SB Nation - Ellis Hobbs

Jason Peters out for today

JasonB — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:18:57 -0000

Left tackle Jason Peters is out for Sunday's game against the Chargers with an ankle injury. Left guard Todd Herremans will slide out and start at left tackle. Nick Cole will start at left guard and Stacy Andrews will start at right guard.

Peters didn't practice this week, but said as long as the cross country flight didn't complicate things he would play. Maybe it was the long flight... but regardless Peters is out. It's good have Herremans there rather than King Dunlap but it's obviously far less than ideal against a good pass rush.

To further compound the rash of injuries, Quintin Demps will also miss today's game with an ankle injury. Not only was Demps slated to be the return man in the absence of Ellis Hobbs, he was also expected to see time at corner where he played fairly well at times last year.

This is arguably the worst shape the Eagles have been in since the start of the year. Couple with that with a cross country trip against a decent team... Let's just say we need a big gut check performance to win this game.

Keeping an Eye on the Other Beasts in the East

Aaron Novinger — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:00:33 -0000

by Carolyn Kaster - AP

The Giants get a much needed bye this week, while the Eagles hope to stand tall against the Chargers.

View full size photo »

While the Cowboys visit the Packers, the other two Beasts that play this week will take on AFC West opponents. The Redskins will host the 6-2 Broncos. Meanwhile, the Eagles will face a Chargers team that just dropped the Giants for their fourth consecutive loss. The Giants are on a bye this week and are looking to regroup.

If Dallas can manage to defeat Green Bay, Philadelphia could ill-afford to drop to 5-4. Both teams play the late game tomorrow. After this week, they both have favorable matchups over the next two weeks: Dallas has two home games against Washington and then Oakland, while Philly will fly to Chicago and then return home to face Washington.

Should Washington lose to Denver tomorrow, its playoff hopes will more than likely be over.

More Beasts in the East after the jump.

Washington Redskins (2-6)

Last game: 17-31 Loss @ Atlanta

Next up: Home vs. Denver

Because of a concussion that Clinton Portis suffered last week, Ladell Betts will get the start against the Broncos. Betts, though, has been limited in practice by a foot sprain.

"It feels . . . it's a little sore when I was in there," Betts said. "I tried not to do anything too drastic because I didn't want to have any setbacks, but I was able to move around and I actually ran a couple of plays today, so that's a good start for me. I think I'll be able to go Sunday."

In last week's 31-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Betts provided a spark in the running game rarely seen in the Redskins' past 16 games.

The 'Skins lost S Chris Horton for the season.

Starting strong safety Chris Horton underwent surgery on an injured toe on Wednesday and he was placed on season-ending injured reserve. Reed Doughty will take his place as the starter.

Champ Bailey looks forward to playing against his old team.

On Sunday, when the Broncos play at the Washington Redskins, Bailey will revisit his former life for the first time since the megatrade 5 1/2 years ago that ended with Bailey (and a second-round draft pick) here and star running back Clinton Portis in Washington.

"It seems like a long time ago, honestly," Bailey said this week. "I've spent more time here than I spent there."

[snip]

Yet in all that time, Bailey has never suited up against the Redskins, the team that drafted him at No. 7 overall in 1999. The one time the two teams have played since, in 2005 in Denver, Bailey sat out with a hamstring injury.

Brian Dawkins knows all about playing the Redskins.

"I just know what to expect when I play these teams I have played them so long," he said. "I know this is going to be a ... every time that I have played the Redskins, it has been a physical battle. I come out of the game a lot sorer, if that is a word, because of those big bodies that they have.

"They pound [Clinton] Portis at you [and Ladell] Betts at you; take shots up top with these quick receivers they have. This has just been something that has been bred in me to anticipate certain things when I play the Redskins."

Lately, Denver has been giving up a ton of yardage in the second half.

For the first six games, the Broncos surpassed almost all expectations with how good they were on defense. The past two weeks, the stunner has been how quickly that magic disappeared. Denver has allowed 149 rushing yards per game after not allowing 100 to any of its first six opponents.

The Broncos allowed 321 total yards in the second half against Pittsburgh. They hadn't allowed more than 315 over an entire game before playing the Steelers.

Here's the NFL Game Center for the Broncos at Redskins.

New York Giants (5-4)

Last game: 20-21 Home Loss vs. San Diego

Next up: Bye

Yes, the Giants have lost four in a row, but they will be counting on a late season surge upon their return.

So is it time to put a fork in the Giants (5-4) with seven games remaining after their bye week? Not yet. Sure, the path to the playoffs is going to be hard with five of the remaining seven games coming against teams at least two games over .500, including three with division leaders and one against the Eagles, who crushed the Giants a couple of weeks ago.

What’s important to remember is that coach Tom Coughlin’s teams usually play their best when everybody has written them off.

Don Banks agrees that the Giants are not to be counted out. Tom Coughlin has dug his team out of this hole before and is looking to do it again.

None of it works right now, and this week, head coach Tom Coughlin, with his team's downward spiral paused but not stopped by its bye, came out and attempted to draw the bull's-eye on his own back. It's too soon to know if the attempt at deflection was successful, but it was admirable and set a nice example in terms of accountability.

"I thought it was perfectly clear, but let me express it so no longer does anyone else receive any type of blame,'' Coughlin said on Monday. "Let me start out by saying that I'm responsible for all of the decisions that are made with our football team. "The [red] zone decisions are my responsibility. They are nobody else's. No one else made a mistake. The quarterback did not make a mistake. The decision was mine.''

The Big Blue View rounds up the news out of New York. Most notably is their health watch: CB Aaron Ross and RB Danny Ware could make their return after the bye.

A healthy Ross should make a huge difference in their secondary.

"He's worked his tail off in rehab," said secondary coach Peter Giunta. "We're looking forward to having him back."

Upon his return, Ross will remain at cornerback. There has been some speculation that the Giants might move one of their corners - possibly Terrell Thomas - to safety once Ross returns to help out that beleaguered unit.

"We'll see," Tom Coughlin said. "I think that we do have to see Aaron practice a few days in a row before we make any kind of decisions."

LB Gerris Wilkinson was placed on IR this week.

Wilkinson leads the Giants in special teams tackles with 12 (seven solo), but will miss the rest of the season after suffering the injury in Sunday's loss to San Diego.

[snip]

To fill Wilkinson's roster spot, the Giants signed cornerback D.J. Johnson off Denver's practice squad. He was signed as a rookie free agent out of Jackson State in April but waived in September, then signed to the Broncos' practice squad two days later.

Lawrence Taylor was arrested.

Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)

Last game: 16-20 Home Loss vs. Dallas

Next up: @ San Diego

Matt Mosely thinks that Brian Westbrook could be heavily involved in the offense tomorrow.

I think the Eagles will ride Brian Westbrook in this game. Yes, I know this is a different team with DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, but the Chargers did a nice job taking away the deep ball against the Giants. Westbrook appears to be healthy heading into this game, and I think he could give the Chargers' linebackers trouble in space.

While Westbrook is listed as probable, OT Jason Peters is questionable. Here are some other injured Eagles:

Linebacker Akeem Jordan (knee) was ruled out of Sunday's game, while linebacker Chris Gocong (hamstring), who sat out last week, is listed as probable. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri (knee) and safety Quintin Demps (ankle) are both questionable.

The Eagles' LBs are shuffling around again this week.

Starting weakside linebacker Akeem Jordan missed his second straight day of practice Thursday with a hyperextended knee and bone bruise and is unlikely to play Sunday. As a result, McDermott has decided to do some shuffling.

Will Witherspoon, who started the last two games at middle linebacker, will take Jordan's spot. Strongside linebacker Chris Gocong, who missed last week's loss to Dallas with a strained quadriceps and hamstring, will move into the middle. Rookie Moise Fokou, who replaced Gocong against the Cowboys, will stay there.

In passing situations, Witherspoon will be joined by Tracy White in the nickel defense.

CB Joselio Hanson has been suspended for four games for testing positive for a banned substance.

From also having lost CB/KR Ellis Hobbs for the season because of a neck injury he suffered against the Cowboys, the Eagles' secondary is thinning out.

In addition, the Eagles made a number of moves Wednesday, including signing cornerback to Ramzee Robinson and promoting cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu to the 53-man roster.

They also signed cornerback Stoney Woodson to the practice squad.

Andy Reid will be playing a game of offensive wits against Norv Turner.

The Eagles know Norv Turner from his days in Washington. Reid knows how Turner thinks, and he knows how Turner is going to try to attack the Eagles defense. Reid has to win this battle on the sidelines. As much as an NFL game is players vs. players, it is also coaches vs. coaches. The teams that make the adjustments and recognize opportunities to make plays often win games.

So this one is Reid vs. Turner. And it's Mornhinweg against Ron Rivera, the San Diego defensive coordinator. The Eagles must start fast, play physical, emotional football and execute the game plan with a minimum of errors.

Could the Bills be a fit for Michael Vick in '10?

Here's the NNFL Game Center for Philly @ San Diego.

Eagles Suddenly Thin at Cornerback

Bob_Q — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:45:25 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

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In a whirlwind Wednesday afternoon, the Eagles suddenly found themselves extremely thin at cornerback. Behind starters Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown a gaping chasm loomed. Nickleback/kick returner Ellis Hobbs was sent to the Injured Reserve for the rest of the season with a severe neck/spinal injury that will require surgery. When questioned about the injury, head coach Andy Reid had this to say:

"They think they can go in and fix it, where he would have an opportunity to continue his career," Reid said. "It's one of those things. It's too bad. He's done a nice job for us."

Call me paranoid, but that quote doesn't sound very promising for Hobbs' NFL future. Neck and head injuries can often be career-ending. I hope you'll all join me in wishing Hobbs the best thoughout his recovery.

To make matters worse, dimeback Joselio Hanson was suspended by the NFL for the next four games for the use of a banned diuretic taken before last year's NFC Championship game in Arizona. Hanson was tight-lipped about the situation, offering only this line via text message:

"I’m just going to say that the NFL don’t treat players the same."

Hanson, of course, is referring to the case of Vikings defensive linemen Kevin and Pat Williams, who tested positive last year for StarCaps, a similar diuretic. They appealed their suspensions and their case was overturned. Hanson's appeal was denied. He will now be placed on the Reserve/Suspended list without pay for the next four weeks and his loss will surely be felt by the Eagles' secondary and special teams.

To fill in for the two missing cornerbacks, the Eagles signed former Lion and "Mr. Irrelevant" of the 2007 draft Ramzee Robinson after an impressive workout earlier this week. According to Robinson, the young cornerback is ready and eager to fill Hobbs' shoes:

"I love to tackle. I love to hit. I just have a passion for the game. I really love the game of football. I take my job very seriously. I'm the guy that goes out and plays with his heart exposed." Robinson said. "It's just my mentality. I don't believe in taking plays off. I don't believe in finding the easy way out of things."

The team also activated Jack Ikegwuonu from the practice squad, who will play in his first regular-season game this Sunday. Ikegwuonu also appears ready to be a contributor in place of Hanson:

"It would be an understatement if I said (I was) excited," said a smiling Ikegwuonu. "I'm just ecstatic and just looking forward to whatever my role is, I don't care. I just want to help the team in whatever capacity it is.

As for Hobb's kick return duties, Jeremy Maclin, Quintin Demps, and Macho Harris will rotate in at returner until a permanent replacement is found. Finally, former Giant Stoney Woodson was brought back to the Eagles practice squad to take Ikegwuonu's place.

The Aftermath: Eagles Week Nine Injury Report

Bob_Q — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:11:57 -0000

More photos » by Matt Rourke - AP

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As if losing to the Cowboys at home wasn't bad enough, the Eagles now have a lengthy injury list to deal with during the coming week. Probably the most worrisome loss is that of weakside linebacker Akeem Jordan, who suffered a hyperextended knee and a bone bruise. The Eagles have had a very rough season at linebacker so far, and with Jordan's status labeled as "uncertain" the defense will have to rely on backups Jeremiah Trotter, Moise Fokou, Tracy White, and Joe Mays, none of whom have performed very impressively so far. Let's hope Jordan gets better soon so he can bring his tenacity back to the field.

Another potential major loss comes in the form of an ankle injury to one Jason Peters. Peters' ankle has been giving him trouble all season, and while Todd Herremans is certainly a capable fill-in at left tackle, the last thing the Eagles offensive line needs is for another starter to miss playing time.

Leonard Weaver, Ellis Hobbs, and Quintin Demps all made the injury list as well. Fortunately, Weaver's sprained ankle is not expected to cost our valuable fullback any practice time. However, the same cannot be said for cornerback/kick returner Hobbs, whose neck injury will require further evaluation. Demps' ankle sprain should limit his practice time this week, but there is a chance he will play against San Diego this Sunday.

But not all is lost, Eagles faithful. This week we get to witness the return of three and a half starters: Brian Westbrook, Victor Abiamiri, Chris Gocong, and Kevin Curtis. According to Andy Reid, all four players are expected to practice this week. Not a moment too soon, either. The absence of Gocong was certainly felt last game, as rookie backup Moise Fokou drew two very costly penalties, including one that negated an Ellis Hobbs return TD. The return of Westbrook and Curtis will certainly help our offense by giving Donovan McNabb more options to throw to, but don't expect to see Curtis take back his starting job from Jeremy Maclin. Curtis has been out the entire season and will likely have a lot of rust to knock off.

What they're saying - Eagles over Giants

JasonB — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:00:35 -0000

Andy Reid was asked whether he had planned to give Leonard Weaver as many carries as he got

"We did. We really weren't sure about (RB) Brian (Westbrook). As the week went on, one day he was feeling pretty good, but then he'd wake up and he wasn't feeling too good. I wasn't sure exactly during the week whether (Westbrook) was going to be able to go or not, but we had Weaver ready just in case. Actually we thought that we might be able to get (RB Eldra) Buckley a couple of carries, but as it worked out, it wasn't until the end that we were able to do that. We thought we could mix it up a little bit if Brian (Westbrook) wasn't able to go."

That was news to Weaver

"It was kind of a shock at first," Weaver said. "During the week, I really didn't run the ball. It felt good to know that Andy Reid and [offensive coordinator] Marty [Mornhinweg] would trust me in that way and trust me enough to give it to me a couple times."

Giants LB Antonio Pierce summed things up well from a Giants' perspective

"It's a complete embarrassment and disappointment," said linebacker Antonio Pierce after the game. "We didn't tackle, we gave up big plays, we didn't cover. We're not communicating. We all have to look at each other in the mirror and we all have to make a change, because what we're doing right now is not working."

Much more after the jump

Eli Manning on Asante Samuel's interception

"He just jumped it. He's an aggressive player and he jumps some things. On that route, I went to the right place [and] threw to the right read. I've just got to see him. He's on a tight end, he's going to cheat. Whether he just knew the route was coming or just read my body or just read the tight end's route… Just knowing, 'Hey, I've got a tight end here, I can try to jump this route.' And so he jumped it. I saw it late, and he made a play."

Ellis Hobbs had his best game returning kicks so far in an Eagles uniform. He talked about the value of strong special teams.

"(They can) help the momentum swing. When you look over to the sideline and you see the opposing team just drop and the coach is over there trying to clap everybody up and get them going for the specific reason of, it takes the breath out of you. (It's) almost like getting side punched, you know you don't see it coming because on special teams you think everything is supposed to happen naturally. Tackle the man and then the defense or offense comes out, but when a big play happens it kind of takes the life out of you a little bit and kind of makes you fumble a little bit. We did a good job making them fumble today."

Darren Howard on whether he thought the Giants were surprised by what transpired.

Maybe a little bit. It's definitely not the Giants to think that they would come in and give up 40 points on defense. Definitely I think they are shocked and they now have some things to work out and we have to go up there and play them again, so I'm looking forward to that rematch."

Giants Coach Tom Coughlin explained(tried to at least) his puzzling use of timeouts in the waning moments of the blowout.

"My belief is that you have to use whatever you've got, whatever your tools are, you use them. Message to my team: we're going to fight to the very end and that's all there is to it."

LeSean McCoy talked about his big TD run.

Lately, when I have been running, I have been stuttering a little bit and (RB) Brian (Westbrook) has been coaching me up to just hit the hole and make my move down the field. I just hit it and the line opened up a huge hole. The line played great today. They gave me options; I took it and outran the defense."

Quintin Mikell talked about the defense's plan coming into the game

"I think the main thing we needed to do was stop the run game. Their whole offense is based off the run, so stop the run. We did a good job with that and then we got after (Giants QB) Eli (Manning)."

Finally, Donovan McNabb talked about big plays.

"Well, offensively it's always big when you can spread it around. I think being able to establish the run game and the screen game opens up a lot of things, and the play action game and the drop back game and vice versa. I thought today we were very balanced, (and had) a way of attacking their defense, knowing that they like to blitz at times. They'll sit back in the zone to challenge you to see what you're doing. We were able to pick up big plays all throughout the drives, which led to touchdowns for us."

The Banged-Up Bucs: Week 5 Pre-Game Injury Report

Bob_Q — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:04:50 -0000

More photos » by Reinhold Matay - AP

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We all know the good news headed into week five is that everyone's favorite Eagles, Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook, are back and ready to kick some tail. Returning with them against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be several familiar faces: FS Quintin Demps, CB Ellis Hobbs, OG Max Jean-Gilles, RT Winston Justice, and CB Dimitri Patterson. WR Kevin Curtis is listed as questionable while battling a knee injury, meaning that rookie Jeremy Maclin could get another chance to earn a permanent starting position opposite DeSean Jackson. LG Todd Herremans is still out with his foot injury, but is recovering could make it back on the field as soon as next week. All in all, the bye week gave the Eagles a great chance to get the majority of their team healthy and back on the field.

On the other side of the ball, the Bucs look a little worse for wear. After going 0-4 in their first four games, Tampa Bay is limping into week five without their starting center, Jeff Faine, without whom the offensive line has fallen into disarray. This should provide several nice opportunities for Trent Cole and company to put some serious pressure on young QB Josh Johnson. Rookie DE/DT Kyle Moore is also out with a knee injury, and backups RB Earnest Graham and CB Torrie Cox are listed as questionable, depriving the Bucs of some of their depth. Most importantly, though, are the potential losses of starting DE Gaines Adams and last year's leading receiver Antonio Bryant, who are both listed as questionable. In his three games played this season, Bryant has caught 7 catches for 79 yards and a touchdown - the only touchdown thrown by Josh Johnson this season. Adams has started all four games and recorded 10 tackles and a single sack.

New Orleans Saints 48 @ Philadelphia Eagles 22: Who Dat Say!?

Saintsational — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:00:41 -0000

Twitter

wwltvsports Saints first team since 2001 to open season with 2 40 point games

NFLfootballinfo Darren Sharper today became only the 5th player in NFL history with 9 career interception return touchdowns.

wwltvsports Brees: Kolb did a good job in a tough situation

saints83 Who Dat!!!! Well 2&0 and looked good vs a good team.. Congrats boyz

jeffduncantp Payton said initial diagnosis for Bell is just a sprain.

ChaseDaniel How bout them Saints!!!

jeffduncantp Just back from locker room. The Saints obviously were in good moods. But not overly celebratory. Seem to have a good read on things.

reggie_bush Great win for the Saints in one of the toughest places to play! God is good!

jeffduncantp Drew Brees: "I'd say our confidence is way higher than it was in '06. ...Believe it or not, I'd say that we can still get a lot better."

SupaFreak69 2-0 need i say any mo...who dat!!!

jeffduncantp Hearing Bell sufferered MCL sprain, same injury as .Thomas had. Recovery time varries depending on severity. Could be 2 weeks, could be 6.

jeffduncantp The Saints' handed Eagles their 2nd worst loss ever at the Linc, dating to a 42-0 drubbing to Seattle in 2005. Eagles were 34-19 @ stadium.

ltorrence24 Saints flying high @ the airport now! Who Dat! 2-0 !

MalcolmJenkins Feeling good after the win... bout to head back to NOLA .... Who Dat!!!

NFLfootballinfo With 9 TD passes through 2 games, Drew Brees ties Charley Johnson (1965, St. Louis) for NFL record for most TD passes in 1st 2 games of year

miketripletttp You have permission to get excited, Saints fans. This is the kind of game that tripped them up in the past, but they ran away with it.

ltorrence24 Thanks to all you fans who came out to greet us at the airport just now! Wow! Had to have been a few hundred out there! Who dat!

Pierre_Thomas Who Dat! Our squad is something serious, we're in for one exciting year! Great win today, back to work tmro

JeremyShockey thx for all the comments!!! left alot of plays on the field .. gnight.. GOD BLESS.. WHO DAT!!!1

robyslyfe It feels so good to be back, this is a special TEAM. Who Dat!!!!!

Linkage

New Orleans Saints running back Mike Bell upbeat despite knee injury - Times-Pic

"It’s definitely not an ACL," insisted Bell, who said he was "more scared than anything else" when he went down with the injury, then limped off the field with help from the training staff. "I think I could have gone back in."

-Mike Bell

"I think they really wanted to see how I was feeling, get me in on special teams and see how I reacted," Thomas said. "I felt pretty good. I’m just getting used to that brace. That brace is kind of big."

-Pierre Thomas

"Oh, no doubt. No doubt," Thomas said. "Whenever they call my name, I’m stepping up."

-Pierre Thomas

"I wasn’t frustrated at all. We were winning. We were playing well, and we were beating a team that’s tough to play, on the road," said Bush, who was booed at the Superdome in Week 1 after fumbling two punt returns, one of which was recovered by the Detroit Lions. "So really it’s not about me, it’s about the team first. I always try to remember that. As a competitor you want to be in there making plays, but I think in games like this, you’re just happy to come out with a win."

-Reggie Bush

"I know that I can run between the tackles," said Bush, who made a nifty cutback to his left at the line of scrimmage to break free, then made cornerback Sheldon Brown miss in the open field. "It’s just a matter of opportunities. So I don’t listen to those things. I know what I can and can’t do."

-Reggie Bush

"I think we played it all right, but I think we definitely could have played it better,"

-Will Smith

"I wasn’t going down," said Sharper, who wasn’t able to score on either of his interception returns in Week 1 against Detroit. "I might’ve gotten caught, but luckily I was able to keep my legs up."

-Darren Sharper

"During the week, he said he didn’t believe I can take one back to the house," Sharper said. "So I had to prove him wrong."

-Darren Sharper, on Coach Payton buying him dinner

Grading the New Orleans Saints' performance against the Philadelphia Eagles - Times-Pic

All systems go for New Orleans Saints in 48-22 win over Philadelphia Eagles - Times-Pic

"Losing the way we did last season, we felt like we had to come up with something that is pertinent to our team, especially after last year. When you're 0-5 in games that were decided by one, two, three points, we definitely have to 'finish' games this season. We have to recognize it, understand it and do it.

"Today we did that. Hopefully, there'll be more to come."

-Jonathan Vilma

"The score right before halftime was important because it was kind of a cat-and-mouse game with field position, " Payton said. "We used our timeouts with the hope that we would get a chance to get the ball back, and we did. Then, Drew did a good job running the two-minute (offense) and taking advantage of that possession."

-Sean Payton

"What has gone from a tie game to all of a sudden is a three-possession game in a matter of five minutes, " Brees said. "Those are game-changing types of deals."

-Drew Brees

"We knew their ball security wasn't as good as it needed to be and we felt we could get some balls out, " Jenkins said. "I was in his blind spot and I just made a play for the ball. It was a huge momentum shift coming out of the locker room."

-Malcolm Jenkins

"Drew said early on during OTAs that we want to make sure that we want to finish strong, " Sharper said. "You got to win close games if you want to be a championship team, and we have the mentality that we want to be a championship team.

"We didn't make any statement today. It was a great victory on the road against a quality NFC opponent. But statements this early in the season are overrated. Sure, people are going to be talking about us right now. But we can't worry about that too much. We still got a lot of football left."

-Darren Sharper

Recapping the New Orleans Saints-Philadelphia Eagles game - Times-Pic

"Tell me who else is going to go up and get that. It's either him or nobody, " said Brees, who added, "I trust him more than I've ever trusted anybody out on the field."

-Drew Brees, on Marques Colston

"Once I got my release and saw Drew's eyes, I knew where the ball was going, "

-Marques Colston

"I don't know, I just kept playing, " Shockey said, refusing to exaggerate his role in the victory. "The ball kind of came up under me, and I just jumped on it. I don't know about the scenario, I just know it worked out in the end."

-Jeremy Shockey, on recovering the fumble

"I think the special teams coming out and getting a turnover, I think that really disrupted their team momentum, " Shanle said. "And then to just come back with that interception and score another touchdown right away, it really changed what they had to do offensively. That put more pressure on their quarterback."

-Scott Shanle

"It's never perfect. But it was good enough today."

-Sean Payon

New Orleans Saints hit top gear after easing off gas - Times-Pic

"Yeah, we did (think about going for it)," Payton said. "The approach we took today, I don’t want to say conservative because that’s not the right word, but we were going to be smart in how we played this game. There may be situations when we decide to go for it in that case, but today was not going to be one of them."

-Sean Payton

"I think he (Kolb) knew we were in the same defense, but I actually did what I was supposed to do, and he didn’t expect me to be there," Shanle said. "It worked out."

-Scott Shanle

Saint at Eagles Game Story - New Orleans Saints official website

Saints make statement in win over Eagles, 48-22 - NewOrleans.com

Jeff: Saints send message with win over Eagles - WWL

"I told our players that I thought it was a big win for us," Payton said. "I thought in all phases we made some big plays. I thought the turnover in the second half on our kickoff coverage team was a big play. We converted it into a touchdown and that gave us an 11-point lead."

-Sean Payton

Offense soars as Saints defeat Eagles, 48-22 - WWLTV

Video: Roundtable: If injured for a while, loss of Bell won't sting too bad - WWLTV

Saints dominate Eagles 48 - 22 -WWL

Saints' kicking game improves - The Advocate

Saints Offense Explodes Again In 48-22 Romp - WDSU

Brees proving to be the unstoppable force of '09 - Sporting News

New Orleans Saints vs. Philadelphia Eagles - ESPN

"If you look at our skill group, each game no guy ever knows who's day it's gonna be," Brees said. "Each guy knows it's their job to open things up for everyone else."

-Drew Brees

Saints serve notice with thorough thrashing of potent Eagles - CBS Sports

Hobbs: Tomahawk Chop Knocked Ball Loose - Philadelphia Eagles official website

"The guy actually came from behind and made a good play," Hobbs said. "He just tomahawked the ball. I had it tight, he just made a good play and I didn't.

"You have to take the responsibility on yourself and understand that you have to make better plays. I was fortunate enough to go out there and get another chance to make up for it and we scored on that."

-Ellis Hobbs, on Malcolm Jenkins

"We have all the talent in the world (on special teams)," Hobbs said. "But if you kill yourself on the mental aspect, the penalties and mental errors ... This is a game of inches. What you see out there is a bunch of inches, just adding up."

-Ellis Hobbs

Daisher Undaunted Despite ST's Bad Day - Philadelphia Eagles official website

"We had a tough day," said special teams coordinator Ted Daisher. "We have to play a lot better than that."

-Ted Daisher

"You never want to give the opponent a chance for an extra possession," said Daisher. "I thought we had a chance for a good return, a guy got Ellis (Hobbs) from the side and the ball came out.

"It didn't help the cause obviously. It gave them some momentum. Any big play on special teams is momentum wise, and I think that gave them some momentum that obviously hurt our cause."

-Ted Daisher

"Never," he said. "You never change, you never blink, you never think twice. We've been pretty good in special teams the last few years in Cleveland (where Daisher coached), top five in the league.

"I'm not going to change anything, we're just going to work and get better."

-Ted Daisher

Avant One Of Few Bright Spots In Loss - Philadelphia Eagles official website

"We could have been a little cleaner out there today," Avant said. "I believe that we left some things out on the field. I thought Kevin (Kolb) did a nice job with the chances that he had. (There were) a couple of errors on all of our part which cost him some statistics, but everything else was alright."

-Jason Avant

"I believe that (Kolb) did a good job today," Avant said. "I believe that a lot of areas let him down, including myself. "For his first start, we can't ask too much of him. Right now, we've just got to give him more help."

-Jason Avant

"We didn't play smart today and that's just the bottom line," he said. "The Saints played a good game. "We had just too many penalties in critical situations. The game should have been a lot closer than it was. I believe that we dug ourselves a hole that we couldn't get out of."

-Jason Avant

Kolb: Eager For Another Opportunity - Philadelphia Eagles official website

"I was excited to get that because we needed the crowd on our side and they were on our side," Kolb said. "We needed that energy. We had to answer at that point because we knew (Drew) Brees and the Saints - we didn't want them to get the big lead on us like they ended up doing."

-Kevin Kolb

"It's frustrating because there were some good things out there. I just hate that I kill myself and kill the team with those turnovers," Kolb said. "As a quarterback, you can't allow yourself to do that. It puts us in the hole. It put us in the hole at the top of the third (quarter) and we couldn't recover."

-Kevin Kolb

"We had been throwing that route in the two-minute drill leading up to the half and they trust me if that guy gets wide, to just check it back underneath," Kolb said. "And I really thought I could get it outside of him and we had been doing it previous to that point and he just took off to the flats."

-Kevin Kolb

"I saw it clear as day they were bad throws," Kolb said. "I left them inside and you can't do that on out breaking routes, first page of the quarterback book. It just upsets me that I make those errors."

-Kevin Kolb

John Smallwood: Put this loss on the Eagles’ defense - Philadelphia Daily News

Brees makes it look easy - Philadelphia Inquirer

"I think with our group, each game you never know whose day it's going to be," Brees said. "Did we know it was going to be (Colston's) day? No. We get into the heat of it and, all of a sudden, he's got the hot hand so we're feeding him."

-Drew Brees

"It is very important for this offense every game that we get off to a quick start," Saints running back Mike Bell said. "We want to start quick and that way it will set the tempo for the game."

-Mike Bell

Phil Sheridan: Not wild about the Wildcat - Philadelphia Inquirer

Post-Game Notebook - Philadelphia Eagles official website

Eagles Falter Against Powerful Saints Team - Philadelphia Eagles official website

Video: From The Locker Room: Eagles-Saints - Philadelphia Eagles official website

Video: Brian Westbrook PC: September 20 - Philadelphia Eagles official website

Video: Kevin Kolb PC: September 20 - Philadelphia Eagles official website

Video: Eagles-Saints: Post-Game Show - Philadelphia Eagles official website

Video: Quintin Mikell PC: September 20 - Philadelphia Eagles official website

Video: Andy Reid PC: September 20 - Philadelphia Eagles official website

Video

Jeff Duncan's video log from Saints-Eagles (Sept. 20, 2009)

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

What they're saying - Eagles react to week 2 loss

JasonB — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:27:22 -0000

More photos » by Michael Perez - AP

A shot of the pregame festivities... it only went downhill from there. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

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QB Kevin Kolb acknowledged his mistakes.

"It's frustrating because there were some good things out there. I just hate that I kill myself and kill the team with those turnovers," Kolb said. "As a quarterback, you can't allow yourself to do that. It puts us in the hole. It put us in the hole at the top of the third (quarter) and we couldn't recover. I saw it clear as day they were bad throws," Kolb said. "I left them inside and you can't do that on out breaking routes, first page of the quarterback book. It just upsets me that I make those errors."

Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott took responsibility for the way his unit played in the loss.

"I give all the credit to the Saints, Coach (Sean) Payton, and Drew Brees," McDermott said in the locker room after the game. "The whole offensive personnel and staff do a good job of keeping you off balance, and they did that today.

"We just need to execute and that begins and ends with me."

Eagles special teams coach Ted Daisher was pretty succinct in his assessment.

"We had a tough day," said special teams coordinator Ted Daisher. "We have to play a lot better than that."

More after the jump...

Did the wildcat formation throw off the rhythm of the QB or the offense?

"It really didn't," Kolb said.

"I don't think it disrupted us at all. The plays we used the Wildcat, it definitely was successful," Jackson said.

"That was one of the plusses," Reid said.

Joselio Hanson gave credit to Drew Brees.

"He gets the ball off quick," Eagles cornerback Joselio Hanson said. "It seemed like we were a step behind. He knows where he wants to go with the ball.

"Drew Brees is an animal. He's one of the best."

Ellis Hobbs talked about his back breaking fumble that led to the Saints breaking the game wide open.

"I got blindsided," Hobbs said. "I got away from one guy and saw nothing but green in front of me, and I didn't feel the guy coming from the back, and he made a good play on it."

Quintin Mikell talked about the sequence which saw the Eagles' defense give up two quick TDs after the Saints were given a short field to work with.

"That's tough," safety Quintin Mikell said "We put ourselves in a bad position and, as a defense, it really doesn't matter. We've been in that position before, and we've held people to field goals. That's something we've got to get better at. Those are the times, if you're a good defense and you want to be a great defense, you've got to stop that kind of stuff."

And finally... Andy Reid.

"Obviously there were too many mistakes, and that's my responsibility," Reid said. "I have to make sure this thing is right. It wasn't right today - any phase of it. In the first half, we had way too many penalties, and we were lucky to keep the game close. We came out in the second half and had turnovers, penalties and everything else."

A look back: New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills, Part 2

MaPatsFan — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:48:38 -0000

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

4 months ago: New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick looks on during NFL football training camp at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday, Aug.5, 2009. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

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In Part 1, we reviewed Patriots and Bills matchups from 2000-2004, the first five years of Belichick's tenure with New England. In this era, Buffalo managed two wins against NE, but it would be the only two Belichick would ever surrender to our AFC East rival. A 16-2 record against our adversary from New York is a historical fact we Pats fans relish and one Bills fans, every year, hope to change. History is history and doesn't necessarily predict the future, but Pretty Boy is back with some new toys.

Ok, let's review 2005-2008 after the jump.

Oct 30, 2005 - BUF 16 @ NE 21

Both quarterbacks, Kelly Holcomb and Tom Brady, only threw for one touchdown, but Patriots RB Corey Dillon managed two TD's on the ground to none for Buffalo, clearly illustrated by a 0/3 red zone efficiency to the Patriots 2/2. Oddly enough, Buffalo at the ball for almost 40 minutes to the Patriot's 20. Red zone efficiency (or lack thereof) will kill you.

Dec 11, 2005 - NE 35 @ BUF 7

Tom Brady hammered Buffalo in this matchup. With 29 completions, 329 yards, and 2 touchdowns, it was hard to recover from that kind of aerial assault. Corey Dillon and Tom Brady sealed the coffin with one rushing touchdown apiece. A third down efficiency of 68% vs. Buffalo's 20% added a few nails as well. 4/5 in the red zone vs. 0/2 meant more trips and a better percentage. Red zone's the ticket, baby!!

Sep 10, 2006 - BUF 17 @ NE 19

Passing numbers were virtually identical between J.P. Losman and Tom Brady, but Brady put up two TD's to Losman's zero. 2/3 in the red zone vs. 1/2 was the winning formula, as is the case in so many games. The game winning two points were the result of a Ty Warren induced safety on Losman with 9:37 left in the game. That had to be frustrating for a Bills fan.

Oct 22, 2006 - NE 28 @ BUF 6

Like their previous 2006 matchup, passing stats were almost identical except for two Tom Brady touchdowns. Add to that two Corey Dillon rushing TD's, and it was light's out. There's really not much to say here; Buffalo made it to the red zone once and didn't convert while the Patriot were 3/3. 'Nuff said.

Sep 23, 2007 - BUF 7 @ NE 38

This was the year that everyone would fall to New England. Well, except for "That Game". Trent Edwards stepped in when Vince Wilfork hit J.P. Losman's knee, but Buffalo simply couldn't overcome Brady's four touchdown passes and Sammy Morris's rushing TD. The Patriots were on a role and this game would be a harbinger of things to come...again.

Nov 18, 2007 - NE 56 @ BUF 10

The score says it all. It was nuts. Brady was unconscious with 31/39, 373 yards and 5 touchdown passes. Kyle Eckel and Laurence Maroney each had a rushing TD. To add to the embarrassment, Ellis Hobbs scores on a fumble recovery. Randy Moss would tally up 128 yards and four touchdowns, a career high.

Nov 9, 2008 - BUF 10 @ NE 20

With Tom Brady rehabilitating from ACL/MCL knee surgery, Buffalo had it's chance to end the losing streak with Matt Cassel at the helm. No such luck. Did I mention Laurence Maroney was IR'd and LaMont Jordan was out as well? Trent Edwards threw for one TD, but two interceptions. Cassel had no TD passes to his credit, but he was able to get NE in the red zone so BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Cassel could punch it in for six. Two field goals brought the Patriots to 20.

Dec 28, 2008 - NE 13 @ BUF 0

This was one of the windiest games I've ever seen. With a combined 33 passing attempts, this game was played on the ground. Why? 55 mile per hour wind gusts, that's why (check out the goal posts at 18 seconds into this video or Gostkowski's only miss literally getting blown away from the uprights towards the end of the clip). It was a miracle Stephen Gostkowski could even MAKE a field goal, let alone go 2/3. The sole touchdown of the day went to LaMont Jordan.

That's a wrap, gang. Class is over. It's time to welcome Tom Brady back under center in throwbacks. We've been chatting all week with our friends from Buffalo Rumblings. It's time to play some football.

Gameday Lincs - Eagles at Panthers

JasonB — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:00:26 -0000

More photos » by Matt Rourke - AP

Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook looks on during practice at the team's NFL football training facility in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009. The Eagles open the season on the road against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 13. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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Who's picking the Eagles? | Philly | 09/12/2009
A overview of a number of national pundits making picks on the Eagles/Panthers game.

Didinger's Eagles-Panthers Scouting Report
Breaking down Sunday’s game between the Eagles and the Carolina Panthers.

The Canadian Press: Michael Vick will get taste of Eagles road trip with game at Carolina
"This gives him an opportunity when he steps back in to be familiar with how we do things," Reid said Friday. "It gives him an opportunity to go through the whole travelling process and the meetings, and I think that's important for where he's at right now."

Opposition spotlight: Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles won at the beginning of the century's first decade, and after a late=season push to the NFC Championship Game last January, they're poised to win at its end.

There's a Panthers Season Opener Here? On Sunday? - Cat Scratch Reader
There seems to be a lack of buzz in Charlotte about the Panthers and the start of the NFL season.

More after the jump including the enigmas, Peppers and Andrews, and a note about the Eagles' special teams.

About the special teams | Philadelphia Daily News | 09/12/2009
DeSean Jackson will be the punt returner and Ellis Hobbs and Quintin Demps both could potentially see time returning kicks, although Hobbs seems like the likely favorite.

Which Julius Peppers will Eagles face? | Philadelphia Inquirer | 09/12/2009
Julius Peppers: Enigma. The story continues for the Carolina Panthers.

Philadelphia Eagles' Shawn Andrews will miss opener; Michael Vick traveling - ESPN
Shawn Andrews has more free time to wear sunglasses and tape his wacky, musical YouTube videos.

Chiefs Still $7 Million Short of Salary Cap Minimum - Arrowhead Pride
Here's an interesting situation, the Chiefs need to spend another $7 million just to reach the salary cap minimum. I think they have until.. now? If they don't, they have to split the $7 mil amongst every player who attended training camp for them.