SB Nation - Jason Babin

Trent Cole fined, but not suspended

JasonB — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:00:35 -0000

It was never likely that Trent Cole would be suspended for punching Giants' OL Shaun O'Hara and today it became official. Both he and O'Hara were fined and both will play this weekend.

Eagles defensive end Trent Cole told reporters in Philly Wednesday he was fined for punching Shaun O'Hara on Sunday night, though he refused to provide an amount.

According to someone informed of the fine from the league, the total was $15,000. The person, who requested anonymity because the league hasn't released the amount of the fine yet, said O'Hara was also fined $15,000 for ripping Cole's helmet off.

Jason Babin said that it was both Chris Snee & Shaun O'Hara who were taking cheap shots.

"I'm going to put O'Hara and Snee on the Babin family Christmas card list," Babin said, according to the Inquirer.

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

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Eagles re-work Jason Babin's contract

JasonB — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 01:59:09 -0000

by Darron Cummings - AP

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Those who wanted their Babinback ribs will be happy to hear this...

The Eagles announced Friday evening that they have re-signed defensive end Jason Babin to a contract with a set of new terms. Babin was originally signed by the Eagles on Aug. 4, and played in all four preseason games this summer, recording 14 tackles and three sacks.

Babin earned himself a spot on this roster the old fashioned way, he went out and performed in the preseason. He did everything he was asked, was arguably the Eagles' best defensive lineman in the preseason, and was justly awarded with a new deal and a spot on the 53 man roster.

Questions to Ask Tonight as the Eagles Face the Jets

Bob_Q — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:52:13 -0000

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So here we are, mere hours away from the kickoff of the final preseason game and the storylines continue to swirl around the Eagles organization. Will Vick be able to play before week six? Who wins the starting free safety position? Will certain Eagles entice the Jets into a trade? The list goes on, and the game is sure to keep fans' eyes glued to the screen. Here is a brief rundown of what to look for at each position.

Quarterback: How will Kevin Kolb perform in his first preseason start this year? Also, will Michael Vick get a chance to showcase his superstar moves with a big play or two?

Running Back: In his last chance to make the team over Lorenzo Booker, will Eldra Buckley sink or swim?

Fullback: Can RFA Marcus Mailei build upon last game's touchdown and crack the final roster?

Tight End: Will the newly acquired Tony Curtis garner enough playing time to give the coaching staff a decent look at his ability?

Wide Receiver: In the intense battle between Reggie Brown, Hank Baskett, and Brandon Gibson for the final two receiver slots, who will emerge victorious?

More after the jump...

Left Tackle: Can King Dunlap use his immense size to effectively protect Kolb's blindside?

Left Guard: With Todd Herremans still out, will rookie Fenuki Tupou be able to make a significant push for a roster spot?

Center: Will RFA Dallas Reynolds impress in what could very well be his last game as an Eagle?

Right Guard: Can Mike Gibson or Paul Fanaika convince the coaches they're worth keeping on the active roster?

Right Tackle: Will Winston Justice make the most of his significant playing time?

Left Defensive End: Can Jason Babin continue his impressive performance and crack the final roster?

Defensive Tackle: Not much has bee heard out of Josh Gaines since his interception during Flight Night. Will he make some noise tonight?

Right Defensive End: Can second-year man Bryan Smith build on his first ever interception during last week's game?

Weakside Linebacker: Will Tracy White return from his injury and continue his good special teams play, or perhaps nab another interception?

Middle Linebacker: Will this be the last time Matt Wilhelm is seen in an Eagles uniform?

Strongside Linebacker: Can rookie Moise Fokou really go from seventh-round pick to number two SAM?

Left Cornerback: Will Dimitri Patterson shore up his position as the fifth CB with good coverage against the Jets' receiving corps?

Right Cornerback: This is the last chance for Jack Ikegwunou to make the active roster. Will he be "redshirted" on IR for another year if he can't produce?

Strong Safety: Will Reshard Langford play well enough to earn a spot on the practice squad?

Free Safety: With the free safety spot up for grabs, can Sean Jones become an NFL starter once again?

Kicker: Can David Akers raise his fantasy stock with a few good long field goals?

Punter: Will Sav Rocca and the punt unit be able to contain talented return man Leon Washington?

Eagles Pick Up Two More Former Chiefs

Joel Thorman — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:54:10 -0000

The Philadelphia Eagles have added TE Tony Curtis and LB Curtis Gatewood to their roster. Curtis, of course, was with the Chiefs for just the 2009 offseason. Gatewood, however, played in six games for the Chiefs last year.

The Eagles previously added former Chiefs DE Jason Babin.

Three Chiefs in three weeks? After the last two years, that's wouldn't be my first strategy.

While we're on the subject, here's a complete update on the Chiefs six unrestricted free agents following the 2008 season.

LB Pat Thomas - Signed a one year deal with the Buffalo Bills
S Oliver Celestin - Signed with the UFL
DE Jason Babin - Signed with the Eagles
LB Rocky Boiman - Signed with the Titans
S Jon McGraw - Signed contract with the Chiefs
G Adrian Jones - Signed by the Houston Texans

And of course, the Chiefs three restricted free agents (Webb, Niswanger and Page) signed one year offers from the team. Webb was later cut.

Any chance one of these players turns out to be more than just a reserve player?

H/T tomahawk44 in the FanShots

The big Tony Ugoh v. Charlie Johnson debate

BigBlueShoe — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:00:20 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell is big on accountability. Thus, if Charlie Johnson does not outplay Tony Ugoh this pre-season, Caldwell's judgment to bench Ugoh will be questioned. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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The one positive thing to come out of the benching of Tony Ugoh is that all the negative energy readers once directed at Joseph Addai is now firmly fixed on Ugoh, and by extension Charlie Johnson. You all know the story: Tony Ugoh has benched for Charlie Johnson one week into training camp after Johnson returned from the PUP after pectoral surgery. Many of us ranted and raved over the benching for the obvious reason that Johnson is not as good a player as Ugoh. Indeed, as pre-season has progressed, Ugoh has continued to look better, at least in my opinion.

Is he lighting the world on fire and making all of us go "OMG! He's a changed man!" No.

Is he playing better, overall, than Charlie Johnson? Yes.

It's for this reason that I've called Jim Caldwell's judgment into question. Please understand, I personally feel Caldwell has done a masterful job transitioning from QB Coach-Associate Head Coach to Head Coach, replacing the legend that is Tony Dungy. He is intelligent, thoughtful, and (most importantly) respected by the players. He is a little more vocal than Dungy, holds players and coaches more accountable than Dungy, and appears less stubborn than Dungy. Dungy was a unique coach with a brilliant method at focusing on details in order to win football games. He didn't out-scheme, out-wit, or out-plan his opponents. His teams played harder, tackled better, and executed better than his opponents. That's Dungy Ball. Caldwell seems to be using a similar method, and for that he deserves a ton of props. It's not easy taking over for a coaching god, and Caldwell is making it look so. That's impressive, indeed.

My questioning of Caldwell's decision stems from a personal belief that the guys who should be playing are better players than the guys sitting on the bench. If a 6th round pick (Antoine Bethea) practices and plays better than a 2nd round pick (Mike Doss), than the 6th rounder should play. And like the Bethea v. Doss camp battle of 2006, which helped mold both players into better safeties, my criticism of Caldwell stems from him naming the starter (Johnson) when Johnson clearly had not earned the job.

Before I elaborate, here are what John Oehser and 18to88 are saying about the Ugoh v. Johnson debate.

John Oehser:

Here's one to BigBlueShoe's thoughts on the game on Stampede Blue. As usual, the "Shoe" does a great job of breaking down the game and raising some intriguing questions. I will say this: while I love BigBlueShoe -- and while mentioning him so high in this post shows how highly I consider his views --Stampede Blue has done a lot of questioning of Caldwell's handling of the Tony Ugoh-Charlie Johnson situation at left tackle. I find the handling interesting, too, but while BigBlueShoe is questioning Caldwell's competence and saying he looks inept and ridiculous, I'm not quite ready to paint it like that. Johnson didn't look great against Houston Texans DE Jason Babin Thursday, but Ugoh really didn't, either. Typically around the Colts a major decision such as changing left offensive tackles isn't going to be made whimsically by one person in the organization. There are long discussions, meetings and evaluations each offseason, and from what Caldwell has said about the timing of the decision to start Johnson -- it was made well before OTAs starting in May -- the Ugoh-Johnson decision was made sometime around those meetings. The long and short of this entry is pretty simple and that's that clearly the decision to start Johnson is a hot-button issue, but if Johnson is still starting in early September, it doesn't mean Caldwell's incompetent.

18to88:

Charlie Johnson was an abject disaster. He gave up a big hit on Peyton on the first TD drive. Manning avoided a sack with his lightening release on a sweet pass to Addai. Then CJ followed it up on the next Colts possession by getting whipped again, leading to a sack fumble. In fairness, Pollack got beat on the play as well (not that this makes me feel any better).
Unfortunately, Ugoh didn't play well either. He picked up a couple of penalties (although the second was not a good call), blew some run blocks, and looked generally lost. Johnson left the door wide open (as we knew he would), but Ugoh didn't walk through it. Instead, he laid down on the welcome mat and took a little nap.

I'll respond to John's solid point by saying that the decision to bench Ugoh certainly was not done on a whim. If I conveyed that thought that in my earlier writings, that's my bad. However, the decision on who starts and who sits rests solely with Caldwell. If it doesn't, then we have a BIG problem. Since I'm certain the team I love is the Indianapolis Colts, and not the disaster in Oakland known as the Raiders, I'll state confidently that all decisions on who starts and who sits reside with Caldwell.

This means he is directly and solely responsible for benching Ugoh for Johnson.

Caldwell is big on accountability. It is something he has stressed since he first took the podium last January as head coach. And since Caldwell wants to hold players and assistants accountable for their actions and decisions, Caldwell himself must be held to the same standard. Thus, if benching Ugoh results in worse play at the left tackle position, Caldwell is responsible, and least partially. That's all I'm saying.

Regarding 18to88's take, I'm not as harsh of Ugoh's play last night as they are, but I can see their point. Charlie Johnson was awful last night. When a scrub like Jason Babin makes you look like a chump, you stink as a starting LT. I shudder to think what Mario Williams will do to Charlie. And yes, I realize Charlie is returning from injury, as John Oehser correctly reminds us.

So what?

If you are healthy to start and play, my assumption is you should be able to handle the Jason Babins of this league. If you are too injured, or too rusty, to do that, then what the hell are you doing out there in the first place? If the injury excuse was never good enough for Ugoh, Charlie shouldn't get the pass either.

This brings me to my biggest beef in this whole, stupid mess: The way Caldwell has handled it. I always seem to come back to one key question whenever I read blogs or comments from readers about this debate: Why was Charlie Johnson named the starter?

Certainly, Charlie did not "earn" the job. He's been injured all off-season, recovering from surgery. Why didn't Caldwell state that there is an open competition for the job, and may the best man win? Let Charlie, Tony, Daniel Federkeil, and Tom Pestock all compete for the starting LT job. Then, at the end of (perhaps) the third pre-season game, you name your starter. This way, it looks as if the guy who won the job actually earned it.

That is not how the situation currently looks.

Even factoring in last night's game, which was not a "light's out performance" by Ugoh, he is still clearly outplaying Johnson. He's better in pass protection, run blocking, and has more physical overall ability. Ugoh's also looked better in practice, handling Dwight Freeney much better than he did in the past. By all measures that we evaluate "camp competition," or competition in general, Ugoh is beating Johnson. Last night's game continued to reinforce that.

So, why is Johnson still the "named" starter? It's an unanswered question.

If there is one constant in all this, it is there is tremendous uneasiness about the LT spot. The coaching staff are visibly frustrated by the lack of consistency at both tackle spots, and we fans are scared as all hell at the fact that in two pre-season games, Peyton Manning has been sacked four times in about a quarter and a half's worth of work.

Barf.

It is very unlikely a left tackle will fall from the sky (a.k.a., a team will cut someone to get down to 53), which means the Colts are stuck with Charlie and Tony. In my not-so-humble opinion, this whole thing could have been handled better. The perception among some fans is Charlie simply has not earned the starting LT spot, and if things were this dicey going into camp, why didn't the Colts try and make a trade? Or, draft another left tackle?

What also makes this Ugoh v. Johnson issue stand out is it is the only truly negative thing we've experienced this pre-season (knock on wood). Injuries have occurred, but are not devastating like previous years (more wood knocking). Last night, both the offense, defense, and special teams overall looked damn impressive. I mean, if you think the Colts have issues at this point, kindly take a step back and look at the team Indy just played, Philadelphia Eagles. They had only one starter on their o-line last night. Everyone else is hurt, including Jason Peter, the LT they trade for from the Buffalo Bills. Their #1 pick, Jeremy Maclin, played terrible. Their defense, currently, is a shell of its former self. Stewart Bradley is gone for the year. Brian Dawkins is with the Broncos. Trent Cole is hurt. Jim Johnson has passed, and a new coordinator (Sean McDermott) is soldiering on with this unit. For a truthful perspective on the Eagles, look no further than Bob_Q at Bleeding Green Nation:

In one of the most disappointing performances the Eagles' faithful have seen in a while, the Birds fell tonight to the Indianapolis Colts 23-15. While excuses can can be made that many of our starters were sitting out with nagging injuries, the fact remains that both our offense and defense failed to fire on all cylinders.

Like all things, I hold out hope that the LT situation will shake itself out. This is a very good Colts team that is highly motivated to kick the snot out of people. Like most of you, I love the subtle "tweaks" and changes I am seeing. I love watching Antonio Johnson and Ed Johnson stuffing the run on third and short. I love Dwight Freeney spinning like Fred Astaire on crack. I love Peyton Manning looking like he is ready to eat your young.

I mean seriously, folks. This is our man before a PRE-SEASON game. Imagine him before games that actually count. I swear, lasers or something shoot out of his eyes.

I hope this LT shakes out. But, if it doesn't, then Jim Caldwell bares much of the responsibility. This is especially true if Charlie Johnson continues to struggle while Tony Ugoh continues to look better by comparison.

Eagles vs Colts coverage

Taking Stock of Eagles Preseason: Aug 20th vs the Colts

Bob_Q — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:48:13 -0000

More photos » by AJ Mast - AP

4 months ago: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, right, smiles after shaking hands with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback A.J. Feeley following a preseason NFL football game in Indianapolis, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009. The Colts won 23-15. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

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In one of the most disappointing performances the Eagles' faithful have seen in a while, the Birds fell tonight to the Indianapolis Colts 23-15. While excuses can can be made that many of our starters were sitting out with nagging injuries, the fact remains that both our offense and defense failed to fire on all cylinders. However, there were a few lone bright spots to improve an otherwise depressing beatdown. Here is a brief rundown of who's stock is on the rise and who's stock is falling after tonight's game:

Stock on the Rise:

Jason Babin- Starting in place of the injured Trent Cole, Babin made a name for himself with in incredible performance (4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble). He was constantly pressuring the quarterback throughout the night and seemed to be involved in every single big play. By the second quarter, his popularity among the BGN fan base had skyrocketed to the point where his name was a part of every conversation. Jason "Babin Back Ribs" Babin was clearly the highlight of the defense this evening.

DeSean Jackson- As the first quarter was winding down, the play we had all been waiting for finally happened. Jackson streaked past two Colts defenders, caught a 39-yard pass from Donovan McNabb and breezed into the endzone for a touchdown. The young receiver's blazing speed will continue to be a major asset for him as he continues to develop and mature. Jackson finished the night with two catches for 46 yards.

Brandon Gibson- Gibson scored the only other touchdown of the game, nabbing a pass off of Adam DiMichele late in the fourth quarter. Although the rookie's performance breathed new life into the deflating third-string offense, there was simply not enough time for the Birds to pull out a win. Still, Gibson can take satisfaction in an impressive performance where he led the team in receiving yards (4 receptions for 49 yards). Looks like he will be very difficult to keep off the roster.

Rob Myers- For an undrafted rookie free agent brought in towards the end of training camp, Rob Myers surely turned some heads tonight. The young tight end was able to get open several times, grabbing four passes for 44 yards and a two-point conversion. In fact, he was the only Eagles tight end to make a play during that night's game, which surely improved his chances for sticking around.

Adam DiMichele- While it is unlikely we will see much of DiMichele now that Michael Vick can play the final two preseason games, the young Temple product certainly proved his NFL worth tonight. DiMichele was fairly productive with the tools he was given, completing 14 of 22 passes for 130 yards, a touchdown, and a two-point conversion. With A.J. Feeley stinking up the field, the Eagles just might want to give the rookie QB another look before they write him off.

Stock Falling:

A.J. Feeley- As the second quarter was winding down, the Eagles had made a pretty good drive down the field, going 44 yards in three plays. They were in position to score with no timeouts left, but Feeley elected to pass to Eldra Buckly, who was running up the middle. Of course, Buckley was stopped about 15 yards short of the goal line and the clock ran out before the Eagles could get off another snap. This was just one instance that showed Feeley's poor game management skills that night. With five quarterbacks on the roster, our longtime backup will need to step up his game if he expects to keep his job.

Ellis Hobbs- For a "starting caliber" cornerback, Hobbs showed tonight that he still needs to knock the rust off. That ridiculous 76-yard touchdown by Reggie Wayne? That was Hobbs' man. While it was unclear whether he was beaten at the line of scrimmage or whether there was a miscommunication, the fact remains that Hobbs gave up a huge play that basically set the tone for the whole night. To top it all off, he left the game later with an ankle sprain.

Lorenzo Booker- Booker again tried to do too much with too little. His dancing around in the backfield, coupled with his hesitation on key 3rd-down plays led to an abysmal overall performance (7 attempts for 8 yards). The sad part is that the only bright spot for Booker tonight came when his competition Eldra Buckley fumbled the ball away.

Jeremy Maclin- Maclin struggled again on punt returns, gaining only four total yards off of two attempts. He wasn't able to find any openings and was quickly brought down by defenders. He didn't fare much better at kickoff returns either, gaining 22 yards off of 3 attempts and fumbling the ball for the second straight game.

Poll

Who do you think impressed the most against the Colts?

Jason Babin

525 votes

DeSean Jackson

237 votes

Brandon Gibson

68 votes

Rob Myers

22 votes

Adam DiMichele

94 votes

Another player

16 votes

962 votes | Poll has closed

Eagles lose 23-15 to Colts in preseason game two

JasonB — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 03:49:45 -0000

More photos » by AJ MAST - AP

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For a while there, it actually looked as though the Phillies would outscore the Eagles tonight...

The Eagles first teams continued to struggle in preseason game #2 on the road against the Colts. The first team offenses' struggles started up front with the patchwork offensive line. Only one starter on the Eagles' O-line played tonight, which made it pretty difficult to evaluate the skill players. When the QB doesn't have time and the RB doesn't have holes, there's not much to see.

This certainly isn't an excuse, because the injuries to the offensive line are very real and if we're forced to enter the season with this group starting things won't be pretty. The lone bright spot on offense was a perfectly thrown 23 yard TD pass to Desean Jackson, who had burnt two Colts defenders.

The first team defense was arguably worse than the offense giving up 14 points in the first quarter. The low point was a 76 yard TD to Reggie Wayne where either Ellis Hobbs got massively burnt or the team just blew the coverage. Either way, it wasn't pretty. The defense was missing both Sheldon Brown and Trent Cole, but their absences don't excuse how flat the defense looked tonight.

The team did start to show some life in the 4th quarter under the leadership of Temple product Adam DiMichele. The game was well over, but DiMichele did lead them on a couple good drives including one that culminated in a 21 yard TD to rookie WR Brandon Gibson.

Some player highlights and low lights after the jump.

Although King Dunlap generally did hold his own for most of the game, he was absolutely embarrassed on a play in the red where Dwight Freeney put a wicked spin move on him and stripped McNabb of the football.

The Eagles averaged less than a yard and half per rush tonight. The offense line was held together with tape but still... a yard and a half?

Jason Babin made a name for himself. A good portion of the nearly 1,300 comments in the game threads were suggestions for Babin nicknames. My favorite was Philly's Babin-Back Ribs. Babin had a sack and forced fumble from Manning early in the game. He spent most of the night in the Indy backfield and certainly earned the start he was given tonight.

Jeremy Maclin struggled tonight. Not only did he have another fumble on a return(that's 2 in 2 games) but he never really looked in the flow of the offense. To be fair, no one did... but still. He finished the night with 4 catches.

Another rookie WR who also caught 4 passes did manage to impress tonight. Brandon Gibson averaged twice as many yards per catch as Maclin and caught himself a TD. BTW, did anyone else constantly find themselves confusing Maclin and Gibson? They look very similar on the field and their numbers (18 & 19) are hard to differentiate. I actually yelled out Maclin's name on Gibsons' TD catch.

Temple product Adam DiMichele did a nice job out there and got himself a TD pass in what is likely his final game with the Eagles and maybe his NFL career. It would nice to see him get a shot somewhere, because I don't think he looked totally out of place playing in an NFL game. He completed 14 of his 22 passes for 130 yards and a TD.

While we're on QBs, I have to give a wag of the finger to A.J. Feeley. How do you a throw a pass to a back in the middle of the field with 11 seconds left in the first half and no timeouts? That's just poor clock management/decision making on his part. That ball needs to go directly to the sidelines or get thrown away. The last thing you want to do with it is to throw it directly to the middle of the field. As a veteran, he should know better.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Lorenzo Booker, who really struggled tonight. Again, I recognize how poor the offensive line was... but Booker had 8 yards on 7 carries. The next tackle he breaks will probably be his first... He just never seems to get that extra yard he needs. With Eldra Buckley showing some good things(although he did fumble tonight) Booker's roster spot is looking more and more unlikely.

Leonard Weaver left the game with what Andy Reid called a "sprained MCL." Reid said he should be ok.

Next up is the always important 3rd preseason game at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The starters will likely play into the second half and the game will feature the return of Mike Vick.

Omar Gaither Sustains Knee Sprain, Position Battles Heat Up

Bob_Q — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:35:59 -0000

More photos » by Rich Schultz - AP

4 months ago: Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Darren Howard, left, talks with linebacker Omar Gaither during the morning session of NFL football training camp at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., on Friday, July, 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

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During Monday's practice, linebacker Omar Gaither was escorted off the field after sustaining a knee sprain. While he is not expected to miss significant playing time, his absence deprives the Eagles of an experienced veteran in a rapidly thinning position. Gaither was competing for both the starting MLB and WILL positions with Joe Mays and Akeem Jordan, respectively.

More information on Gaither's condition will be released later this week, so stay tuned.

Depth chart battles have been heating up at Lehigh lately. With only three weeks left to crack the final roster, Eagles newcomers are kicking it into high gear. Here are a few positions to watch for when the Eagles take the field against the Colts for preseason game number two:

Defensive End: With Trent Cole temporarily out of the picture, newcomer Jason Babin has been taking reps at the starting RDE position. Babin's impressive performance against the Patriots (3 tackles, 1 sack) should net him some significant playing time during week two and, if he impresses, should land him a spot on the final roster. The only question is, whose spot will he take?

Running Back: Eldra Buckley has been continuing to impress after his sensational performance in week one (8 rushes for 23 yds and 1 TD, 6 rec for 56 yds and 1 TD) and lit up the third-string offense. During the only two live plays of Monday's practice, Buckley gained big chunks of yardage, showing once again his big-play ability. Watch out, Lorenzo Booker, looks like your days are numbered.

Strongside Linebacker: Rookie and 7th-round pick Moise Fokou has been opening eyes ever since he stepped on the field at Lehigh, quickly rising to the 2nd-string SAM position behind Chris Gocong. The Maryland product racked up two tackles in week one, catching the attention of defensive coordinatior Sean McDermott:

"He's done a nice job and it all starts with his preparation," McDermott said on the seventh-round pick. "He takes great pride in the work he puts in off the field. He brings a lot to the table at that SAM linebacker position. When the lights come on the look in his eye is the right look, the look that we want to see from our players."

Free Safety: Although second-year man Quintin Demps has been slated to be the starter since the departure of the beloved Brian Dawkins, former Brown Sean Jones has given the young safety a run for his money. However, Demps has stepped up his tackling technique, and is showing that he has the ability to be a starter in the NFL. McDermott had this to say of the former UTEP standout:

"Quintin Demps did a nice job. They both did a nice job. Quintin, specifically, did a nice job," McDermott said. "Again, you're talking about a young player that is really playing in his first game as a starter and he handled himself well. He tackled well."

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Jackpot Edition

Jake — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:00:22 -0000

The Houston Texans have struck a deal with the Texas Lottery for their own new scratch game. What does this mean to you, the average Texans fan? On the surface very little, other than the fact that you can now have your very own chance at buying a ticket worth up to $10,000.00 that comes with a fancy Texans logo. The deeper interest here is that the NFL seems to be edging closer and closer to the dreaded gambling issue. Interesting.

The Texans started off their 2009 mini-camp and welcomed two players that had never played or practiced with the team before--Rex Grossman and Connor Barwin. Grossman is saying all the right things right now but I sincerely doubt he will overtake Dan Orlovsky as the number two QB. Orlovsky has the advantage of being extremely similar to Matt Schaub and therefore easily trainable with little change to the offense if he is needed, while Grossman suffers from the curse of being short and marginally talented. Seriously, if you can't do that well with the defense that the Bears had, something is wrong.

Connor Barwin, however, received rave reviews. Kubiak had a lot of good things to say about him such as "He was the fastest player on the field," and "I'm impressed by his strength." I know that doesn't sound like that much but it's nice that Barwin could step in on day one and impress. Barwin also had a conversation in the media in which he was confident bordering on cocky, which I like. My man-crush for Barwin is growing by the second, and I couldn't disagree with BFD more when he drew comparisons with Barwin and Jason Babin.

Speaking of BFD, he did a good roasting of Peter King, who is not one of my favorite NFL journalists either. I won't take away from BFD's poetic musings, but he basically stated his case why King is an idiot for insinuating that Grossman will overtake Orlovsky. Get him BFD.

Finally, Paul Kuharsky of ESPN takes a look at whether the vocal contract disputes of Owen Daniels, Dunta Robinson and DeMeco Ryans will be a debilitating distraction for the team. I have to say that I respect DeMeco's position a lot more that the other two, not only because he deserves a new deal more, but also because of the way he's handling it. In a chat with Kuharsky he aired his grievances but he also stated that he just wants to continue to prove himself on the field because that's all he has control over. This attitude gives Ryans a powerful piece of leverage the other two don't have--fan support.