sizable decrease in yards per catch. I recall some complaints about his receiving skills his final season, but nothing of the sort regarding his punt return skills.

However, since taking his game to the NFL, I wonder if he's starting to turn into a better receiver? His yards per catch this season surpasses his best year in college and it seems like we're always treated to footage of him having to slow down after burning a receiver after Donovan McNabb seems to underthrow the speedy receiver. Whatever the case may be, I feel more impressed with him as a receiver in the NFL than I did when he was a receiver at Cal. Maybe at Cal he felt he didn't need to bring his A-game every week, or maybe there's some other reason. Either way, he's impressing.

Of course, that means somebody on the 49ers will get the pleasure of covering Jackson on Sunday. This past week saw the 49ers do a masterful job against the dynamic Arizona receiving duo of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. I'm guessing at this point we'll see Shawntae Spencer covering Jackson. The Eagles will be without Jeremy Maclin this Sunday, but could have Kevin Curtis in the lineup. It sounds like the top 3 receivers for Philly will be Jackson, Reggie Brown and Jason Avant. It's a bit of speculation, but I suppose the matchups would be Spencer/Jackson, Bly/R. Brown and T. Brown/Avant.

When you've become the #1 corner, as it appears is the case with Spencer, you're going to face a team's #1 guy most every week. Spencer did a good job last week, although he certainly had to benefit from the beating Kurt Warner took for much of the game. It'll be interesting to see if he can keep up with speedy Jackson all game long.

DeSean Jackson can certainly be contained. He's had his share of poor performances, but right now he's playing well, and just as importantly, his quarterback also seems to be playing fairly well. During this 4-game winning streak, Donovan McNabb has put up very solid numbers, even if they don't blow you away at first sight. The question now is if the 49ers can slow down what has been a rather prolific scoring team. If they're going to do this, it will likely require finding a way to shut down both DeSean Jacksons.

49ers-Eagles Wednesday Injury Report

Fooch — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:00:18 -0000

The 49ers actually gave the team an extra day off this week and did not practice today. The schedule is thrown a bit out of whack due to the Monday Night game, but part of the reason for the day off is the team is a bit banged up following the victory. Even though the 49ers didn't practice, they have provide a practice report, so we have basically a projection for what would have happened had they practiced. Tomorrow will probably give us a better idea of things when we get a real practice report after a full day of practice.

Also, we don't have any coach transcripts today, but Maiocco has posted some comments about his conference call earlier today with Eagles coach Andy Reid, and Eagles QB Donovan McNabb.

49ers
Out (Definitely Will Not Play)
CB Nate Clements (shoulder)

Did not Participate in Practice
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle)
S Dashon Goldson (chest)
TE Delanie Walker (ankle)
RB Michael Robinson (shoulder)
LB Takeo Spikes (hamstring)
T Barry Sims (knee)

Limited Participation in Practice
LB Ahmad Brooks (foot)
RB Frank Gore (toe)
FB Moran Norris (toe)

Full Participation in Practice
CB Marcus Hudson (back)
OT Joe Staley (knee)

Eagles
Did not Participate in Practice
TE Brent Celek (back, thumb)
WR Jeremy Maclin (foot)

Limited Participation in Practice
DE Trent Cole (hamstring)
RB Brian Westbrook (concussion)

Full Participation in Practice
DE Victor Abiamiri (knee)
WR Jason Avant (hamstring)
C Nick Cole (knee)
WR Kevin Curtis (knee)
LB Akeem Jordan (knee)
DT Mike Patterson (wrist)
RB Leonard Weaver (hamstring)
LB Tracy White (shoulder)

Eagles beat Giants in a shootout

JasonB — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 05:24:24 -0000

More photos » by Julie Jacobson - AP

10 days ago: Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson (10) backsteps his way into the end zone as New York Giants cornerback Aaron Ross (31) looks on after Jackson caught a pass in the third quarter for a touchdown during an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

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That has to be the game of the year from an Eagles perspective. It was everything a late season prime time NFC East showdown should have been. Lead changes, crazy bounces, controversy, big plays, some elements... truly epic. Not a great effort from the defense tonight, but these games happen every year where it seems both teams seem to stop playing D and the offenses just dominate.

Also, let me say it now... That eight minute, 91 yard TD drive in the fourth quarter has to be the drive of the year. The Eagles ran the ball down the Giants' throats and never even faced a 3rd down. The Giants would go on to score, but in reality that drive made a comeback very unlikely. They even capped the drive with an important two point conversion to really put it to bed. It's the kind of drive we've wanted to see from the Eagles for years. McNabb seems like he's on a mission to silence his critics and his performances late in games over the past month have been nothing short of spectacular.

And I think we can officially call Desean Jackson a "Giant Killer."

Tonight the Eagles and Giants combined for the most points ever in a game between the two and the Eagles became the winningest visiting team in Giants stadium history. They scored 85 points against the Giants this year, which is the most in the history of the series between the two teams.

At 9-4 the Eagles are now in sole possession of first place in the NFC East and and very close to clinching a playoff spot. They've swept the Giants and Redskins. They've a very strong conference record. It's time to get excited about this team folks. They're for real. I'm not saying they'll win it all just yet, but this is a good team and there's no doubt about that.

Headlines after the jump

Let's start with the bad

Before we start heaping tons of praise, we do have to acknowledge the flaws. The tackling tonight was absolutely atrocious. Almost every big Giants TD or gain was the result of just awful tackling particularly in the secondary. A big win papers over some of those cracks, but that's a serious problem that needs to be addressed.

And the Trent Cole penalty at the end of the game? What the hell was he thinking? The Giants are frustrated and acting like babies because they lost and there was no need to sink to their level. Point at the scoreboard and walk away. Instead Cole acted childish himself and hopefully only gets a fine and not a suspension. Absolutely unacceptable.

And now to the good.

Desean Jackson. He's good. His two big plays tonight tied him for the most 50+ yard TDs in NFL history. He's 3 games to break it, anyone think he won't? He had 6 catches for 178 yards and a TD plus a punt return for a TD tonight... We've got a #1 WR in town and we drafted him.

Big bounceback game from Brent Celek, 5 catches for 64 yards and a TD. Leonard Weaver played well again, Jason Avant didn't record a catch but had a great effort on the two point conversion, and finally... Mike Vick. I don't know if he's getting in better and better shape form playing more, or if Andy's plan to work him in is finally coming to fruition but all of a sudden Mike Vick is become an important contributor especially down in the red zone. He threw a 34 yard pass, picked up some first downs, and scored a rushing TD. Gotta give the guy credit.

The Linc - Allen Iverson and Michael Vick

JasonB — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:00:29 -0000

by Bill Kostroun - AP

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Eagles by the Numbers: Rushing Into History
Until the Bears game, the Eagles hadn’t won or tied a game on a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown in five years. Now they’ve done it twice in eight days. The Eagles have now won as many games on a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown in the last two weeks as they had in their previous 226 games dating back to late in the 1996 season.

Winston Justice: Risk of injury doesn't figure into a player's thinking | Philadelphia Daily News | 12/02/2009
"Personally, I am not even thinking about the risks of the game and any head injuries when I step on the field. Of course, there have been a few times I have been hit and could not recall the last play, but it all comes with the game of football."

Rich Hofmann: Iverson could join Newport News homey Vick here | Philadelphia Daily News | 12/02/2009
Michael Vick. Allen Iverson. In Philadelphia. I mean, really, what are the odds? They come from the same patch of ground in Virginia. Both were born to single, teenaged mothers. They went to rival high schools, 5 years apart, and both played the quarterback position in a dynamic, charismatic way. Then Iverson chose basketball and Vick chose football and the two of them each rode the rocket that is American athletic fame.

Jackson unlikely but Avant ready to go | Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/02/2009
With it highly unlikely that DeSean Jackson will play Sunday in Atlanta, the Eagles might have to ask for more from Jason Avant. They've already received quite a bit this season.

McNabb: Vick will get "standing ovation" | Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/02/2009
Michael Vick returns to Atlanta. Will the town burn? Donovan McNabb doesn't think so. "I believe he'll get a standing ovation," the Eagles quarterback said. Vick said that he thinks the reaction at the Georgia Dome, the stadium he once called home for seven seasons, will be split evenly, "50-50."

Philadelphia Eagles opponents preview - Atlanta Falcons

JasonB — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:19:50 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

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This is the next part in our series of previews of the Eagles 2009 opponents. Joining us for this feature is Dave Schwab, who writes about the Eagles at his site Eagles Lincs.

The Eagles travel to Atlanta this week to face the 6-5 Falcons in hopes extending their winning streak to three games. Big injuries to big players plague both teams... So how will this one play out?

Dave's full analysis is after the jump.

The Eagles are back on the road next week when the travel to Atlanta to play the Falcons on Sunday, December 6^th in a 1:00 P.M start. Last week both teams needed dramatic come from behind wins against teams they were heavily favored to beat keeping their playoff hopes intact. Philly fell behind by eight points to the Redskins early in the 4^th quarter before scoring a touchdown, 2 point conversion, and a 32 yard field goal to secure the 27-24 win, moving their record to 7-4 on the year. Atlanta needed even greater heroics to beat Tampa Bay. Playing in place of injured QB Matt Ryan, Chris Redman found Roddy White for a five yard touchdown reception on 4^th and goal with 26 seconds left in the game to pull out a 20-17 win that moved their record to 6-5.

Along with Matt Ryan, who left early in the game with a toe injury RB Michael Turner was also knocked out of the game with Tampa after reinjuring his right ankle in the third quarter. Their ability to play on Sunday will have a huge impact on Atlanta’s offense. If Ryan cannot go, 7^th year veteran Redman will get the 11^th career start of his career. In last week’s game he completed 23 of 41 attempts for 243 yards and 2 TD’s including the game winner. A much bigger loss for the Falcons would be Turner. So far this season he has run for 864 yards on 177 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and 10 TD’s. His backups include Jason Snelling who has run for 267 yards and 3 TD’s and Jerious Norwood who only has 25 carries on the year. Another big factor in the Falcon’s offense is TE Tony Gonzalez who has 61 receptions for 666 yards and 5 TD’s. No matter who is throwing the ball, Gonzalez will have to be accounted for in the Eagles’ defensive scheme. The two other main receiving threats for Atlanta are White, who has 56 receptions this season and Michael Jenkins who has 40.

The Eagles should be able to move the ball against Atlanta as their defense is not one of the strong points of this team. They are currently ranked 27^th in yards allowed (373.9) and in passing yards allowed (252.6). They are giving up an average of 22.3 points per game while the Eagles are averaging 26.6. As in the Washington game, the key to winning this game will be Philadelphia’s ability to run the ball. With Brian Westbrook still out of the lineup, LeSean McCoy will be the primary back. Along with FB Leonard Weaver they will once again need to establish the run to set up the pass in order to try and take advantage of vulnerable Atlanta secondary with some big plays. A huge question mark for the Eagles will be the availability of WR DeSean Jackson who was knocked out of the Washington game with a concussion. If he cannot go, look for Jason Avant and Jeremy Maclin to be the primary targets for Donovan McNabb.

The Falcons breathed new life into their season with the win over Tampa. At 6-5 they are out of the NFC South division race, but only one game back in the chase for a wildcard spot. They are playing at home which gives them a huge edge in this game as they are 5-0 in the friendly confines of the Georgia Dome. While the Eagles match-well against them in most phases of the game, they cannot afford to be as inconsistent as they were against the Redskins last week. Atlanta has shown the ability to protect a lead as well as come from behind to win a game. It will be up to Philadelphia’s defense to stop some third down conversions and their offense to avoid stalling out in the second half. It will take a full 60 minute effort to get another much needed win as well as put a serious dent in Atlanta’s playoff chances.

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations

Ted Bartlett — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:03:21 -0000

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

27 days ago: Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno (27) has his hand examined during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the New York Giants in Denver, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009. Denver won 26-6. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Browse more photos »

Happy Wednesday, and welcome to a day-late, dollar-short version of ST&NO. First of all, big up TJ for working hard to bring in his outstanding The Dude Abides... Stats That Don't Lie in a day early. I am a bit healthier on Tuesday as I write this, and I am going to see what I can get cranked out in one day, with moderate sneezing, and a heavy Day 1 of close workload in that pesky day job. I didn't take notes, and I didn't remember to record the Broncos game, so I am without a lot of detail this week, and will need to speak more generally than usual. No time to waste, so let's not waste any time. Ready..... BEGIN!!!

1. So I mentioned that I would be in the Constitution State, and that I'd be playing in a football game with my friend Tony, a diehard Giants fan. The morning game was fun, but I ended up pretty sore, for those who asked. It's tough playing once a year at the most.

As for the night game, well, my mom is not what you'd call a high-tech person. Every time I visit, without fail, there's some junk Coby brand DVD player she wants me to plug into some junk/old TV set without RCA inputs. (You have to drop like $40 on an RF modulator to run through coax, which is about 2.5 times the price of the DVD player.) The "how" of plugging in a DVD player is too daunting for my mom to even give it a try for herself. In her main TV-watching area, she has a 21ish-inch Symphonic brand LCD flat screen that I am sure came from Wal-Mart. Her equipment is garbage, but it works for her I guess. Law & Order SVU looks fine on it. (I don't mean to make fun of my mother; she just doesn't share my priorities, or general attitude toward spending a few extra bucks for quality gear.) It turned out to be moot anyway, because NFL Network is on a premium tier she doesn't subscribe to.

So, what to do? Well, Tony was still around. I asked if he wanted to go to a bar for the game, but he ended up inviting me to his parents' house to watch, which was cool. His dad, also Tony, is also a big Giants fan. I usually watch football alone, because I don't consider it to be a social activity. It's really kind of become my job, and I do best when I can take notes, and pause and rewind, and focus on being analytical. I will talk to my brother Chris sometimes during games, but that's annoying, because my DirecTV feed is always 2-3 seconds behind his, so he knows what happened before I do.

Last Thursday, I sat in the living room with Tony and Tony. Tony Version 2.0's mother, and his girlfriend Ana, were there for most of the first half. I like them both very much, but having women around for a Broncos game was a whole other level of different for me. Like, I don't think it has happened since I was married, and that ended Halloween 2007.

But I digest. (I just had a sandwich from Tomayydo Tomahhdo for lunch. It was excellent, as always.) Back to the lecture at hand. I'm watching this game with two Giants fans and their women, and I got it in my mind that I was going to be really respectful of the Giants one way or the other. It turned out I had to do so in the one way, and not the other, which made me happy. For me, it's easier to be gracious in victory than in defeat.

The Broncos dominated the Giants, and in my opinion, played their best all-around game of the season. Kyle Orton threw one bad ball that he'd like to have back. The Giants got one receiver wide open on a well-conceived rub play where Alphonso Smith and Andre' Goodman ran into each other. The line had those 3 stupid scoring-area false starts, and gave up one sack, on the opening play of the game, and it came from the free rusher on a blitz (which puts it on coverage and Orton). Other than those few plays, and a sense that Correll Buckhalter went down a little too easily a couple of times, I wouldn't change much of anything.

McGeorge asked after the San Diego game if I still stood by my 11-5 prediction. I wanted to see how the Broncos did against New York, but after that, I sure do. The Giants game showed the exact formula that the Broncos can use to beat just about anybody. On defense, it was coverage, pressure, and gap control. On offense, it was sharp routes, great catches and good throws, combined with hard running and excellent run blocking. If the Broncos play like that, they will crush the Raiders and Chiefs, and end up with a minimum of 10 wins. They match up pretty well with both the Colts and the Eagles, too, and I think they can win 1 out of those 2 games. Here is my rationale for saying they match up well.

Indianapolis - The Colts are not a complete team, but nobody really is in the salary cap era. What the Colts are is a team which is constructed around the idea that their QB is going to give them leads, and that their defense will therefore need to protect leads. What does that mean? Well, they value zone coverage and pressure from their DEs. If you make them defend both the pass and the run on any given snap, you can score on them without a lot of trouble. Because the Colts can't stop even an average running game with 7 men, their SS Melvin Bullitt runs down into the box very frequently, and the Colts are therefore susceptible to being beaten over the top on play action, if you can run against them. It was no accident how the Texans got out to a big lead Sunday. They ran and threw, and had the Colts defense off balance early. The Colts rookie CBs couldn't handle Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter, and I'm here to tell you, they have nothing for Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal either. The Texans can't handle Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, and the Broncos can, assuming Ryan Harris is fully back by then. The Broncos can block the Colts DEs, beat their CBs, and move their front seven in the running game.

Remember this point. Just because the Colts are 3^rd in scoring defense (just behind Cincinnati and Dallas, and just ahead of Denver) doesn't mean they have a good defense. They really don't. They have a defense which is equipped to take care of leads by making teams gain yards in smallish chunks, and by sacking QBs with edge pressure. That, combined with Peyton Manning's constant use of the whole play clock leads to low-scoring days by opposing offenses

The trick, of course, is defending the Colts, and that's where the Broncos have historically struggled. This Broncos team, however, is better equipped than any in recent memory to have some success. The Colts do best when they can run the ball, and I like the Broncos' chances to stop their running game with 7 ½ men (meaning Brian Dawkins is starting in a cover-2 shell, but keying run first). By stopping the Colts run, you take away their play action stuff, which makes Peyton Manning beat you with perfect throws, and his receivers beat you with perfect routes. Which, of course, they can do, but it's a harder go than the other way. I like the secondary matchups pretty well for the Broncos, from Champ Bailey against Reggie Wayne, Andre' Goodman against Pierre Garcon, Ty Law or Alphonso Smith against Austin Collie, and either Law or Josh Barrett against Dallas Clark. The Clark matchup is key against the Colts, and I like Law and Barrett, depending on down and distance, better than anybody else's sub-package guys in the NFL for covering a big-time TE.

I'm not saying the game will be a runaway Broncos win, just that I can easily make a case for them TO win, and that I think they CAN win. What do you think?

Philadelphia - This is a game the Broncos SHOULD win. The Eagles are a lot like the Giants, from both schematic and personnel perspectives. From the angle of attacking Philly's defense, you can outside zone them to death, like the Broncos did so well against the Giants. That's because their LBs tend to be bigger, slower guys who struggle a bit to cover the lateral width of the field. Will Witherspoon is an exception to that archetype, but Chris Gocong, Joe Mays, and Moise Fokou are vertical players.

You have to block the Eagles' blitz packages, and it really helps to stay on schedule against them. That's a bit easier than it is against a Baltimore or Pittsburgh, because you can run the ball. (They're currently ranked 8^th against the run, but trust me, you can gash them if you try a little.) In the passing game, you'd like to exploit Asante Samuel, who bites on a ton of double moves. Yes, he's a ball-hawk, but he doesn't shut anybody down. He can catch extremely well, and he's an excellent tackler, but he's just an okay coverage player. Sheldon Brown is kind of the opposite; better in coverage, but lesser as a ball-hawk and tackler. Where you can kill the Eagles is from the slot, and with TEs, especially if you block their blitz packages.

Offensively, the Eagles are a big-play offense, and the Broncos have been as good as anybody in the NFL at limiting big plays. Brent Celek got paid Tuesday, and he deserved it. He's a very good receiving TE. The Eagles don't have a big, physical #1 type WR, but they have two speedsters outside with DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. The guy I think is dangerous is Jason Avant, who is much stronger and more physical than the average slot receiver, and he's a tough matchup for the average thin/quick nickel CB. Of course, Alphonso Smith and Ty Law are both thicker/stronger players, so it's less of an issue. I don't fear the Eagles running game, because if you stop it early, they quit going to it.

This game can go either way, obviously, but the Broncos are well-equipped to get a good road win in Philadelphia. I feel pretty good about both games, actually. So, yeah. I still like the 11-5 prediction.

2. Information From My Eyes - Other Games:

a. Richard Seymour is still playing at a high level in Oakland, despite his fairly modest statistics this season. I watched him defeat the left side of the Cowboys offensive line several times on Thanksgiving Day. Seymour's contract is up after this season, and you have to think he'd rather not re-up with the Raiders. Of course, given the price Al Davis paid, he probably gets franchised. If he somehow isn't, I'd sure like to see him in Denver. Forget all this nonsense about building exclusively through the draft; as we've all hopefully realized this season, a team should take any approach available to it, in order to acquire the most good players possible.

b. Anthony Spencer had the best game I have ever seen him have for the Cowboys. Some Dallas fans took exception with my calling Spencer "just a guy" in Week 3, and if he keeps playing like he did last Thursday, I'll have to rethink my evaluation.

c. I have been a fan of the Cowboys' passing scheme for several years now, going back to the end of the Parcells regime. In 2007, when I started to make it my business to watch teams other than the Broncos closely, Jason Garrett was the young, hot name as the Offensive Coordinator, and Jerry Jones paid him a lot of money not to leave for jobs in Baltimore and Atlanta after the 2007 season.

When Tony Sparano left to become the Dolphins Head Coach last season, it came to light that Garrett hadn't been the primary playcaller in 2007, and that he'd be doing it for the first time in 2008 with Sparano's departure. The Cowboys took a noticeable step back last season, and some of the bloom came off the Garrett rose, even as he interviewed for Head Coaching jobs with the Broncos, Lions, and Rams, and seemed to initially be the favorite for the Rams job. There was speculation that Jones would love to be out from under Garrett's $3-million contract.

Well, the point of the history lesson is that the scheme and execution look much better in Dallas lately than they have since Sparano left. I don't know if this makes Garrett a Head Coach, but it makes him a guy who appears to have grown into his job. The Cowboys' passing scheme is very vertical, and it does a good job of getting the ball in the hands of its playmakers. Some will say they don't get Roy Williams involved enough, but those people believe more in Williams than I do. I think he is what he looks like; a lazy player, who has below average hands, lacks quickness out of his breaks, and rounds off his routes. If there's no salary cap for the Cowboys to take a prorated hit against, I guarantee that he gets released in the offseason, and has to beg for a 1 year, $1-million contract to compete for a backup role somewhere.

d. Charles Woodson is playing the best football of his career right now, which I have mentioned several times this season. He had a big stat game Thursday on national TV, and now everybody is on the bandwagon with me. I actually thought it may have only been the 3rd- or 4th-best game I have seen him play this season. To me, he's the no-question Defensive Player of the Year so far.

e. The Packers defense has really gotten their act together lately, and are a big key to the push they seem to be making. I am pretty comfortable projecting that the Packers will be in the postseason as a Wild Card at this point.

f. Jim Leonhard of the Jets is a tremendously underrated player, and I left him out of my Good AFC Safeties list last week, kind of by accident. He is always around the football, and I've been a big fan of his game going all the way back to his days at Wisconsin. The Broncos offered him more money than the Jets this offseason, but he chose to follow Rex Ryan. It seems like it was a good decision for him, anyway.

g. I watched the Short Cut of the Jets-Panthers game, and I agree with Doug Lee that Mark Sanchez's 13-of-17 stat line was very misleading. He had happy feet, and he looked really confused a lot of the time.

h. I've seen a few people starting to use the line which goes "If Alex Smith plays like he did Sunday, the Niners might not replace him in the draft." Really, he has played pretty well for six games, better than ever before in his career. I think the decision would already be made, if it was up to me. You have a guy who is proving he can play, and he's improving even as teams get some film on him. That rollout and throw to Frank Gore for the second TD was a thing of beauty, as Smith waited till the last possible second, and threw the ball to the only spot he could put it. I'd be looking to improve the offensive line, and counting on having a Top-10 offense next season, with Smith, Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, Josh Morgan, and Vernon Davis. Joe Staley is a solid LT when he's healthy, but General Manager Scot McCloughan really would do well to replace the other 4 starters up front. Sunday's game was the first time in 18 games that the 49ers didn't give up a single sack.

i. I tend to like a lot of University of Florida guys, but Ray McDonald is really coming into his own in a specialist role for the 49ers. He looked unblockable at times Sunday. McDonald usually plays in passing situations at DE. According to ESPN, he didn't record a tackle, but he did recover a fumble. I'm telling you, though, he was defeating some blocks Sunday, and bringing a lot of pressure.

3. There are two kinds of name-droppers, and I am the second kind. It's not like I am extremely famous (yet) with my writing for this site, but when you think about it, I'm known by more people than probably 98% of the population. I'm definitely more famous than any of my friends and family, and in the course of telling my stories, I find it adds rhetorical flourish to mention them sometimes, and it's also fun to share my little bit of light with them. I tell people, if they want to make ST&NO, they should do something interesting with me.

The first kind of name-dropper is the one who tries to stand in other people's light. Our dear friend Jay Glazer is the quintessential example of this kind. Check this douchebaggery, from Tuesday night:

First of all, it's Too $hort, not two-short. And, you know what? That's all I have on that topic. I like making fun of Glazer, but whatever, you know? Fish in a barrel.

I am now going to name-drop a person who is as famous as I am. I met Doug Lee for lunch in Manhattan on Saturday. Yes, THE Doug Lee. Friggin Horse Tracks Doug Lee, people! Doug is a cool guy, and he suggested a great burger spot on the Upper East Side.

The lunch conversation was very interesting, the food was terrific, and it was great to meet Doug, but the hijinks ensued when I left to get back on the road back to Cleveland. I had parked on E 71st Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue (for 14 bucks for 2 1/2 hours.) I came out heading south on 2nd Ave, thinking my GPS would send me back to the FDR, and the Triboro bridge, back up to catch the George Washington Bridge.

Well, it took about 2 minutes for my boy Tom Tom to reacquire a signal, and by then I had gone south 10-15 blocks on 2nd. Tom Tom then wanted me to go to the Lincoln Tunnel, the entrance for which is in the 30s, off 9th Avenue, so significantly south and west of where I started out. It's an unquestionably stupid way to go, driving over the river and through the woods in Manhattan, even on a Saturday afternoon, especially considering the Lincoln Tunnel spits you out on the New Jersey Turnpike, heading toward the world-renowned hell-hole of Newark.. (Home of wred-mann.)

Where's the payoff pitch? Here it goes. I was sitting at a traffic light at E 43rd St and 2nd Avenue, and this Puerto Rican guy (with a flag on his shirt, incidentally), knocked on my window. I looked at him like, WTF? But I lowered the window, and he told my right rear tire area looked like it was on fire, and was smoking like crazy. A woman walking behind him told me the same thing, so I pulled over on 43rd and troubleshot it with my dad on the phone for awhile, before deducing that the emergency brake had probably stayed clamped to the rotor, and was causing sparks and smoke. I watched it, with my mirror pointed down, but eventually I was comfortable enough to go through the tunnel, and eventually through Newark, and back to I-80. The moral of the story is if somebody knocks on your window, he may be trying to be helpful, so you shouldn't look cross-eyed at him, as a matter of instinct. Also, sometimes, Tom Tom messing up is a blessing in disguise. If I had gone FDR to the Triboro, to the GW, It would have been all highway, with nobody walking down the sidewalk to knock.

4. One of the hazards of relying on "insiders" for information is that it comes with agendas and spin. Pro Football Weekly is a (Bill Williamson Memorial) decent site, but they rely tremendously on anonymous insider commentary. They've been talking to somebody who seems incentivized to cast Raheem Morris as woefully inept. Check this out:

Talk of the Buccaneers giving head coach Raheem Morris another offseason to turn the team around is fading fast, as his latest bold decision was another admission of failure in a season marked with disappointment. Morris seized defensive coordinator duties from Jim Bates on Nov. 24 and demoted Bates to what is being described as an advisory role, although it's not clear just what kind of involvement or authority, if any, Bates will have for the rest of his time with the organization.

Morris made a couple of mistakes in hiring his staff, but they were the kind of mistakes a first-timer can make, especially one who gets a Head Coaching job a month after most of the movement was over. There's this persistent meme that relieving Jeff Jagodzinski and Jim Bates of their duties somehow shows Morris to be weak. I say it's the other way around. He realized that he had made mistakes, and he let sunk costs be sunk costs, and made the moves that he felt gave his team the best chance to win.

Morris's team is 1-10, but the Bucs have improved as the season has gone on, and it would be asinine to fire him after a season which was a declared rebuilding year, where a coach who they knew was probably hired a year too early learned the ropes.

There are a lot of haters in the world, and I relate pretty closely to Morris. I have always been an overachiever, who has consistently beaten out older, more experienced professional competition for promotions and recognition. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I have a pretty good deal of talent, and a strong work ethic. The majority of my critics have only been moderately talented people, with medium work ethics. Let's face it, there are a lot of people in the center of the bell curve. I am in the center of the bell curve in certain ways, and so is everybody. I am not, though, as an accountant, and Raheem Morris is not as a football coach.

So, some 25-year career assistant who has been hired and fired 15 times is jealous of Morris and his early success. He spouts off to Dan Parr at PFW, and Parr writes that article above. The same thing was going on with Josh McDaniels, with the questioning of his ability, and Josh only got clear of it by winning. Morris will, too.

Even a guy like Marshall Faulk was hating on Morris on Sunday morning, intimating that all the young coach knew how to call was Tampa-2. Well, for 7 end-of-game goal-to-go plays, he called press man-to-man, and his guys covered well. On 4th down, Roddy White made a great play, and won the game for the Falcons. Really, if Connor Barth had hit the 51-yard field goal he attempted, they would have only been playing for a tie. I saw somewhere Morris was criticized for kicking the field goal rather than punting. Really? The point is don't listen to these idiots. I'd be very surprised if the Glazer family is.

5. I have a couple of quick college thoughts.

a. The Head Coaching job at Notre Dame is not a good one. I could usually take or leave SI.com's Stewart Mandel, but he has it exactly right. The expectations there are entirely unreasonable, given the constraints they face. If I were Cincinnati's Brian Kelly, there is no way in hell I'd take that job. At Cincinnati, he has a program whose credibility is on the rise, and who will soon be taken more seriously in the National Championship picture. At Notre Dame, there's just faded mystique.

b. I am a Florida fan, and I think it is unlikely that Tim Tebow wins the Heisman Trophy. I am actually pretty excited for the prospect of the lesser Colt McCoy winning, because history will be repeating itself. I am projecting a win against Alabama, and a Texas win against Nebraska, neither of which is a foregone conclusion, but let's say it happens like that. Tebow will lead Florida into a National Championship game against a guy he lost the Heisman to. I would be really bullish for Florida's 3rd title in 4 years, even more than I already am.

c. Speaking of the Heisman, I think it's ridiculous how it's turned into nothing more than a tool for media conjecture. Frankly, it follows along the same line of thinking that dominates professional football writing, that all of the best players are QBs and RBs, joined by the occasional WR. It's a total farce.

That's all I have this week. I will be back next Tuesday for more of a full-figured ST&NO. Have a great week, and Go Broncos!

The Linc - McNabb's new nasty streak

JasonB — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:00:23 -0000

A 'nasty' streak from McNabb? | Philly | 11/29/2009
The word "nasty" and Donovan McNabb have pretty much never been used in the same sentence since the Eagles' signal-caller arrived on the scene here in 1999.

Bob Ford: Maclin, McCoy deliver | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/29/2009
The biggest cliché in the NFL - a league that dearly likes its clichés - is that when players are injured or not performing, the next guy in line has to step up and make a play. There is a lot of talk about stepping up in this league, and mostly it is just talk. Today, the Eagles did more than that, although they did chat about it afterward as well.

Mr. Opportunity: Avant Again Comes Up Big
Jason Avant has 32 catches this season, equaling his career high. It only seems like he has made every one of them in the pike position. Or with a strong safety’s helmet planted in his ribs.

Eagles' Parker should have been flagged - NFC East Blog - ESPN
That should be an easy call for the official. It was an excessive play by Parker -- and it could have cost his team the game. But the officials completely ignored it. Again, the Redskins should have never put themselves in a position to need a call like that at the end of the game. But it was horrendous no-call nonetheless.

PhillyBurbs.com: Comeback Kids
Those incomplete passes in the final moments have become huge plays. The abandoned running game has reappeared. The big fourth-quarter drives are being fashioned by the Eagles instead of against them. Donovan McNabb's worst quarter has become his best.

Iggles Blog - Philadelphia Eagles Blog: Just Call Him Captain Comeback

If the Birds had lost, I suspect that Andy Reid would have had to spend an even greater proportion of his press conference apologizing for his failed opening gambit. As it is, let's just all have a nice laugh about it and move on.