SB Nation - Joe Mays

Could Akeem Jordan return this Sunday?

JasonB — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:00:23 -0000

The absence of Akeem Jordan has thrown the Eagles LB corps into a bit of disarray. At different times his absence has forced the Eagles to move Will Witherspoon & Chris Gocong around, start guys like Joe Mays & Moises Fokou... His return would not only add a good LB to the unit, it would also bring a return to some normalcy.

After missing 3 straight games, Jordan was listed as a full participant in today's practice. He was asked if this meant he'd play this weekend.

"That's always the plan, to get back on the field as soon as you can. We'll see how I feel tomorrow and go from there."

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations

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

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Information From My Eyes - Other Games:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. I have a couple of quick college thoughts.

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

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

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

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

The Linc - McNabb's a dad again

JasonB — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:00:15 -0000

Some Things I'm Thankful For - Yardbarker
Donovan McNabb and his wife Raquel welcomed their 4th child into the world last Friday night.

Interesting Debate: Is it the O-Line or Campbell? - Hogs Haven
A more detailed discussion about if Campbell or the Oline is to blame. What's disconcerting is the Redskins NFC East foes have the 3 best defensive lines in the league and Dan Snyder personally went to recruit McCoy and Clausen last week.

Eagles Notes: Eagles' Andrews seeks second opinion | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/28/2009
Shawn Andrews is scheduled to receive a second opinion on his back from a Dallas doctor, coach Andy Reid said yesterday. The Eagles offensive lineman, though, is still scheduled to undergo surgery Thursday, according to a league source.

Redskins Insider - Eagles defense thrives under McDermott
The Eagles' defense has continued to thrive under McDermott, who has held many assistant positions since joining the organization in 1998. McDermott has retained many of the attacking, blitzing principles Johnson utilized in his scheme that helped to elevate Philadelphia among the league's elite defensively during his nine-year tenure.

More after the jump

Redskins Insider - Eagles' defense presents a challenge for Redskins
The Philadelphia Eagles are tied for third (with Pittsburgh) in the NFL in sacks and rank fourth in interceptions. That means that, obviously, pass protection and ball security will be two important keys Sunday when the Redskins face the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Redskins' offense, and its offensive line in particular, face another challenging situation.

Redskins Insider - Hall will miss Sunday's game; Rogers to start
Top cornerback DeAngelo Hall (knee) has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles and the recently benched Carlos Rogers will start for Hall at Lincoln Financial Field, Coach Jim Zorn said after practice today at Redskins Park.

Trotter another worry for Eagles | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/28/2009
It probably wasn't the turkey. Thursday night, after he had his Thanksgiving feast, Jeremiah Trotter awoke with a sting that shot down his left leg. Joe Mays split time at middle linebacker with Trotter in the last game, but he may get his first start. 1 of 5 View images Eagles 24, Bears 20 Chargers 31, Eagles 23 Cowboys 20, Eagles 16 "I never felt that before in my life," the Eagles linebacker said yesterday. "It scared me a little bit. . . . I couldn't sleep."

Eagles shuffle linebackers again

JasonB — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:14:56 -0000

Last week, due to even more injuries at the already injury plagued LB positions, the Eagles; fielded a corps of rookie Moise Fokou at SAM, Chris Gocong at MIKE, & Will WItherspoon at WILL.

That didn't exactly work out...

So this week they'll shuffle the deck once again with Akeem Jordan still out. Chris Gocong moves back to SAM, Joe Mays mans the middle, and Will Witherspoon stays at WILL. At least in this setup, each guy is in the position he's most familiar with.

Comcast/NFL Red Zone stat of the week

JasonB — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:52:28 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

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The Eagles "stat of the week" is brought to you by Comcast and the new NFL Red Zone channel

So far this year, I've been using this post to talk about the Eagles performance in the red zone from week to week. And week after week, they barely if ever get to the red zone. Whether they score from all big plays on a good day or can't get inside the 20 on a bad day, It's left me with little to write about.

So we're shifting gears. From here on out we'll be doing the "stat of the week" This week's stat comes from Andy Schwartz of CSN.com

(This week) Gocong becomes the seventh player to practice at middle linebacker for the Eagles, a domino effect that started in camp with the season-ending injury to Stewart Bradley.

He's referring to the fact that Chris Gocong will play middle linebacker this week against the Chargers. With Akeem Jordan out injured, Will Witherspoon will slide over to the WILL and Gocong will assume the middle linebacker role. Moises Fokou will start his second straight game at the strong side backer position.

So far this year Stewart Bradley, Omar Gaither, Joe Mays, Jeremiah Trotter, Moise Fokou, Will Witherspoon, and now Gocong will have taken practice reps at middle linebacker. It's a pretty damning representation of what injuries + your depth not being as good as you thought + the solutions you tried to bring in via FA not working + a trade + injuries at other positions can do to a team.

Comcast is carrying the new NFL Red Zone channel! NFL Red Zone lets you follow all the red zone action on NFL Sunday as it happens. When a team gets inside the twenty, the network cuts to that game. Not only is this cool for any big NFL fan, it would be awesome for out of market Eagles fans that can't watch the games. You're essentially getting the best parts of every Eagles game live for only a couple bucks a month as opposed to having to shell out the several hundred bucks for the NFL ticket.

They don't ever break for commercials and the action literally never stops. They don't just limit it to red zone trips either... I was watching last weekend and they would show any game live if no team happened to be in the red zone. This is probably the best thing ever invented for an NFL fan that's looking for something to flip to when the Eagles game goes to commercials...

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.

McNabb Doubtful for Sunday, 3 Other Eagles Out

Bob_Q — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:54:24 -0000

More photos » by Matt Rourke - AP

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According to a report on PhiladelphiaEagles.com, Donovan McNabb (cracked ribs) is still listed as "Doubtful" for this Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. McNabb has missed all of this week's practice so far, although Andy Reid has already stated that the quarterback is "capable of playing and playing well without the benefit of practice." Still, it is looking more and more likely that backup Kevin Kolb will receive his first start as McNabb continues to rehab. The official definition of the "Doubtful" injury label means that there is at least a 75% chance that the player will not play.

Three other Eagles have been listed as "OUT," meaning they will not be taking part in Sunday's game: offensive guard Todd Herremans (stress fracture), free safety Quintin Demps (hamstring strain), and middle linebacker Joe Mays (shoulder sprain). Defensive end Victor Abiamiri is listed as "Questionable" (50-50 chance of playing) after sustaining a groin injury during this week's practice.

To cover the gap at offensive guard, Reid has said that he will rotate three players though the two guard spots: Stacy Andrews, Nick Cole, and Max Jean-Gilles. Andrews has been reported as saying that he will not be starting over Jean-Gilles because he still needs time to improve his comfort with the Eagles' offensive scheme.

Abiamiri's potential loss shouldn't hurt the deep and talented defensive end position. It could also mean that preseason hero Jason Babin might be able to sneak in a regular season rep or two.

The temporary loss of Demps and Mays should not effect the defense much. Omar Gaither and Macho Harris are both performing well as starters and there are far worse backups than Sean Jones and Moise Fokou.

Regular Season Week 1: Panthers Offense vs Philadelphia Defense

Revshawn — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:15:30 -0000

On Sunday afternoon at 1PM, The Panthers face off against the Eagles at home in Bank of America Stadium to start the season. No more preseason, this is the real deal now. The depth charts have been set, the fields painted, and on Sunday the start of the 2009 Carolina Panthers season will finally begin.

However, the Panthers have many questions going into Week 1. How effective will our new 3rd receiver Kenny Moore be? Whom will be the punt and kick returners for the Panthers now that Steve Smith and Chris Gamble's names have been thrown into the competition? How will the Panthers recover after a 0-4 start during the preseason? All of these questions will finally be resolved.

There is a cause for hope. There is a cause for faith in our team. I believe the Panthers starters held back during the preseason. I believe the coaching staff called very conservative plays with loose coverage in order to keep the defense healthy. I believe that the players were instructed not to go all-out against their previous opponents, hence all the missed tackles. That is what we have to hope after a 0-4 start during the preseason. In addition, Linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis among our other starters were lining the bench to keep them from being injured during the cursed offseason. They will be back. Safeties Chris Harris and Sherrod Martin were nursing injuries right up into this very week before being declared good to go for Week 1. Besides our players on IR, the Panthers are healthy going up against the Eagles this Sunday.

Expect for the full fury of our defense to be released on game day. Like I said, you cannot judge the Panthers for their preseason. They calling a conservative game in order to minimize contact and prevent injuries to our players. The Panthers will change that on Sunday. Expect Panthers to blitz like crazy and carry a 4 man D-Line rotation in order to account for the losses of Corvey Irvin and Maake Kemoeatu to IR. The Panthers may have a huge weakness at DT, but our linebacker core are one of the strongest in the league. They will not, and cannot let us down.

And let's not forget the injuries of the Eagles as well. They lost their starting MLB early this year to IR. They throw Omar Gaither in there and he's a capable fill-in. But his backup, Joe Mays, is done for the game due to shoulder injury. The LB core of the Eagles are one injury away from a major disaster. That's bad news for an Eagles defense trying to discover how to stop a star running back like DeAngelo Williams and to prepare for a playoff run.

In addition, the Eagles lost two key cogs in their O-Line with their starting LG and RT out. That's going to hurt their offensive line and help nullify a weakness the Panthers have at our DT Position. On top of that, Westbrook is coming off an offseason ankle surgery, has hit the magical age of 30, and didn't practice the entire preseason. We all know that when RB's hit the downturn of their career, they hit it hard. Will he still have the game changing speed that he has had in the past? Is it time for him to hang up his cleats and retire? These are all questions that will be answered on Sunday.

Now let's move on and see how our offense matches up against the Philadelphia defense.

Introduction

The Eagles have fielded one of the most dominant defenses in the league the last couple of years. However, a big cause of that success was the brilliance in their former defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, whom has sadly passed away to cancer. This year the Eagles struggled defensively during the preseason, giving up 30+ points in their last couple of preseason games to the Jags and the Jets. Don't be surprised if you see an entirely new defense under Jim's successor Sean McDermott.

With the final game in 2008 in mind, the Eagles are going to blitz until Jake Delhomme proves himself in the passing game. They are going to stack 7 and 8 players in the box until he can start feeding the ball to Smith, Moose, and Moore. If they start pulling that stuff on the opening drive, I wouldn't be surprised if they gave Jake Delhomme the ball to prove himself the first drive after a horrible game against the Cardinals in the postseason. Then they can go on to call a balanced offensive game, have a good day, and the Panther fans can return to their homes victorious and looking forward for the rest of the season.

Jake just needs to keep from turning the ball over.

Jeff Otah vs Victor Abiamira

For the past three years, Juqua Thomas has been a good starter at right defensive end. He's gone for 5 and 6 sacks a season, and the Eagles find that they depend on him down the stretch. Yet during the offseason, the Eagles have decided to go with the 2 year veteran in Victor Abiamira, a 2nd round pick from the university of Notre Dame from the 07 draft. He's never played extensively in a game before, so it'll be up to Jeff Otah to be able to give him a very rude welcome into the league. Victor Abiamira should be able to be a good player in the league, but Jeff Otah should be able to delay his success for at least another game.

Jordan Gross vs Trent Cole

The star on the Eagles D-Line is unquestionably LDE Trent Cole. Two years ago in 2007 he made it to the Pro-Bowl for the first time in his career. He had 12.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 49 tackles, and was consistently a threat for the QB to keep an eye on at all times. However, he will be going up against another star in Jordan Gross, whom made it to the Pro-Bowl for the first time in his career just last year. Needless to say, it will be an interesting battle going on along both sides of the D-Line today.

Jake Delhomme vs Eagles D-backs

Jake will need to come out and prove himself once more after his horrendous play during the Cardinals game last year. This match-up could very well be renamed Jake Delhomme vs himself simply because the fans need to learn to believe in him again. At the same time, the coaching staff needs to not overly depend on Jake Delhomme like they did during that game. Call a balanced game with a mix of run and pass, and acknowledge that Jake Delhomme is not Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, even though he's being paid like it.

Jake also needs to be more effective on 3rd down, which has traditionally been a struggle for the Panthers with him under center. He has some help with year with Moore providing a better 3rd WR than Hackett or Jarrett last year. If Jake spreads the ball around, our offense should have a good day.

Brad Hoover vs Eagles LB's

DeAngelo needs to pick up where he left off last season and start breaking off those huge runs we all know and love him for. He is the star on our offense, and if he and Stewart suddenly fled to Canada our offense would not be effective at all.

So Brad Hoover needs to get out there and have a good game in the second level, blocking and fighting to give our backs room to run. He's coming off a year where he blew a few key assignments last year on special teams that led to a couple of blocked punts. A good performance by Hoover in taking away that extra LB up the middle would do wonders for springing DeAngelo into the backfield.

We have a special running game in Carolina. Williams is always a threat to break free at any time. Stewart makes for a good power back to keep him fresh, and Mike Goodson could be a brilliant, speedy change of pace back if he can cut down on the fumbles and the Panthers choose to utilize him. They are the reason I'm pumped for the start of the regular season. The Panthers running game is close to unstoppable.

And behind the scenes, the Hoov will do all the dirty work in helping them be that great.

Game Prediction

I look into the future, and I see a high scoring game by both teams. The defenses stand strong during the 1st and part of the 2nd quarter, but they completely collapse during the stretch. It will come down to the Panthers running game against the Eagles passing game, and DeAngelo Williams will not disappoint. The Panthers win 38-28.

Omar Gaither named Philadelphia Eagles starting middle linebacker

JasonB — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:18:20 -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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Just yesterday we called Omar Gaither the "leader in the clubhouse" for the starting middle linebacker job despite the fact that he's yet to play there in the preseason. A few hours later, the Eagles named Gaither the starting middle linebacker.

"I'm going home," Gaither said Sunday. "I feel like Dorothy. I didn't click my heels, but I got down on my knees and prayed a lot. I'm here to stay," he said. "I'm not coming out this time."

Gaither is referring to the fact that he was replaced as the starting middle linebacker by Stewart Bradley, then moved to the starting WILL job, only to be replaced by Akeem Jordan.

Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott talked about the move.

"It's a work in progress," defensive coordinator Sean McDermott said. "There is competition at that position. We're just looking for consistency out of whoever is in the middle in order to execute the defense.

"I think any time you are an aggressive defense you have to be able to react to play-action pass. My biggest thing is that I want to see Omar come out and handle the reins of the defense in terms of the leadership, make the huddle call, get us lined up, quarterback the defense. Then, from a health standpoint, he has to have confidence in his leg."

Gaither has been slowed by a knee strain the past few weeks, but returned to practice yesterday and said his knee feels fine. Frankly, the Eagles should count themselves lucky that they had a sold veteran with plenty of starting experience to step in at the middle linebacker position. It's very much in contrast to the position they found themselves in in previous years with punt returner and fullback.

Thanks to Joe D in the fanposts

The Linc - Kevin Kolb, Quintin Demps, & the return of Shawn Andrews

JasonB — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:00:19 -0000

More photos » by Matt Rourke - AP

3 months ago: Philadelphia Eagles' Shawn Andrews is shown at NFL football training camp in Philadelphia, Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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PhillyBurbs.com: Kolb needs to make fans forget that day in Baltimore
No matter how sharp he is in practice or how well he plays in preseason games, Kevin Kolb knows that until he plays again for real, Eagles fans will continue to judge him solely by what he did in Baltimore last November. And he doesn't blame them a bit. "You go off what somebody's done in games, not off what anybody says," Kolb said. "I would do the same thing if I was in their shoes."

Eagles Notes: Some Eagles starters may play Thursday | Philadelphia Inquirer | 08/30/2009
Second-year players Quintin Demps and Joe Mays apparently haven't nailed down the starting free safety and middle linebacker spots. That's just fine with Demps. "I'm fighting to the end, baby - fighting to the end. I'm fighting after Carolina, after the Chiefs, after the Saints – every week," Demps said, referring to the Eagles' first three opponents of the season. "There's no such thing as 'The job is yours.' "

Has Josh McDaniels Ruined the Denver Broncos? - Field Gulls
Has Josh McDaniels Ruined the Denver Broncos? Seems that way.

Andrews back: "It felt good" | Philadelphia Inquirer | 08/29/2009
"It felt good," the Eagles tackle said. "I had no [reservations]. Went through this thing full speed. Of course, it wasn't much contact ... but still got a good feel on some leaning and pass rushing."

Judge hands Vick a victory on bankruptcy | Philadelphia Inquirer | 08/28/2009
If this is considered a "victory" then what does defeat look like?