SB Nation - Winston Justice

San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles: A Prospector's Guide

Fooch — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:00:18 -0000

vs.

The 49ers remain on the periphery of the playoff race (I will most definitely NOT say in the thick of it at this point for karma purposes). They find themselves heading into Philadelphia badly in a need of a win in a game that most people don't give them much of a chance in. We've moved past moral victories, so while I won't be stunned by a loss, keeping it close in Philly won't exactly make me happy as a clam.

The 49ers travel to Philadelphia in what will be the 29th meeting between the two teams, with San Francisco holding a 17-10-1 advantage in the series. The 49ers and Eagles have matched up six times this decade, but this week’s game will mark the first in Philadelphia since 2005.

San Francisco enters the upcoming game following a 24-9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football. In that game, the 49ers defense created 7 turnovers, while RB Frank Gore rushed for 167 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown. TE Vernon Davis leads all NFL receivers with 11 touchdown receptions after registering a 5-yard score from QB Alex Smith against Arizona and is only the 9th tight end in NFL history to record at least 11 touchdown receptions in a season. The NFL record is 13, held by TE Antonio Gates (2004).

Last week’s contest marked the third week in a row that the 49ers defense had posted at least 4 sacks in a game. San Francisco now ranks tied for 7th in the NFL with 34 sacks and a +6 turnover ratio. The 49ers 18 forced fumbles rank tied for 1st in the NFL in 2009 and are tied for the most by the team in a single season (1996 - 18), dating back to 1992.

49ers-Eagles Connections
Coaching Connections
• Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhingweg was the 49ers offensive coordinator and QBs coach from 1997-2000. In 1998, the 49ers became the first team since the 1941 Chicago Bears to lead the league in gross passing and rushing yards thanks in large part to Mornhinweg’s guidance. Mornhinweg attended Oak Grove HS in San Jose, where he was the Northern California POY and an all-state performer.
• 49ers secondary coach Johnnie Lynn and Eagles WRs coach David Culley coached together with the Tampa Bay Bucs from 1994-95.

FORMER EAGLES - Offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye was on the Eagles roster in 1969 ... Pass rush specialist coach Al Harris played with the Eagles for two seasons (1989-90) ... SS Michael Lewis was drafted by the Eagles in the 2nd round in 2002 and played in Philadelphia for 5 years. He earned a Pro Bowl invitation in 2004 ... LB Takeo Spikes spent the 2007 season with the Eagles, starting 14 games ... Strength and conditioning coach Duane Carlisle served as the Philadelphia Eagles speed development consultant from 2000-04. Carlisle also coached at
Penn State from 1989-92 ... Director of pro personnel Tom Gamble entered the NFL as an assistant for the Eagles player personnel department in 1996. He is the son of former Eagles president Harry Gamble and was born in Cherry Hill, NJ ... Area scout Todd Brunner first joined the Eagles as a scouting intern in 1992 and worked as a scouting assistant in 1993.

FORMER 49ERS - CB Joselio Hanson, a native of Playa del Rey, CA, was originally signed by the 49ers as a rookie free agent in 2003 and appeared in 13 games for the 49ers.

49ERS PENNSYLVANIA CONNECTIONS - RB Michael Robinson played collegiate football at Penn State ... CB Shawntae Spencer is from Rankin, PA ... Rookie LB Scott McKillop hails from Monroeville, Pennsylvania.

EAGLES NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CONNECTIONS - Head Coach Andy Reid spent time as the offensive coordinator at San Francisco State from 1983-85 ...TE coach Tom Melvin is a native of Redwood City, CA, and began his coaching career at San Francisco State from 1982-85 and attended Cubberley HS in Palo Alto ... Special assistant/defense Brian Stewart served as defensive backs coach at San Jose State (1997-98) ... WR DeSean Jackson played at Cal and is a native of Long Beach, CA ... TE Alex Smith lettered at Stanford from 2001-04.

PLAYER CONNECTIONS
• 49ers DT Justin Smith and Eagles G/T Stacy Andrews were teammates with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2004-07.
• 49ers DT Demetric Evans was a teammate of Eagles DE Chris Clemons and LB Jeremiah Trotter for the Redskins (2004-05).
• 49ers LB Parys Haralson and Eagles LB Omar Gaither were teammates at Tennessee from 2002-05.
• 49ers G Chilo Rachal played at USC with Eagles DT Mike Patterson and T Winston Justice.

Series Highlights
Matchups: 28
Series Record: 49ers lead series 17-10-1
49ers Away Record vs. Eagles: 49ers Lead Series 9-3-1
First Meeting: 10/6/51, Eagles win, 21-14, at Philadelphia
Last Meeting: 10/12/08, Eagles win, 40-26, at San Francisco
Current Streak: Lost 3
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 5 (9/23/84 - 11/29/92)
Longest Eagles Win Streak: 3 (9/18/05 - Present)
Most 49ers Points: 38 (Two Times), Last: 38-28, at ~~San Francisco~~ Philadelphia
Most Eagles Points: 42 (9/18/05), 42-3, at San Francisco
49ers Shutouts: 1 (12/29/96), 49ers win 14-0, at San Francisco
Eagles Shutouts: None

PHILADELPHIA 40, SAN FRANCISCO 26
At ~~Glendale, AZ~~ Philadelphia, PA, October 20, 2008

The Philadelphia Eagles forced 3 turnovers during a 23-point 4th quarter of a 40-26 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. CB Donald Strickland returned a blocked FG 41 yards for aTD on the final play of the 1st half and the momentum carried into the 3rd quarter when the 49ers scored 10 points to take a 26-17 lead.

After the Eagles rallied back to take a 27-26 lead with 7:38 left to play, the 49ers next three drives ended in turnovers that set up scores for Philadelphia. S Quintin Mikell intercepted a QB J.T. O’Sullivan pass and returned it to the San Francisco 7-yard line to set up a short FG. On the next series, Eagles DE Trent Cole forced a fumble on a sack of O’Sullivan, allowing Philadelphia to recover at the San Francisco 20-yard line to set up another short FG for a 33-26 lead with 1:10 left. San Francisco got past midfield on the next drive when O’Sullivan connected with WR Josh Morgan on a 25-yard gain, but two plays later with 48 seconds to play, O’Sullivan was picked off by DE Juqua Parker, who returned it 55 yards for a score to seal the 40-26 win.

Philadelphia QB Donovan McNabb threw for 280 yards and 2 TDs while RB Correll Buckhalter, playing in place of an injured Brian Westbrook, had 93 yards rushing and 85 yards receiving. Philadelphia took a 7-6 1st quarter lead and then added 10 points in the 2nd quarter for a 17-6 lead. PK Joe Nedney hit a 53-yard FG with 34 seconds to play, but Philadelphia moved to the San Francisco 36-yard line with one second remaining on the clock before halftime. The Eagles sent PK David Akers on to the field to attempt a 54-yard FG DE Ray McDonald blocked the kick, and Strickland scooped up the loose ball and ran 41 yards for the score to make it a 17-16 game at the half. RB Frank Gore had his second 100-yard game of the year with 101 yards on 19 attempts.

2009 Statistics

49ERS (rank)		EAGLES (rank)
6-7 (2nd NFCW)	Record	9-4 (1st NFCE)
20.7 (18th)	Points per game	28.6 (3rd)
288.6 (27th)	Total Offense	360.2 (11th)
98.8 (24th)	Rushing Offense	106.1 (19th)
189.8 (22nd)	Passing Offense	254.1 (10th)
29:31 (16th)	Possession Avg	28:30 (25th)
18.6 (8th)	Points allowed/gm	21.0 (t-16th)
338.6 (18th)	Total Defense	320.1 (10th)
95.0 (5th)	Rushing Defense	101.5 (10th)
243.6 (27th)	Passing Defense	218.6 (18th)
34 (t-7th)	Sacks	36 (t-4th)
47.8 (2nd)	Punting Avg (Gross)	41.7 (27th)
+6 (t-7th)	Turnover Differential	+15 (3rd)

The Linc - Vick tops a list, Umenyoria gets demoted, & Georgia Eagles

JasonB — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:00:22 -0000

by Matt Slocum - AP

15 days ago: Bernard Hopkins, left, of Philadelphia, poses with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick after Hopkins' non-title light heavyweight boxing match against Enrique Ornelas, of Mexico, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009, in Philadelphia. Hopkins won in 12 rounds with a unanimous decision. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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Homecoming For Five UGA Eagles - Philadelphia Eagles
Michael Vick isn't the only Eagles' player with a homecoming of sorts on tap this Sunday when the team travel south to play the Atlanta Falcons. For Will Witherspoon, Chris Clemons, Sean Jones, Reggie Brown and Max Jean-Gilles, the trip to the Georgia dome will be a return to the state where they played their college football. All five players went to the University of Georgia - the biggest collection of players from one college on the Eagles' roster.

KSMU - Nixa Schools Changing Logo Due To Trademark Concerns
The Nixa Public School district is taking a proactive step to avoid a possible trademark infringement lawsuit. The school’s current eagle athletic logo is identical to the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles logo, with just the colors changed.

Eagles Notes: An opportunity for Reggie Brown
"He's a good player," Avant said, "and I heard one guy say if Reggie Brown is your third or fourth receiver on the team, that group is pretty good. But he's a No. 1 guy no matter where he goes, and he has the opportunity to prove it again."

It appears that Osi's been demoted - NFC East Blog - ESPN
Greetings from Manhattan, where folks are abuzz about the news that Giants Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora may have been demoted for Sunday's game against the Cowboys.

Eagles' penalties; Giants demoting Osi? | Philly | 12/05/2009
Before the season, if I would have predicted that Winston Justice would play well and get a four-year extension, and Umenyiora would get demoted, well, you likely would have stopped reading MTC. Crazy how things play out in this league.

ESPN The Mag: In Vick's own words - NFC East Blog - ESPN
Eagles quarterback Michael Vick showed up at No. 13 on ESPN The Magazine's list of the top 100 stories of the year. In a story from the Dec. 14 issue, Vick opens up about what it's like to have transitioned from prison to the NFL.

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."

Eagles lock up Brent Celek through 2016

JasonB — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:35:19 -0000

More photos » by Mel Evans - AP

about 1 month ago: Philadelphia Eagles tight end Brent Celek, right, celebrates after catching an 11-yard touchdown pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

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Today the Eagles announced that they've signed TE Brent Celek to a 6 year contract extension that will keep him in Philly until 2016.

The former 5th round pick out of Cincinnati has certainly earned the extension, as he's enjoying a breakout year in what is his first full season as a starter. PE.com has some numbers

Celek is one of the league's top tight ends in 2009 with 54 catches (7th among NFL TEs), 601 yards (5th) and five touchdowns (tied-4th). All of those numbers are career highs for Celek.

Plus, Celek has shown real improvement in his blocking which had probably been his biggest weakness coming into the year. Congrats to him, he earned it. Celek is the second player in as many weeks to get a long term deal from the Eagles, the first being Winston Justice.

Actually, if you had been keeping an eye on the fanposts... A member of the nation broke this yesterday. Thanks to rcpratt.

[Note by JasonB, 12/01/09 1:01 PM EST ] Update - Some numbers from Adam Schefter

Brent Celek's six-year extension is worth $33 million and includes $11 million in guaranteed money.

Winston Justice talks about his new deal

JasonB — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:00:20 -0000

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Yesterday afternoon, Winston Justice took the stage at the NovaCare complex with GM Tom Heckert to meet the media and talk about his new contract. He spoke about why his play seems to have improved so dramatically this season.

"I just really wanted to make a change," Justice said of his decision to change his off-season schedule. "I really wanted to make a commitment to my work because I really feel that I was put there for a reason. I think that was biggest difference this year is that I really made a dedication to my trade.

"I thought I improved in every aspect, but I also need to improve in every aspect of my game still ... I think my goal is not to be a good or reliable guy, but my goal is to be a great tackle. I think I have a lot more steps for me to take for that."

Tom Heckert said that the team never lost faith in Justice.

"I know everybody talks about the Giants game, but we see him every day in practice," Heckert said. "You look throughout the league and the top left tackles, top right tackles, they get beat. It happens in the NFL. There was never a point where we said this guy can't play. We saw enough on tape in college and enough on tape in practices, in the preseason that we had faith in Winston. I think I mentioned last year, he had to come out and if he got the opportunity to play he had to prove that he could do it and line up against the top guys and be productive and he's done that this year."

According to Les Bowen, Heckert indicated that the new deal meant that the team does see Justice as the long term starter at right tackle. He also refused to answer any questions about Shawn Andrews, saying the "question isn't even relevant right now."

Eagles sign Winston Justice to 4 year extension

JasonB — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:04:30 -0000

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With the Eagles offense line in constant flux this year, one of the few constants has come from probably the most surprising place. Once written off as a second round bust, Winston Justice took over the starting RT job when Shawn Andrews was unable to start the season and has spent the season changing the minds of fans and generally redeeming himself. Today, the Eagles rewarded him with a 4 year extension.

The Eagles have signed right tackle Winston Justice to a four-year contract extension through 2013. Justice's rookie contract was due to expire at season's end.

It's interesting that the contract came just a few days after what Philly.com called his "best performance of the season."

I don't know what got in to Justice, but he was an absolute beast in the run game. By far his best performance of the season in that area, and I don't even think it's close. Great block on Vick’s 34-yard run and several others, including McCoy's 3rd-and-1 conversion in the third. Not just adequate. He was taking guys to the ground. In the pass game, he was solid as usual. Really one of the great stories on this team this season.

One has to wonder what this means about the Eagles' future expectations of Shawn Andrews. If they've decided Winston Justice is their guy at RT, Peters is the guy LT, Herremans is entrenched at LG... Shawn Andrews doesn't play center... So it appears if he does get another shot next year it's at RG or nothing. With Stacy Andrews due a large amount of guarantees if he's on the team next year, it looks like it will be one Andrews or the other. Or neither I guess...

Regardless, today isn't about Shawn Andrews. It's about Winston Justice. What a great story of redemption, hard work, self belief, perseverance. He still has learning to do and will get better, but so far I'm very impressed with what he's accomplished this year. Congratulations.

The 49ers RT: Niners Nation looking into the Future

Andrew Davidson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:03:54 -0000

Quick Note: I wrote this article prior to this past weekend's heart breaking loss to the Titans. The fact that we are 3-5 doesn't mean we should give up on the season, and focus on the offseason, I just wanted to get some names out there that we can track through out the remainder of the season.

Things can't get much worse (at RT) in Ninerland with Tony Pashos being out for the season. While Pashos didn't get a lot of time to get comfortable in the offense, it leaves the 49ers with plenty of problems heading forward at the RT position. We get to see just how good Adam Snyder can be in an everyday role from here on out, without someone breathing down his neck for playing time. You can thank Joe Staley's injury for that, as Barry Sims is our starting LT. I'd be much happier discussing the notion of Sims and Snyder rotating at RT than having both guys as our starting OTs. The team may get a chance to see what Alex Boone has, but I think long term wise, Boone is depth at OL and not a future starter.

With two drafts picks in the 2010 first round, the 49ers will likely have a chance to land one of the better OTs in the class. On top of that, there are three potential free agents at RT that could interest the 49ers. It depends on how much of a splash the 49ers want to make, and how well the players will perform through out the remainder of the season. I'm going to take a look at those 3 free agent possibilities, and also run down the Top 6 OT prospects. Also, if you haven't checked out Drew K's fanpost, do so, because he's got the entire draft class ranked. While it may be too early for some to start thinking about next year's draft, it's never too early to track the talent of future 49ers.

I'll be following the three potential Free Agent RTs, as well as the top 6 OT prospects, but I encourage you to do the same. I'm also curious to know if Niners Nation would rather see the team draft the "Right Tackle Of The Future" or sign him via free agency. Again, we've got two first rounders, and I'd love to see an edge rusher come out of that round, but I'll never be unhappy when the team finally decides to spend a draft pick to bolster our LOLine. Spending money on a RT is risky, and there's only one guy I'd really love to see the team sign - in other words, if they don't get him, I'd rather they go address it in the draft.

After the jump Atlanta's Tyson Clabo, Tampa Bay's Jeremy Trueblood and Philadelphia's Winston Justice, followed by a rundown of some of the offensive tackle draft prospects...

Football Outsiders Note:

Adjusted Line Yards (ALY): Statistic which attempts to, even to a small extent, separate the ability of a running back from the ability of the offensive line. Adjusted Line Yards begin as a measure of average rushing yards per play by running backs only, adjusted in the following way:

0-4 yards: 100% strength

5-10 yards: 50% strength

11+ yards: not included

runs for a loss: 120% strength

Each play is also adjusted based on game situation as well as quality of opponents faced. Adjusted Line Yards can be listed as total or broken down by direction to attempt to isolate ability of specific linemen. [The full explanation is here at FO]

The Free Agent Right Tackles

1. Tyson Clabo, RT, Atlanta Falcons - I wasn't too vocal about it this past offseason, but I wanted Clabo to sign with the 49ers badly. Clabo was a Restricted Free Agent, and I would've been more than happy to see the 49ers give up a draft pick to get a beast RT like Clabo. In Atlanta's power run game offense, this guy is a mauling run blocker and started all 16 games in 2008. Clabo took the job over 5 games into the 2007 season and has 34 career starts at RT after Week 8. On to some rushing stats...

The Falcons run 24% of their run plays to the right side, in Clabo's direction (RT - 13%, RE - 11%). Atlanta's Adjusted Line Yards on the runs to the RT are 4.4 (12th in the NFL); the runs to the RE are 5.66 (4th in the NFL). On the left side of the line (which they run a total of 26%), the LT (15%) averages 3.52 (20th) while the LE (11%) averages 5.35 (7th). In english, The Falcons have greater success running at the right side despite the similar frequency in plays run compared to the left side. The success of runs to LE & RE are a testament to how well the Guards can pull, and how well the Tight Ends can block.

Atlanta also has an 82% power success (3rd) and just a 17% stuffed rate (6th); they have a low 19% 10+ yards plays. This trend indicates that the Falcons rely on their Offensive Line to get the running game going, and don't depend on the RBs to break off bigs to help boster the rush attack. For example, the 49ers have a 37% 10+ yards rate proving that our LOLine is banking on Gore to rip off the runs. In conclusion, the Falcons have a dominant O-Line and the better part of that dominance is in Clabo's direction. While Atlanta is just 17th in the NFL in rush yards per game, it's not because the big RT isn't doing his job.

Bottom Line: Tyson Clabo is a beast and would be a great RTOTF for this franchise. Back a dump truck up to his house in the offseason and pay the guy. Atlanta would be wise to extend this player before the 2010 FA period begins, let's hope they do not. Age: 28, Height: 6'6, Weight: 314

2. Jeremy Trueblood, RT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - What can I say about Trueblood, who seems to be an underrated RT on an otherwise terrible Buccaneers football team. The Tampa Bay big fella started all 16 games in both 2007 and 2008, and 13 in his 2006 rookie season. His total games started at RT after week 8 now sit at 52, and he's two years younger than Clabo. Trueblood is schedule to be an Unrestricted Free Agent should the Bucs not sign him before the FA period begins in 2010. Let's look at Trueblood's juicy stats...

Tampa runs 20% of their rush attempts to the right side in Trueblood's direction (10% RT, 10% RE). The Bucs have the 4th ranked ALY at RT averaging 5.18, while averaging 1.74 at RE (ranked 30th). To the left side of the line, Tampa Bay runs 19% (11% LT, 8% LE) and has the best ALY to LT at 5.78, but the 30th to LE at 2.69. Despite having the 24th ranked rush offense in yards per game, Tampa has great success running at the tackles, but also lacks the help of a solid blocking Tight End (see: Kellen Winslow).

The Buccaneers do not boast a high power success rate, sitting 22nd in the league at 60%. Their 20% rate of 10+ yard plays has them ranked 12th while a 24% stuffed rate is "good" for 28th in the league. There aren't exact numbers to back up this claim, but the fact that Tampa Bay has the 31st ALY (3.03) in the Middle/Guard direction leads me to believe most of the stuffs aren't coming at the RT or LT's expense. I'm concluding that the Buccaneers are solid at the tackle positions, but need improvement in the interior line (and Kellen Winslow stinks at blocking). In other words, Jeremy Trueblood is worth looking at come FA time in 2010, and certainly worth tracking the rest of way in 2009.

Bottom Line: If/when the Falcons re-up with Clabo, I would have no complaints about seeing Jeremy Trueblood join the 49ers O-Line in 2010. He's durable, he's reliable, and he's huge. I may actually endorse this signing more than Clabo based on contract value, but Clabo is such a mean, angry, mauling beast. Age: 25, Height: 6'8, Weight: 320

3. Winston Justice, RT, Philadelphia Eagles - Justice is on this list because of his smooth transition from LT to RT in 2009. For the better part of 2007 and 2008, Justice was an ineffective LT on the verge of being labelled a bust. The Eagles 2006 draft missed his entire rookie season and never got acclimated to the position as a pro. Enter 2009, where Justice has emerged as a pleasant surpise starting all 7 games at RT for the Eagles. By all appearances, Justice looks the part of an NFL-caliber starting RT. The reflection of Justice in statistics...

Perhaps Justice has been pleasing the Eagles because they only run plays to RT at 7%, but the team runs to RE at 21%; that's 28% that the Eagles team is running in Justice's direction. Comparatively, Philadelpha runs to the left side 28%, the difference being 14% at LT, and 14% at LE. In terms of Adjusted Line Yards, the Eagles are fairly mediocre with a 3.61 average running towards RT (26th), and 3.7 at RE (18th). Plays directed towars the LT are much more effective at 4.61, good for 5th in the league; Philly's LE rate is middle of the pack, averaging 4.08 (16th). Winston Justice isn't the best lineman on the team, but he's certainly not terrible.

The Eagles have the 14th ranked rushing attack in the NFL averaging 115.4 yards per game, quite impressive considering the nagging injury problems that plague Brian Westbrook. Even more impressive is Philadelphia's 83% power success (2nd in the league) combined with a 24% runs of 10+ yards (7th in the league). The Eagles also have the league's 2nd ranked stuffed percentage, which is pretty stellar 14%. While Justice's numbers aren't quite as impressive, it definitely shows that the team's O-Line is successful as whole, thanks in part to Justice's play at RT. If it came down to Justice being a targeted FA acquisition, it would mean both Clabo and Trueblood are off the market.

Bottom Line: If does come down to Justice as a FA target, I think I'd rather have the team address RT in the draft. Not that Justice's play isn't impressive, his 7 total starts at RT (and likely 16 by year's end) don't justify a big FA deal in my opinion. Age: 24, Height: 6'6, Weight: 320

Note: All RB % and ALY stats provided by FootballOutsiders.com; All games started data provided by PFR & CBS; All Team Rushing Date provided by TeamRankings.com; All stats are based on statistics prior to this past weekends games.

The Offensive Tackle Draft Prospects

Note: All due respect to the potential underclassmen, but for the purposes in this list, I'm going with strictly seniors who will be in the 2010 draft undoubtedly. My apologies to Bruce Campbell (Maryland), Bryan Bulaga (Iowa), and Anthony Davis (Rutgers). Click on Scouting Report to get a deeper look at each prospect.

1. Russell Okung, Oklahoma State, Scouting Report - Projected Pick*: Top 5, Projected 40yd Dash*: 5.22, Height*: 6'5 Weight*: 305

The Rundown: Starting LT for the OSU Cowboys, and arguably the top OT prospect in the draft. Some underclassmen could dethrone Okung, but it's likely that the first OL off the board in 2010 will be Okung. The Cowboys have rushed for 20 TDs this season, and QB Zac Robinson has been sacked just 5 times in 228 pass attempts (through 9 games). Texas fans may scream about Okung being a cheapshot artist, but check this video out and see him simply toss Freshman Alex Okafor to the turf (before he takes a crack at Keenan Robinson). Doesn't every lineman need a nasty streak? Yep. The 49ers will likely have to trade up in the draft to get Okung, and Staley would have to move back to RT in such a scenario. Since Okung has very few flaws in his game, the Niners would possibly have to acquire the Number 1 selection (and his talents are much deserving of that slot).

2. Charles Brown, Southern California, Scouting Report - Projected Pick: Top 20, Projected 40yd Dash: 5.06, Height: 6'6 Weight: 296

The Rundown: Another LT prospect, Brown is the starter for the USC Trojans. I think the idea that Brown is a Top 20 pick is certainly debatable, but not far-fetched either. He'll likely have to bulk up when he makes the transition to the pro game as he may be too "svelt" to be an NFL-caliber LT. The Trojans QBs have been sacked 11 times in 225 pass attempts, while the team has rushed for 18 TDs (through 8 games). I found this video on Youtube, that takes a glimpse into Brown's HS coach and the relationship they developed. To say the very least, Brown seems like a professional and off the field issues seem highly unlikely. I can definitely see the 49ers selecting Brown in the late teens, early twenties in the draft, and asking him to make the switch to RT at the next level.

3. Trent Williams, Oklahoma, Scouting Report - Projected Pick: Round 1-2, Projected 40yd Dash: 5.27, Height: 6'5 Weight: 315

The Rundown: While Williams is the starting LT for Oklahoma, it's very likely he'll be a RT for which ever NFL team drafts him. The Sooner had an extremely productive 2008 season, but opted to remain in college for his senior season. In 2008, Williams played RT, which will help him if he has to make the switch back in the pros. The Sooners on the season have rushed for 12 TDs and allowed 7 sacks in 298 pass attempts (through 8 games). One knock on Williams is that he doesn't have enough nastiness when run blocking, which hopefully can be addressed by pro coaches. It's likely that the 49ers would have to reach for Williams in round 1, and not be high enough in Round 2 to have a shot at him (well assuming the 49ers don't fudge the mattress the rest of the way).

4. Ciron Black, Lousiania State, Scouting Report - Projected Pick: Round 2, Projected 40yd Dash: 5.27, Height: 6'5, Weight: 320

The Rundown: Black is the starting LT for the LSU Tigers, but is another prospect that will likely end up as RT in the NFL. He also has the versatility to play guard, which will make him no worse than a second round draft choice in my opinion. Black is a powerful run blocker, but struggles in pass protection at times (sounds like he'll fit right in). The Tigers have allowed QB Jordan Jefferson to be sacked 23 times in 210 pass attempts, and have 12 Rush TDs in nine games thus far. After passing up on Phil Loadholt last year, I'll find it hard to agree with the 49ers passing on Black if he's available when the Niners are on the clock in Round 2. While I love the extra 2010 first rounder, it's time to address RT before the 2011 offseason.

5. Jason Fox, Miami, Scouting Report - Projected Pick: Round 2, Projected 40yd Dash: 5.10, Height: 6'6, Weight: 310

The Rundown: Ok, so the trend stops from being college LT = NFL RT in this case, as Fox is the starting LT for the Hurricanes, and projects as an NFL LT. In fact, Fox has been Miami's starting Left Tackle since his freshman season. Miami's QB Jacory Harris has been sacked 25 times in 264 pass attempts through nine games, and the team has rushed for 15 TDs. Since Fox is likely to be an NFL LT, it would be hard to see the 49ers take him. Should Black be off the board in Round 2, but Fox is ripe for the picking, it would be wise at that point for the 49ers to entertain trade offers. That is, unless the team was absolutely comfortable having Joe Staley move back to RT in order to shift a second round rookie in the starting LT role.

6. Selvish Capers, West Virginia, Scouting Report - Projected Pick: Round 3-4, Projected 40yd Dash: 4.91, Height: 6'6, Weight: 289

The Rundown: Capers is the Mountaineers starting RT, while some scouts envision him as a possible NFL LT. By the time he's drafted and ready to suit up, it's likely he'll remain in his natural position. However, should a team be able to land him in round 4, it's easily a possibility that an NFL team try and convert Capers to LT. The West Virginia spread offense has seen QBs sacked 12 times in 251 pass attempts, while plundering opponents with 21 rushing TDs (9 games). If the Niners haven't addressed offensive tackle by round 3, they'd jump on Capers if he's available, and not bank on him slipping to Round 4. I don't think I can stress enough how important it will be for the team to get a RTOTF before the start of the 2010 season. And for fun (since I couldn't find any other videos), Capers waves a pretty mean flag.

* - projected data provided by WalterFootball.com (as of Oct. 24, 2009); NCAA team stats courtesy of Yahoo!; NOTE: The USC and Oklahoma games were not completed while this article was written.

That wraps up my first take on the 2010 offseason prospects at Right Tackle. While I'd certainly be happy with Tyson Clabo or Jeremy Trueblood coming over via free agency, it could be wiser to have the team draft it's big grinder. I'm wondering what Niners Nation thinks, should we sign a RT or draft a RT? Certainly we need a RT for 2010, there's no denying that (unless your Kool-Aid has cyanide in it).

The Linc - Desean Jackson for MVP?

JasonB — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:00:36 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

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Snap Judgements - Don Banks - SI.com
I'm not saying DeSean Jackson has my vote locked up, but as midseason approaches, don't you at least have to include the second-year Eagles receiver on the short list of MVP candidates? Every one of Jackson's touchdowns have been the stuff of highlight-reel, and with Sunday's 54-yard scoring catch against the Giants factored in, the former Cal standout now has four touchdowns as a receiver, one as a rusher and one as a punter returner.

PhillyBurbs.com: Pro Bowler Cole having his best season yet
Always a solid pass rusher, the veteran defensive end is playing stronger than ever against the run, too.

Eagles Notes: Hobbs, Justice win praise | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/02/2009
Offensive tackle Winston Justice was approached by coach Andy Reid after he finished talking to reporters. "He told me that was a lot better than last time," Justice said.

Phil Sheridan: Eagles make statement, for now | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/01/2009
In most NFL seasons, the Eagles' laugh-riot 40-17 dismantling of the New York Giants would count as a statement game. First day of November, weather turning cold, first big NFC East matchup - you would come away from such a game believing something definitive had been established. This year? Not so much.

Much more after the jump

Week Eight Morning Aftermath: Eagles 40, Giants 17 | ProFootballTalk.com
The Eagles have put an embarrassing loss at Oakland in the rear-view mirror, and they've moved to 5-2, good for a first-place tie with the Cowboys.

Glauber: Just three weeks ago, all was rosy for Giants
The Giants look nothing like they did three weeks ago.

Defensive Punch, Offensive Clout | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/02/2009
It was difficult to tell exactly which Eagles punch was the most devastating because they threw so many lethal left hooks and right uppercuts that the defending division champions never had a chance.

Paul Domowitch: Between the tackles: Weaver gets into the act | Philadelphia Daily News | 11/02/2009
One number tells you all you need to know about the role of the fullback in the Eagles' running game under Andy Reid. The number is 59, which is the total number of rushing attempts by Eagles fullbacks in Reid's first 10 seasons as the team's head coach.

Rich Hofmann: Eagles' DeSean Jackson could become new 50s icon | Philadelphia Daily News | 11/02/2009
IT IS NOT every day anymore that you get to write the name Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch in a story, so that is where we begin. In 1951, Crazylegs had eight touchdowns of 50 or more yards for the Los Angeles Rams. In 2007, Devin Hester also had eight for the Chicago Bears. Eight is the NFL record. DeSean Jackson, the official incendiary device of the Philadelphia Eagles, has six with more than half a season to go.

With Westbrook Hurt, FB Weaver Answers the Call
Less than two minutes into Sunday’s game, Eagles fullback Leonard Weaver broke into the clear, and into uncharted territory. "Oh man," he said later, "it felt spacious. It was great."

'Kudos & Wet Willies:' Forget the 'Kudos' edition - Big Blue View
New York Giants 'Kudos & Wet Willies:' Forget the 'Kudos' edition

Eagles roll over Giants 40-17

JasonB — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:30:59 -0000

More photos » by Carolyn Kaster - AP

about 1 month ago: Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson celebrates with Eagles coach Andy Reid after Jackson scored a touchdown during the second quarter an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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The Eagles offense bounced back from a few sputtering performances while the defense continued it's dominance as the Eagles blew out the Giants to take over first place in the NFC East. While the Eagles offense still flashed that big play capability they've shown all year, they also showed an ability to run longer more methodical drives. While the Eagles' ability to run the ball certainly helped, the offensive line and especially Donovan McNabb also had big bounce back games which helped the Eagles establish a rhythm on offense that we haven't seen in weeks. The Donovan McNabb we saw today looked nothing like the inaccurate and indecisive QB we've seen since his return from injury. No doubt the time given to him by the line helped, but McNabb's ball placement was so much better this week. I honestly don't remember him making a bad throw all day.

There's no doubt that in years passed we've seen McNabb have these mini slumps only to respond with great stretches. Today's win seems to mark the end of his slump and the start of good things.

No discussion of why the Eagles dominated this game would be complete without a mention of the defense. Eli Manning was picked off twice in a game where the Eagles forced three turnovers and pressured him well all day and getting two sacks. Brandon Jacobs padded his stats toward the end of the game, but in general the Eagles bottled up the Giants round game as well. For me, the standout defensive player was Sean Jones. With rookie Macho Harris hurt, the free agent signing from the Browns got the start and responded with probably the best game from an Eagles safety this year. He hit receivers, hard, he running backs hard... I would almost say he reminded me of another Eagle safety, but to do would be sacrilege. So let me just say it's nice to see an Eagle safety hitting people hard again.

Big play offense in effect

The Eagles ripped off big plays through the air and on the ground this week. The big TDs were a 41 yard Leonard Weaver run, a 54 yard Desean Jackson catch, a spectacular 23 yard TD Jeremy Maclin grab, and a 56 yard LeSean McCoy run on a 3rd and 1 play. When things are clicking like today, there isn't many teams more exciting to watch than the Eagles.

Desean Jackson's 50+ yard TD ties him for the franchise record.

Top picks deliver big

You may notice in that list of big plays that the names of both of our top draft picks this year appeared. Jeremy Maclin finished the day with 4 catches for 49 yards and a fantastic TD catch while Shady McCoy had 82 yards on 11 carries.

Church bus was rolling

Leonard Weaver's performance was probably the biggest surprise of the day. With Brian Westbrook on the sideline we expected rookie LeSean McCoy to take the load, but in reality the carries were pretty even split between he and Weaver, who set the tone for the game with a 41 yard TD run on the Eagles opening drive. Weaver ran hard for 75 yards on 8 carries. While I still love Westbrook and can't wait to see him back, we learn more and more each week that the Eagles offense no longer relies on him.

Babin's boneheaded play

BGN favorite Jason Babin, who did have a sack today and generally did a nice job getting into the Giants' backfield.... made perhaps the dumbest play of the year so far. On a poorly struck Giants kickoff, Babin decided to try to catch the short kick rather than let it bounce(probably out of bounds). Not surprisingly the defense end couldn't catch it and fumbled the ball, which the Giants recovered and converted to 7 points.

About those points...

The Giants scored 17 points today, which marked the sixth time in seven games the Eagles defense has held their opponent to 17 points or less. That was always Jim Johnson's target for a good defensive performance.

A name you never heard today

Winston Justice. He went up against Justin Tuck today and surrendered no sacks. Any day where you never hear an offensive lineman's name is a good day. He denies it, but I'm fairly confident that Justice had this game circled on his calender for quite a while.

Final thought

Suddenly, we're all feeling pretty good about these Eagles? Two straight wins over division rivals, a big win over a team with a winning record, Donovan McNabb looks back on track, the defense is good... It's amazing what a difference a week can make. The fun continues next week as the Dallas Cowboys come to town. Should be a fun week.

Giants vs Eagles coverage

Giants vs Eagles recap

Giants vs Eagles boxscore

Big Blue View

Gameday Lincs - Eagles host Giants

JasonB — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:00:24 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

Brian Westbrook practices standing on the sideline, which should prepare him for his likely role today. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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Didinger's Scouting Report: Eagles-Giants
Ray Didinger breaks down Sunday's Eagles-Giants matchup.

NFL Preview - N.Y. Giants (5-2) at Philadelphia (4-2) - KansasCity.com
As busy as it normally is at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia for a Philadelphia Eagles home game, the town will be bopping to the extreme Sunday, on perhaps one of the most memorable sports days in the City of Brotherly Love's history.

Nov. 1, 2009: the greatest sports day ever? - Inhistoric
What's better than a World Series, NFL, NBA, MLS, ATP, WTA, NHL, PGA and NASCAR game? Watching them all on the SAME DAY.

McNabb's phone ploy a factor as Giants, Eagles set for NFC East tilt - USATODAY.com
PHILADELPHIA — Last January, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb picked up a telephone on the New York Giants sideline. He may have dialed up some extra motivation for the Giants when they face the Eagles here Sunday.

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown responds to NY Giants wide receiver Steve Smith | New York Giants - - NJ.com
"I’m sure a lot of people say that on film," Brown said. "I could be open 25, 30 yards down the field, but if the quarterback is sacked, then you’re not open."

Greg Hanlon: Giants - Eagles Preview: This is Fun
This is obviously a critical moment for the Giants -- a third straight loss would amount to a strong case that the Giants aren't among the leagues best.

Winston Justice not looking for redemption | ProFootballTalk.com
Offensive linemen usually get noticed for bad plays, and few offensive linemen have been noticed more for bad plays than Eagles tackle Winston Justice was at Giants Stadium on September 30, 2007.

Giants prepared for Wildcat, heavier dose of Vick
Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce said Friday that it's "unfair" to compare Vick now to the star he was in Atlanta before going to prison.

Giants vs. Eagles: What to Watch - The Fifth Down Blog - NYTimes.com
Eli Manning takes a lot of time to adjust plays at the line of scrimmage, and that has caused some delay penalties and miscommunication.

Scouting Report: Giants at Eagles - pressofAtlanticCity.com : Sports
The Press of Atlantic City breaks down the Eagles v Giants matchup

Eagles face divisional foes - The Trentonian Sports: Serving Trenton and surrounding communities. (trentonian.com)
For the third time since the NFL went to 16 games, the Eagles open the division portion of the schedule playing all of their NFC East opponents consecutively.

Nothing Fancy in Philadelphia, but Still Hallowed Sports Ground - NYTimes.com
Some cities built their ballparks downtown to revitalize sagging neighborhoods. Others constructed them on waterfronts, shimmering palaces against picturesque backdrops. This is not one of those cities.