SB Nation - Sean Jones

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

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

by Matt Slocum - AP

21 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 - Must win for McNabb & Jay Cutler at night

JasonB — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:15:10 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

about 1 month ago: FILE - In this Nov. 12, 2009 file photo, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler sits on ground after almost being sacked by the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL football game in San Francisco. Cutler has been battered behind a struggling offensive line, and now, he is throwing about as many passes to defenders as receivers. This, clearly, isn't the way the Chicago Bears envisioned things. Their franchise quarterback is struggling and their playoff hopes are fading heading their game Sunday night, Nov. 22 against the Philadelphia Eagles. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

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Daily Herald | Cutler's pickoff propensity something he can control
You can blame Jay Cutler's league-worst 17 interceptions on any number of things.

Bears' Cutler talks about reducing red-zone picks - Chicago Breaking Sports
"We have to put ourselves in good positions and be careful with [the ball]. If we've got to take three points, we have to take three points, except in situations where we have to get a touchdown, we're down, trying to win a football game. At the end of the day, if you get down there, you want to at least get three."

Jay Cutler can be scary at night -- chicagotribune.com
In three night games this year -- all Bears losses -- Cutler has thrown 65 percent of his interceptions. And the Bears will play their fourth of at least five night games Sunday against the Eagles at Soldier Field.

Eagles Notes: Brown practices despite hamstring injury | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/19/2009
Three days after suffering a strained hamstring during the Eagles' loss at San Diego, the veteran cornerback participated in individual drills and said afterward that there was "a good chance" he'd be able to play Sunday at Chicago.

Rich Hofmann: Eagles QB McNabb calls for must win vs. Bears | Philadelphia Daily News | 11/19/2009
"I've been in the league for a while now, 11 years, and at this particular point in my career, as well as this point in the season, this is a must win for us and that's the way that we have to approach it. I wouldn't care if it's at Soldier Field, I wouldn't care if it's playing in Champaign, Illinois, or we can play in Oklahoma, it doesn't matter. This is a game that we need to win. That's the way I'm approaching it and that's the way the other guys are approaching it as well."

More after the jump

Rex Grossman's dad tees off on Chicago Bears organization; feels bad for Jay Cutler -- chicagotribune.com
Rex Grossman's dad tees off on Chicago Bears organization

Weaver Eager to Assume Heavier Workload
The Eagles’ most valuable offseason addition is neither tackle Jason Peters nor guard Stacy Andrews. It’s not safety Sean Jones. It’s neither rookie running back LeSean McCoy nor receiver Jeremy Maclin. Instead, it’s fullback Leonard Weaver.

Eagles' McCoy says he's ready for starting role | Philadelphia Daily News | 11/19/2009
Standing in front of his locker stall yesterday, LeSean McCoy was able to shrug his shoulders, apparently without dislodging the Eagles' playoff hopes. So there is that - the 21-year-old rookie doesn't appear to be in shock or overawed by the moment. "I've kind of been in this situation before, so it's not really a big difference," said McCoy, who should get his fourth career start Sunday night at Chicago.

Phil Sheridan: Eagles can't use injuries as an excuse | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/19/2009
His team went to the Super Bowl just once and has been a mediocre disappointment ever since. No wonder Lovie Smith jumped at a question about the Eagles' injury problems in order to make a point about his own team.

Catching Up With The Raiders: Raider History Revealed

saint — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:15:51 -0000

When I thought of the questions that I posed in Yesterday's Segment, Oakland Raider Trivia, I was struggling to think of question that were pertinent and gave me hope. I didn't know the answers to 4 of the questions, but I wanted to know, and tonight I will know.

Here are the answers:

1) Which team loaned the Raiders 400k in order to continue playing football? What was the owner's name?

That team was the Buffalo Bills. Ralph Wilson was the means to this end. Without Upstate New York, there would be NO Oakland Raiders. And to think that without without Marshawn Lynch and Langston Walker there would be NO...Well...On Second Thought...Nevermind!

2) What is the Current Value of the team?

In 2008, the Oakland Raiders were valued at $861 Million Dollars. In 2009, their value has fallen to $797 Million. That is not bad, especially considering that the team was bought for 180k by Al Davis in 1966!

3) Who is the Raider Fanchise Leader in Tackles? Sacks?

This question is more of an "Opinion Section". Tackles were not counted as an official stat in the NFL until 2001, so Tatum is my choice..Followed by Stuart Schweigert.

As for the sacks, they weren't official until 1982, there is no way to say who the Raider leader really is. I mean how many times did our defensive line, linebackers or defensive backs get the opposing QB behind the line of scrimmage before there was a stat for it?

I'd have to say Sean Jones, but I am probably WAY off.

4) Who played the most seasons in an Oakland Raider Uniform?

Jim Otto played in the silver and black for 15 years. From 1960-1974, he was the backbone of the team, and to this day is Mr. Raider. I've had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Otto, and he is class...pure class.

5) How many Raiders have won the NFL MVP while playing for the organization? Names?

The answer is 3, and, none of them repeated.

Kenny Stabler was the first Silver and Black MVP in 1974.

Marcus Allen stepped up in LA 11 Sseasons later, in 1985 and won the MVP.

Rich Gannon picked up the hardware in 2002.

So, there is some history, I feel much better now. Just being able to throw around the names of past and bask in past glory makes me proud to be a Raider fan and it is good to have this new knowledge.

Go RAIDERS!!!!

Gameday Lincs - Eagles vs Cowboys

JasonB — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:00:36 -0000

via cdn2.sbnation.com

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PhillyBurbs.com: Under Andy Reid, Eagles own Cowboys
Andy Reid has probably told the story a dozen times since he got here a decade ago. He was at McDonald's near the NovaCare Complex picking up breakfast soon after becoming the Eagles' head coach when an 80-something woman cornered him and said that nothing else mattered, "Just beat the (expletive) Cowboys." And he has. Reid has defeated the Cowboys more than any coach in NFL history.

NFL Preview - Dallas (5-2) at Philadelphia (5-2) - Football - MiamiHerald.com
Sole possession of first place in the NFC's East Division will be on the line when the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles renew their spirited rivalry with a Sunday night showdown at Lincoln Financial Field to highlight the Week 9 schedule.

Keys to winning: Dallas Cowboys must avoid Eagles' Sheldon Brown
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo hasn't thrown an interception in three games, the first time he has ever done this in his short starting career. To continue that streak, he'll have to throw away from Sheldon Brown, who has 21 tackles and 3 interceptions, while having the lowest completion rate against him of any other cornerback in the NFL.

Final Word: NFC East - NFC East - ESPN
The Cowboys believe they can attack the Eagles' defense in the middle of the field. I just returned from Valley Ranch, where two Cowboys offensive players said they thought the middle of the Eagles' defense would be vulnerable. In particular, the Cowboys believe Eagles safeties Sean Jones and Quintin Mikell could leave some holes in that area of the field.

More after the jump

S.A.'s Demps overcoming ‘growing pains' with Eagles
Eagles free safety Quintin Demps' first career interception couldn't have come at a better time for the Roosevelt graduate. In addition to sparking a scoring drive, his theft of an Eli Manning pass in last week's 40-17 thumping of the Giants restored Demps' confidence in himself. "It let me know that I still got it," Demps said.

Dallas Cowboys Blog - Cowboys-Eagles key matchups - ESPN Dallas
We'll look at one matchup from both sides of the ball:

Brent Celek earning status as an elite tight end in NFL -- latimes.com
For years, the Philadelphia Eagles didn't have to look far to find some of the best receiving tight ends in football. They just had to glance around the NFC East -- Chris Cooley in Washington, Jason Witten in Dallas and Kevin Boss with the New York Giants. Now, the Eagles have one of their own.

Steve Young: Cowboys/Eagles Preview - ESPN Video - ESPN
Steve Young: Cowboys/Eagles Preview

Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid knows how to beat the Dallas Cowboys
Of all the coaches throughout the history of the NFL -- from Hall of Famers Vince Lombardi and Joe Gibbs to Don Shula and Bill Parcells -- guess who has beaten the Dallas Cowboys more than anyone else? If you said Andy Reid, go get a glass of pickle juice and start the game with an onside kick.

The Linc - Jeremy Maclin, Sean Jones, & the Cowboys' motivation

JasonB — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:10:17 -0000

More photos » by Carolyn Kaster - AP

about 1 month ago: Philadelphia Eagles' Sean Jones (26) and Quintin Mikel (27) stop New York Giants' Brandon Jacobs (27) during the third quarter an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Eagles won 40-17. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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Jones strengthens Eagles' safety net | Delawareonline.com | The News Journal
For 11 years, the Eagles played one person at free safety and never had reason to change.

Les Bowen: The bottom line: Maclin catching on quickly | Philadelphia Daily News | 11/03/2009
It really is amazing, when you think back a few years, to the kinds of receivers Reid seemed to gravitate toward; no one would have pictured the Birds drafting and starting Jackson and Maclin. Somewhere along the way, Big Red seems to have decided that star-level talent and hard-nosed, team-first play are not mutually exclusive at the wide receiver position, after all.

Cowboys will use blowout loss as motivation - NFC East - ESPN
"I think it's important certainly," Phillips said. "This is this year's team. I think everybody remembers last year. Not all of our players were on this team last year and we split with them last year, but the last game really hurt us. And the guys that were there certainly remember it."

Eagles Notes: Jones, Westbrook and Blocking
First-round pick Jeremy Maclin made a spectacular play Sunday, snagging a 23-yard touchdown pass in double coverage. But what was nearly as notable, was his block to help spring fullback Leonard Weaver on a 41-yard touchdown run. "It’s the second week in a row that you’ve seen our rookie downfield leading runners into the end zone or making big blocks downfield," Reid said. Maclin also had a nice block against Washington during DeSean Jackson’s 67-yard touchdown run.

More after the jump

No looking back when Cowboys play in Philly | Dallas Cowboys | Star-Telegram.com
"I watched it the week after the game," Crayton said Monday. "It was just kind of disgusting. It was just disgusting to watch. ... We just flat out got our tails whipped, man. No excuses or anything like that. They played good. They showed up to play that day, and they wanted to win to get into the playoffs, and we didn’t. We had to sulk and deal with that the whole off-season."

Eagles Notebook: Peters wasn't as good as the Eagles | Philadelphia Daily News | 11/03/2009
It wasn't the best of games for left tackle Jason Peters. His fingerprints were on both of the Giants' sacks of Donovan McNabb. He also was flagged for a holding penalty(his first of the year) inside the Giants' 10-yard line on the Eagles' second possession. Peters wasn't totally to blame for either of the sacks.

Your daily Westbrook update - NFC East - ESPN
Unless there's a setback -- such as more headaches -- it looks like Westbrook will play against the Cowboys. He's not having a great season by his standards, but he's still a player teams have to account for. And I'm sure he was envious when he saw Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg calling all those running plays against the Giants.

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

Which Eagles will play on Thursday?

JasonB — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 09:20:37 -0000

More photos » by Matt Rourke - AP

4 months ago: Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Macho Harris, right, tackles Reshard Langford during football training Camp practice at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., Wednesday, July 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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In the fourth and final preseason game, no starters will take the field. Actually, I should so no one who has locked down a starting job will take the field. The fact that LB Joe Mays and FS Quintin Demps, two guys listed as starters on the depth chart, will be playing makes it fairly obvious that neither have yet to win a starting job.

After Mays struggled at times in the first two preseason games, the Eagles saw fit to give rookie LB Moises Fokou time at the MIKE linebacker spot with the first team defense. Mays and Fokou will continue their battle with one another against the Jets, however both are probably really competing Omar Gaither. Despite having been injured for the past couple weeks, Omar Gaither is probably the leader in the club house for the stating middle linebacker job. It certainly has seemed that Reid wanted to give Joe Mays a chance to show himself in the preseason, since he already knows what he's got in Gaither. He implied so this week.

"I know Omar can play the MIKE linebacker position. I'm not worried about that. I just want to make sure that he's confident in his leg and that it continues to progress here. It held up great last week. I just want to see how it does this week."

I always had the feeling that despite Mays taking the starter snaps, Fokou getting time in the middle, and the Eagles bringing in Matt Wilhelm... that Omar Gaither was always the most likely to start in the middle week one.

Quintin Demps' chief competition appears to be rookie Macho Harris. There's a chance that Sean Jones could always move over to FS, but he's taken most of his snaps all summer at strong safety and has always seemed better suited for that position anyway. With Harris and Demps both getting time with the first team last week, it looks like the starting job is completely up for grabs. That should be somewhat of a disappointment to second year man Demps, who should have had the job locked up by now.

Finally, the other guy of note likely to play this Thursday is Michael Vick. Reid said there was a "good chance" Vick would see the field against the Jets, and why not? This will be his last chance to take the field before the regular season starts where he'll have to wait for the commish to reinstate him before he can play. That could happen as late as week 6. It should be interesting to see whether Vick gets more time in a more traditional QB role, or whether he hops in for gimmick plays with Kevin Kolb still on the field. Kolb will see the majority of snaps at QB for the final preseason game.

What other position battles/players are you looking forward to seeing in the final preseason game?

Know Thy Enemy 2009: Philadelphia Eagles - December 20

Fooch — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:00:22 -0000

After six straight games of non-division opponents, the 49ers get Arizona and Seattle back to back in what could be monstrous matchups for divisional supremacy (or at least we hope). However, late December gets them a pair of non-divisional matchups, one of which will see them facing one of the NFC favorites in the Philadelphia Eagles. If not for some of the worst play-calling in recent memory, the 49ers had a shot at upsetting the Eagles last season. The Eagles only get better this season and have most definitely become rather intriguing with a certain quarterback addition. Glad I waited on this particular preview.

The Philadelphia Eagles are represented here at SB Nation by JasonB over at Bleeding Green Nation.

2008 Overview
2008 was a rather odd year for the Eagles. You of course had the bizarro tie that Donovan McNabb didn't know could happen. The Eagles stormed through December winning four of five games, and having everything fall their way the final day of the season to gift them with a wildcard spot. They then proceeded to make quite a bit of noise in the playoffs, knocking off Minnesota and New York en route to a very unlikely NFC title game between the Eagles and the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals did win but not before blowing a 24-6 lead in what turned out to be a highly entertaining second half of football.

The Eagles offense finished the season 13th in the league overall, 12th rushing and 14th passing. The Eagles offense has rarely been spectacular, but once again got things done. On defense, though, the Eagles finished the season 3rd overall and 3rd against both the run and the pass.

After the jump we look at the Eagles offseason additions and subtractions, 2009 Questions and Answers and a quick preview of the matchup...

Additions
We'll get to the controversial addition in a minute. The Eagles knew they had a solid defense last season and an improved offense could have won them a Super Bowl, given how last year's playoffs played out. The Eagles wasted little time on offense through free agency and the draft. They added a pair of offensive tackles in Stacy Andrews and Jason Peters and solid fullback Leonard Weaver. In the draft they went heavy on offense, adding WR Jeremy Maclin, RB LeSean "Shady" McCoy and a potential steal in TE Cornelius Ingram. On defense, the Eagles lost Brian Dawkins (pissing this guy off to no end), and went with Browns free agent FS Sean Jones as his replacement. Probably a downgrade, but still a solid addition. They also ~~signed safety Rashad Baker and~~ traded for CB Ellis Hobbs for some depth.

The one addition that has everybody abuzz is quarterback Michael Vick. Given the existing QB situation in Philadelphia, this was certainly an intriguing addition. When it was announced by the Monday Night Football crew, Ron Jaworski thought it was an awful move, while Jon Gruden thought it had great potential and was willing to wait on it. I have to side with Gruden. It's a low risk deal for the Eagles (given that the second year salary increase is a team option) and as they say you can NEVER have too many offensive weapons. Imagine if the Eagles rolled out McNabb and Vick in the same offensive formations. I recall reading somewhere that McNabb mentioned how he might roll out at receiver or even tight end on a play here or there. Even though I'm not an Eagles fan, they might be the most intriguing team outside of the 49ers (just because) that I'll want to watch on Sunday. I'm absolutely fascinated by how they might utilize Vick.

Also, please keep this thread's discussion to football-related matters. If people post about the dog stuff, the comments will be deleted. This is about the football aspects of the signing.

Subtractions
The most notable change was the departure of Brian Dawkins. Eagles fans will miss him, but given his age, they were going to have start looking in a new direction at some point. The same also holds true for offensive tackle Jon Runyan. He took care of business on the line, but he was getting up there and the Eagles have made some impressive additions to bring down that average age. They also let Tra Thomas walk, but again, they made the necessary replacements.

Aside from that, they lost LJ Smith and Correll Buckhalter. Buckhalter will be replaced by Shady McCoy, which could end up being an upgrade if McCoy gets things going. Maybe not immediately but soon. As for Smith, he's struggled to stay healthy and even when on the field, he hadn't been overly productive in the passing game the last couple years so it made sense to look for a replacement.

2009 Questions and Answers
Right off the bat, what do they do with Michael Vick and how does it affect Donovan McNabb? I realize McNabb is saying all the right things now, but I am wildly intrigued to see what happens if McNabb struggles at some point. Kevin Kolb seems to be the guy tabbed for the future and once he gets healthy (sprained MCL, day-to-day), he'll be added into that equation. It's just human nature where if Vick has some success in whatever role, people might clamor for him if McNabb struggles.

Although I like Shady McCoy, I also think the running game could have some question marks if Westbrook goes down. He's sat out so far and might sit the whole preseason, which might not be the worst thing in the world. While a guy like Buckhalter wasn't exactly a homerun hitter, he was a reasonable backup. McCoy is the primary backup and is unproven at this level. Alongside the QB and RB positions, the offensive line will play into this. They're rolling out a new pair of offensive tackles, so we'll see how cohesive the unit is early on.

On defense, the questions surround how the team does without veteran leader Brian Dawkins. Even if he was getting up there in age, he was still effective. Sean Jones is talented, but he's not Brian Dawkins at this point.

vs. San Francisco
In our early schedule discussion, Bigelow and I split, me predicting a loss, Bigelow predicting a win. While this is certainly a game the 49ers could win, I think they have less of a chance this year compared to last year. Bigelow wasn't high on McNabb but I think he's still a tough QB to handle. Throw in the fact that it's a December home game for the Eagles, a great second half team, and this is quite a tough matchup.

Eagles vs Patriots - Five things to watch for

JasonB — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:10:46 -0000

The score of the game doesn't count, but it doesn't mean it's meaningless. For a number of Eagles, this is a very important game and a big opportunity. For fans, it's a chance to get a sneak peek at some of the guys we may not yet know, but could have a major impact on the season ahead. Here's my 5 things to watch for, in no particular order.

Winston Justice - We've all read the reports about the progress Justice has made in camp this year. Members of the coaching staff and of the local media have all mention of his improved play in camp. Andy Reid told Chris Mortenson that "the light went on" with Justice in this camp. While it's not entirely uncommon for some guys to take a few years to adjust to the NFL, Eagles fans are still understandably apprehensive about the prospect of him actually starting in a game that matters. Tonight, he has a chance to start to prove that his resurgence hasn't just been a camp anomaly.

LeSean McCoy - Skill players can always be somewhat iffy to evaluate in the preseason because of the vanilla nature of the playcalling, but McCoy's job is to find a hole and run through it. I think we'll have a good idea if he can do that. Also worth watching will be the job he does in pass protection. Reports from camp were positive on the progress he was making in the blocking department, but he didn't do much of that in college and it will be a major transition to do it in the NFL. His ability to pass block may very well tie directly into how much he plays this year.

Special teams - Particularly, the return games. We've got some pretty exciting options on both kick and punt returns that should be on display tonight. Jeremy Maclin was a great return man in college and should have chances to return both kicks and punts tonight. Newly acquired(and ex-Patriot) Ellis Hobbs led the AFC in kick return yardage last year and will feature on kick returns tonight. I'm not sure whether Desean Jackson will get any punt returns in this game, but he's a possibility as well. In addition, Danny Amendola should get a few cracks at returning punts. Last preseason, both Desean Jackson and Quintin Demps returned kicks for TDs against the Patriots.

The free safety battle - Second year man Quintin Demps and free agent signing Sean Jones have been doing battle all camp for the starting free safety job vacated by Brian Dawkins. Reports out of camp say Sean Jones might have a slight lead right now, but in reality this battle will be decided in the preseason. Whichever guys outplays the other in these next 3 or 4 games wins that job.

Joe Mays - Mays had a nice preseason last year and then was pretty much never heard of again. With Stewart Bradley locking up the MIKE job and Omar Gaither playing the utility backup man for the LB corps, there wasn't really a place for the rookie on the field. However, in his second year Mays finds himself as the probable starter after Stewart Bradley was lost for the season. Tonight, I just want to see Mays and feel like he belongs on the field with the starters.

And one more thing... I'm interested in seeing what happens to newly signed QB Adam DiMichele, who might have a chance to play a quarter after not even being on the team as of Wednesday morning. I actually don't believe he's even had a full practice with the team. It could be quite an adventure watching the kid try to survice out there.

The Linc - "We're not ultimate fighters"

JasonB — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 07:52:29 -0000

More photos » by Matt Rourke - AP

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Andy Reid doesn't like to see teammates fighting at Eagles camp - pressofAtlanticCity.com : Sports
"I know that things happen in the heat of the moment," Reid said. "I just tell the team to not make it a habit. We're not ultimate fighters; we're football players."

Eagles' Training Camp 'Subdued' After Death of Longtime Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson - washingtonpost.com
"We all have a bit of sadness, a subdued feeling at a time when you're excited to begin training camp, and that has to do with Jim Johnson," Lurie said Wednesday. "That doesn't just go away."

Mikell assumes leadership of 'D' | Delawareonline.com | The News Journal
Leadership seems to come naturally to Quintin Mikell, who has emerged from undrafted rookie free agent in 2004 into a second-team All-Pro safety last season.

Maclin catching on quickly | Philadelphia Inquirer | 08/07/2009
Jeremy Maclin is showing he's a quick study. The rookie wide receiver, who held out for the first nine days of Eagles training camp, has been at Lehigh for only two days, but he's already inducing oohs and ahs from the fans.

Paul Domowitch: How Jim Johnson's subtle gesture changed one man's life | Philadelphia Daily News | 08/07/2009
THEY WILL COME to the West Club at Lincoln Financial Field today to remember the life of Jim Johnson. His family. His friends. Men who coached with and against him. Men who played for him. Wayne Ford won't be there for the private memorial service, but he will be thinking about big Jim today and remembering once again the enormous impact he had on his life.

More after the jump, including crazy prices at the new Dallas stadium, Desean Jackson, Sean Jones big play, new NFL ads, and a blogger incredulous about Eli's new deal.

Jones' nifty end-zone pick a highlight at Eagles camp | Philadelphia Daily News | 08/07/2009
Play of the day had to be safety Sean Jones' end-zone pick. One play after breaking up a 2-minute-drill goal-line pass from Donovan McNabb to Kevin Curtis, Jones was covering Jason Avant. McNabb - who looks very sharp - threaded the ball through bodies to Avant, who seemed to juggle it briefly. Jones took it off Avant's pads for a drive-killing end-zone interception.

Advertising - For N.F.L., Split Seconds Become 30-Second Spots - NYTimes.com
The National Football League is using a new camera to create a broad, unified campaign to promote the N.F.L. brand, the 2009 season, the league’s youth programs and other initiatives.

The Big Lead " Blog Archive " Eli Manning Signs 6-year, $97 million Deal, Now Makes More Than JaMarcus Russell
This writer thinks Manning was smart to sign a deal before this year started...

HuskerExtra.com -A writer recounts his tour of the new Cowboys Stadium
"Tuesday’s tour took our group into a suite that can be leased for $800,000 a year — which doesn’t include the price of game or event tickets but does offer a large pizza for $90 (no toppings), 12-packs of domestic beer for $66 apiece and a four-pack of Red Bull for $22, among other ridiculously priced items."