Kevin Kolb likely played his last game as an Eagle.


-- Kevin Kolb looked lost and panicky. He should be given the benefit of the doubt since he was playing with backups, but they didn't cause him to throw three interceptions and literally fumble away the win. I don't foresee this performance hurting his trade stock too much, but it certainly won't help it.

-- Jerome Harrison carried the running game with 21 carries and finished just one yard shy of his second 100-yard rushing game of the year. I've been yelling for him to receive more carries, and he showed against the Cowboys that even behind a line full of backups he can get the job done. If Andy Reid will allow it, he could be a weapon in the playoffs.

-- Same thing can be said for Owen Schmitt every week. The guy is just a player who will do everything and anything it takes to win. Hard not to love him.

-- How about Chad Hall? He's a guy you can't help but root for, and seeing him haul in his first career touchdown was gratifying. The guy could very easily be the Eagles' version of Danny Woodhead and, like Harrison, could be a secret weapon in the playoffs.

-- Riley Cooper and Jason Avant combined for two receptions for 26 yards. Hard to tell if it was them or Kolb, but that's less than impressive.

-- Clay Harbor is going to be sick for a couple days. He dropped a wide open pass that would have netted the Eagles' offense a huge gain, and seemed to take a step back in pass protection. But with that said, he has clearly taken huge steps forward from being inactive for most of the first half of the season.

-- Austin Howard was just bad. I mean really, really bad. He was relying on his height all game to get a hand on DeMarcus Ware. He wasn't moving his feet, he was overextending himself, and he just looked lost. Not to jump the gun, but Howard's future might be at right tackle or even inside as a guard.

-- Overall, the interior of the line (Reggie Wells, Mike McGlynn, and Nick Cole) did a pretty decent job. Cole had his usual lazy plays where he stopped his feet and got Kolb knocked around a little bit, but I thought Wells and McGlynn did a good job on the inside blitz and of containing Jay Ratliff.

-- King Dunlap continues to prove he's a reliable backup. However, he must learn to stop dropping his hands to his sides and giving the defender that split-second advantage. He's good enough to make up for it, but he constantly puts himself at a disadvantage with poor technique.

-- Reid and Marty Mornhinweg called a safe game, but still passed way too much. Kolb dropped back more than 40 times as opposed to about 25 called run plays. Kolb is a guy who needs more support than that, especially after sitting the bench for about two months.

-- Although he failed to record a sack, Darryl Tapp had his best game of the season. He got a steady pass rush and did a good job of taking on blockers and making a play in run support. He has been a huge disappointment all season, but to see him take a big step in the regular season finale should bode well for the playoffs.

-- Likewise, Brodrick Bunkley was stout against the run. Even while getting double-teamed on a couple occasions he held his ground and forced the run plays to the outside.

-- Don't be surprised if Jeremy Clark is inactive next week. He had a couple shining moments, but he was getting knocked back into linebackers far too often. He wasn't terrible, but he's not going to see playing time over Antonio Dixon, Mike Patterson, Bunkley, or Trevor Laws.

-- Was it really worth cutting Derrick Burgess for Bobby McCray?

-- Third-round pick Daniel Te'o-Nesheim recorded his first NFL sack, but considering how non-existent he's been all season it's difficult to get excited for him.

-- I'm still having a hard time deciding if Keenan Clayton is truly linebacker material. He's very athletic, but just doesn't seem to have the aggressive attitude a linebacker needs. The team's best bet might be to work him as a safety and work on his hands so he doesn't drop another pick-six.

-- A solid 10 tackles for Omar Gaither says to me what I've been thinking all season; the guy has been underutilized. Word is he got in the Eagles' doghouse when he turned down a contract extension, but he's been solid since day one and should see more time than he has.

-- Moise Fokou and Akeem Jordan seem like the same player to me. I don't see the extra physicality out of Fokou that everyone talks about, and might even give a slight edge to Jordan because he seems to read plays better. But still, Fokou remains the favorite for reasons I'm simply not seeing.

-- Everyone was too hard on Dimitri Patterson. He came in and played well right away, so the bar was set too high for him. He struggled against the Giants and got benched against the Vikings for a stupid penalty, but the guy proved against the Cowboys that he's an instinctive player who belongs on the field.

-- Jamar Adams and Colt Anderson appear to be guys who are on the border of being legitimate backups. Anderson missed a couple tackles, but Adams always seemed to be hitting his guy right as the ball was arriving and looks like he's one of the few guys who knows how to play in a zone coverage. Adams is a guy I'd definitely like to see more of in the offseason.

-- I like Trevard Lindley. He's made rookie mistakes throughout the season, but he's a smart player and he's not afraid to get physical with receivers bigger than him. He's a very good option as the fourth corner right now, and could be a lot more than that as he progresses.

-- Brandon Hughes might be a player, as well. Stay tuned on that guy.

-- Why does Sean McDermott not attack like that with the starters? I'm a fan of the blitz so there still wasn't enough for my liking, but he was much more aggressive and it paid off. Now if he would just stop playing man coverage in the red zone maybe the defense could get somewhere.

-- Gerard Lawson did a decent job returning kicks as he averaged 24 yards per return. David Akers and Sav Rocca, as his been the norm this season, did a good job as well.

-- The Eagles finish the 2010-2011 regular season with a 10-6 record, an NFC East division crown, and the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. They will play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, January 9th in the Wild Card round at 4:30PMEST. If they win, they will play the Chicago Bears the following week.
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How much will Kolb entice quarterback-needy teams?


Despite some of the problems Michael Vick has had this season, it's been mostly a year of spectacular play and a lot of success both individually and for the team. Smart money says he is back for the 2011 season and beyond with a contract extension this offseason.

But for Kevin Kolb, this season has been filled with a lot of doubt and unrest. He started the season off poorly and was replaced, but filled in for an injured Vick by beating the Atlanta Falcons -- the team that will clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs -- and re-ignited interest in a guy who some believe has the makings of a franchise quarterback.

Now after a loss to the Minnesota Vikings has made the Eagles-Cowboys Week 17 matchup meaningless for both teams, Kolb will get a chance to start as Vick rests up and prepares for next weekend's home playoff game against either the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, or perhaps even the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But starting Kolb does more than give Vick a chance to rest up. With the Eagles still holding Kolb's rights for one more season, they will surely be looking to take the highest offer available for the former second-round pick.

Giving him a start in the final week of the season against a shaky secondary with nothing to lose could mean a big day for him individually and give the Eagles just a bit more to throw at teams when negotiating compensation.

With that in mind, don't expect Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg to come out, run the ball, and just head into the postseason. These guys are always looking for an excuse to pass, and Kolb at the helm justifies a gameplan that will include 60 percent passing plays.

Expect Kolb to finish with around 30 passing attempts (likely more) and, if things go as planned, over 300 yards and a couple touchdowns. Of course, those numbers could be difficult to reach if DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin are riding the pine with Vick for most of the game, so don't be surprised to see those guys play more than half the game.

Kolb will likely be a starter somewhere next year, so there isn't a ton on the line for him. But for the Eagles, they must make sure they can squeeze out every bit of compensation for Kolb that they can, and I expect them to start by making him look like a franchise quarterback against the Cowboys in this meaningless finale.

The only question left is whether or not the team that trades for Kolb will actually be getting the franchise quarterback they'll likely see against Dallas.
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Thanks snow, you're a day late and the week is FUBAR.


When the schedule first came out, it looked like having to play back-to-back games against the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys in the final two weeks of the season would be an absolute nightmare for a team that would be struggling to make the playoffs.

Then, it started to look like a division title had been gift-wrapped by Santa himself.

Brett Favre is banged up (again) and didn't appear likely to play, and the Cowboys were down to their third string quarterback after injuries to Tony Romo and Jon Kitna.

Both teams are in complete disarray, and all the Eagles have to do is beat them for a division title and quite possibly a first-round bye. Should be easy, right?

Not so fast.

With the announcement that the game will be moved from Sunday night to Tuesday night, the Eagles are put at several disadvantages. For one, Favre now has a chance to get healthy. And I don't care if you're the biggest Favre-hater (AKA jackass) on the planet, the guy gives them a much better chance to win than the rookie Joe Webb.

And secondly, Andy Reid's team now must face the Cowboys on a very short week.

Football players are creatures of habit, and this is likely to throw them all out of whack. The practice schedule makes a dramatic shift from here, it gives any player injured against the Vikings on Tuesday less time to recover and that's all compounded by the fact that it's a divisional game.

Divisional games are incredibly difficult regardless of how bad one of the teams actually is. Not to mention the fact that the Cowboys would just love to knock the Eagles out of a first-round bye or division title.

We've been looking for a true barometer of this team for a while now, and I believe we'll get it while watching how they handle what will be a chaotic week.
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DeSean Jackson had a record-setting Sunday night.


-- This was Michael Vick's worst game of the season, but it was still pretty good. He wound up throwing two interceptions, but only one was on him. The other went right off Jeremy Maclin's hands. Overall Vick did a pretty decent job, but for the first time all season we saw all the hits he was taking actually take a toll on his game.

-- LeSean McCoy continues to be the best player no one is talking about. The guy has incredible vision and, outside of Vick, might be the best athlete on the team. He has to work on going harder through the hole and not dancing so much down field, but that will come. The guy is a Pro Bowler.

-- Owen Schmitt didn't have a great game, and I think that's the first time I've said that. He had a nice catch with a guy draped all over him, but he missed a couple blocks on special teams and in pass protection.

-- For DeSean Jackson, let's start off with the bad: the endzone celebration was ridiculous and unnecessary. The rest, however, was fantastic. Who else in the league can go 210 yards on only four catches? That's not rhetorical. If you'd like a random fact, I present to you the fact that 210 yards is the most in NFL history with only four catches. Tell your friends.

-- I don't know how I feel about Jeremy Maclin for this game. He only had one reception for 11 yards and had another one bounce off his hands that resulted in an interception, but the guy was throwing blocks all game long and was an integral part of some big gains from McCoy and Jackson, so that saved him from having an awful game.

-- Jason Avant, Chad Hall, and Riley Cooper barely did a thing. Between the three of them, they had six receptions for 41 yards. That doesn't deserve an individual reaction.

-- Brent Celek, once again, went without a reception. He was kept in to block several times, but I believe he was targeted only once on Vick's first interception. I understand the targets will go down, but not a single reception?

-- Where are the people who were talking about what a terrible decision it was to trade for Jason Peters? The guy is playing at a Pro Bowl level and shut down one of the best pass-rushers in the game. As it stands, he's at least in the conversation for best left tackle in the game.

-- Todd Herremans got manhandled by Jay Ratliff and blitzing linebackers a couple times. But all was forgiven once he caught the second touchdown of his career.

-- All things considered, Mike McGlynn was very good. He and Max Jean-Gilles did a great job of handling Ratliff for most of the game, but McGlynn did show his inexperience a couple times as Ratliff swam him or simply beat him to the hole. Jean-Gilles, however, continues to be impressive as he's playing with an attitude the line had been lacking since Jon Runyan left.

-- King Dunlap got beat a couple times. He got Vick knocked around too often. But he's proving that he can be a valuable backup for both Peters and Winston Justice. He just needs to work on the quickness of his feet and stop going stiff once he engages the defender.

-- The play-calling was atrocious, as always. They still insist on running play action when they haven't established the run and keep asking Vick to turn his back to the line of scrimmage. Andy Reid needs to let someone else hire the offensive coordinator because he and Marty Mornhinweg combine to make the worst play-calling duo in the league.

-- Trent Cole is continuing his annual late-season disappearing act. The natural ability is unquestioned, but he has to show up in December before I'm comfortable saying he's one of the best defensive ends in the league.

-- Right now, Antonio Dixon is the best defensive lineman on this team. The way he played on the goal-line and the pressure he's up to get up the middle is huge for this defense. He's not a household name yet, but he should be very soon.

-- Mike Patterson, Brodrick Bunkley, and Trevor Laws did their jobs. No more, no less. It was nothing spectacular, but spectacular isn't required every week. The effort they put forth was enough for this week. With that said, more will be needed out of them against the Giants.

-- It seemed like Juqua Parker and Brandon Graham split the snaps evenly up until Graham's knee injury. Neither was too terribly effective, and now it looks like more will be expected of Parker as Graham might have torn something in his knee.

-- Darryl Tapp lucked into a sack. Overall, he remains highly unimpressive. I know one thing, I'd definitely rather have Chris Clemons or Jason Babin. And that fourth-round pick.

-- Ernie Sims is a bum. The guy spends most of his time flat-footed and doesn't seem to have a very high football IQ. He allowed the first touchdown catch by Jason Witten because he was caught flat-footed, and seemed to miss more tackles than he made.

-- Call me crazy, but I'm not worried about losing Stewart Bradley. I think he's been overrated all season long. He's not a play-maker, he's not physical, and I don't think he's a leader on that defense. Jamar Chaney came in and played very well once Bradley went down. He will likely get the call moving forward.

-- Moise Fokou is just a guy. He's a great option to have as a backup and is very good on special teams, but overall he's just a guy. The team must improve at SAM as soon as possible, but Fokou's effort cannot be questioned.

-- Dimitri Patterson, Trevard Lindley, and Joselio Hanson all played very well. Roy Williams, Miles Austin, and Kevin Ogletree had a combined seven receptions for 79 yards, and Patterson was able to steal an interception in the process. Once Asante Samuel is able to return, this secondary could cause a lot of problems for opposing quarterbacks.

-- Like Patterson, Quintin Mikell was able to snag an interception. He made a great effort to dive for the ball and was also a big problem for the Cowboys' deep game.

-- Nate Allen is starting to trail off a bit as the season goes on, but he had a few good plays in the passing game and, like Mikell, did a great job at discouraging the Cowboys from trying anything deep. He still, however, needs to learn how to tackle better.

-- Sean McDermott continues to call too soft of a game. How does he not see the correlation between the soft style of defense he calls and the historic troubles in the red zone?

-- As far as the return game goes, Jorrick Calvin just needs to take over punt returns as well since Jackson is clearly to afraid to go forward. Calvin had a true rookie moment when he lost his called and was flagged 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct, but at least he goes straight ahead when he catches the ball and won't lose yardage like Jackson does willingly.

-- The coverage unit as a whole was good once again, but once guy in particular deserves some recognition not only for his play this week, but for past weeks as well: Colt Anderson. The guy was an afterthought after being snagged off the Minnesota Vikings practice squad, but during his time in Philly he's the clear-cut special teams MVP.

-- The late-season improvement we're seeing will likely end the streak of special teams coordinators fired and Bobby April will be back in 2011.

-- The Eagles improve to 9-4 on the season and remain ahead of the New York Giants. Next week they will travel to New York, and that game will likely wind up determining who wins the NFC East. If Justice and Samuel are able to return for that game, there's no reason why the Eagles can't wrap up the division in the New Meadowlands.
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Mike McGlynn will face his toughest test this season.


For all the great matchups that this most recent Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys showdown will feature -- DeMarcus Ware vs. Jason Peters, DeSean Jackson vs. the entire Cowboys' secondary, Jason Garrett vs. Sean McDermott, etc. -- there is one that will decide the outcome of the game, and it's not any just mentioned.

Instead, the matchup to watch will be Mike McGlynn and the guards against Jay Ratliff and the Cowboys inside linebackers.

Because the Cowboys run the 3-4, left guard Todd Herremans and whomever will be starting at right guard (Nick Cole or Max Jean-Gilles) will not have a guy directly across from them. They will be counted upon to make blocks on the second level all game long while McGlynn will be counted upon to move Ratliff.

Ratliff, although he is a nose tackle, does not play a two-gap style (meaning he attempts to control both 'A' gaps by creating a stalemate at the line) that most nose tackles play. Instead, he is usually shooting either gap in an attempt to create havoc in the backfield.

What this does is force the guard on either side to be aware of what Ratliff is doing. It's likely that both guys will crash down on Ratliff to help McGlynn move him off the line of scrimmage, then scrape off to the second level and leave the rest to McGlynn.

Because Ratliff will be shooting one gap or another, one guy won't be needed. But Eagles offensive line coach Juan Castillo will likely tell both guys to react to Ratliff first before heading to the linebacker.

If those three guys can work together, moving Ratliff should not be an issue. At only 303 pounds, he should not be too difficult to move for two guys who weigh, at a minimum, a combined 640 pounds.

The problem I see is going to be neutralizing Ratliff and then getting to the second level on time.

Herremans is a fairly athletic guy, so he should not have a hard time getting in front of either Bradie James or Keith Brooking.

Cole and Jean-Gilles, on the other hand, are a serious cause for concern. Neither guy is very quick, nor do they have great feet. Both seem competent at blocking guys who are right across from them, but getting down onto linebackers is going to be a challenge for them.

The concern has to be that in the running game there will be a guy roaming freely. Of course, moving Ratliff off the line is the first priority and doing that should allow LeSean McCoy three or four yards on every carry, but a linebacker moving freely is going to prevent the big gains we're used to out of McCoy.

The passing game also presents a problem. While McGlynn has been very good all year long, I'm not sure if he's ready to handle a guy like Ratliff one-on-one. And if the Cowboys are smart and blitz their inside linebackers, that's what he's going to be asked to do.

If the Cowboys bring both Brooking and James right at the guards, it's going to mean absolutely no help for McGlynn. And because Ratliff shoots a gap, it's going to leave the middle wide open unless the guard can step in and fill where McGlynn and Ratliff have vacated.

If it's Herremans who's being asked to step down, it's not a big deal. But if it's Cole or Jean-Gilles, the same problems arise as in the run game.

Because neither have good feet, they try to lunge at guys and are usually left either on the ground watching the blitzer hit Michael Vick or they're being flagged because they grabbed his jersey and held on for dear life.

Or, in other words, the Cowboys could do the exact same thing they did at the end of last season when they embarrassed the Eagles in consecutive weeks.

They disrupted Donovan McNabb's rhythm by bringing pressure right up the middle, which forced him to roll to either side rather than allowing him to step up into the pocket and make a throw.

Vick is obviously much quicker than McNabb (or anyone else), so it shouldn't be as much of a worry, but if he's caught in the pocket it could mean a lot of big hits.

If the interior of the offensive line can control the triangle (nose tackle and inside linebackers) of the Cowboys' defense, it should be a fairly easy win. The Cowboys don't match up well anywhere else (as far as Eagles offense vs. Cowboys defense is concerned) and should be easy to exploit.

That is, of course, assuming the three guys in the middle do their jobs.
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Losing Justice leaves Vick's blind-side less protected.


Right now, the Eagles control their own destiny. If they win out, they will win the NFC East and could even be looking at a first-round bye.

But that's much easier said than done. The Eagles face a hot Dallas Cowboys team twice, including this upcoming week, the New York Giants one more time, and the Minnesota Vikings -- a team that would love to play spoiler at this point in the season.

And now, with the news that Winston Justice and Asante Samuel missed practice Thursday, it's looking like closing the season out on a high note is going to get even harder.

Justice hasn't practiced all week because of a hyper-extended knee he suffered in the Eagles' win over the Houston Texans last Thursday night. He was at the NFLPA's One Team Tour in Philadelphia this past Tuesday walking around, so there could be some hope that he'll heal up between now and Sunday night.

Whether or not he practices Friday will be a big indicator -- as always -- as to whether or not he is suited up. If he cannot go, head coach Andy Reid has already said that King Dunlap will fill in for him, as he did when Justice went down during the Texans game.

As it stands, no one seems too optimistic that Justice will be available to play.

Samuel is a bit harder to peg. He looked to be on pace to return last week as he was doing a little bit of running and getting treatment up until the last minute. Limited lateral movement during pre-game warm-ups forced Reid to sit him, but the feeling was that, with 10 days until the next game, Samuel was almost certain to play.

Samuel was limited in practice Wednesday, but at least he was practicing. It was a good indicator. But Thursday, Samuel watched practice for about 30 minutes and left -- likely in order to get more treatment.

As with Justice, whether or not he's able to practice Friday will be telling. But after suffering what must have been a set-back in his recovery, Samuel's status remains as shaky as ever.

It's looking like neither Samuel nor the team truly knows the severity of the injury.

If Samuel is unable to play, Trevard Lindley and Joselio Hanson will likely platoon at left cornerback opposite Dimitri Patterson.

The team tried playing Hanson exclusively on the outside against the Chicago Bears (the first game Samuel missed), and that was a complete disaster. Against the Texans (the second game Samuel missed), Lindley seemed to be playing more on the outside with Hanson kicked down to his natural spot in the nickel.

CB Jorrick Calvin (back), G Nick Cole (knee), WR Riley Cooper (knee), DE Juqua Parker (hip), and QB Michael Vick (quadricep) were also listed on the injury report as full participants and are expected to play Sunday.

Parker had missed the previous two games, and Cooper missed last week's game.
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Could McNabb actually be better than Troy Aikman?


Let's get this out of the way right off the bat: McNabb has not won three Super Bowls, nor has he even been to three Super Bowls. However, does anyone sincerely believe that McNabb has ever had half the talent that Aikman had?

Aikman spent his entire career throwing to Michael Irvin and handing off to Emmitt Smith, both of whom are in the Hall of Fame (Smith will be inducted in August). McNabb spent his career throwing to James Thrash and handing off to Brian Westbrook. Westbrook has always been a good player, but not nearly the running back Smith was.

Then there's Thrash. To even start comparing him to Michael Irvin would be an insult to Irvin's spectacular career. And yes, my skin is crawling with all the Cowboy-love I just handed out.

But anyway, let's compare these two quarterbacks by the numbers.


Troy Aikman

In 165 games started (1989-2000), Aikman threw for 32,942 yards, 165 touchdowns, 141 interceptions, completed 61.5 percent of his passes, had a quarterback rating of 81.6, and a win percentage of .569 (94-71).

Aikman was also a six-time Pro Bowler.

Aikman played on one of the best teams the league has ever seen. The Cowboys were the team of the 90's on their way to winning three Super Bowls, all with Aikman at the helm. He, along with Smith and Irvin, created one of the most talented offenses since the combination of Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Roger Craig in the 80's.

Aikman's best season came in 1992 when he threw for nearly 3,500 yards with 23 touchdowns to 14 interceptions, completed nearly 64 percent of his passes, and finished with a quarterback rating of 89.5.

He capped off the regular season with a 13-3 mark and ended the season with a dominating 52-17 Super Bowl victory over the Buffalo Bills. Aikman was named the MVP of that game after completing 22 of his 30 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns.



Donovan McNabb

In 142 games started (1999-2009), McNabb has thrown for 32,873 yards, 216 touchdowns, 100 interceptions, completed 59 percent of his passes, has a quarterback rating of 86.5, and has a win percentage of .633 (90-46-1).

McNabb is a six-time Pro Bowler.

McNabb has led one of the most, let's say, interesting careers of any quarterback in recent memory. He has led his team to five NFC Championship games, one Super Bowl appearance, and four division titles. McNabb accomplished everything with only two notable weapons -- Brian Westbrook and Terrell Owens. Owens was an Eagle for only one and half seasons.

McNabb's best season came in 2004 when he became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 30 touchdowns and less than 10 interceptions (31 touchdowns to eight picks). Along the way, McNabb completed 64 percent of his passes and threw for 3,875 for a 104.7 quarterback rating.

He capped off the regular season with a 13-3 mark and ended up in the Super Bowl where he and the Eagles fell to the New England Patriots 24-21. This gave the Patriots their third Super Bowl in four years.

McNabb threw for 357 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions while being sacked four times. He was under duress all game long and Brian Westbrook gave the Eagles no running game to speak of with only 44 yards on the ground.


Comparison

McNabb bests Aikman in touchdowns thrown (216 compared to 165), interceptions thrown (100 compared to 141), quarterback rating (86.5 compared to 81.6), win percentage (.633 to .569), and even has the added facet of being able to run -- 3,249 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns to Aikman's 1,016 and nine touchdowns.

McNabb also has one season with a 100+ quarterback rating to Aikman's zero, has five seasons of over 20 touchdowns -- including one season of over 30 -- six seasons with less than 10 interceptions compared to Aikman's three, and, despite the talk of McNabb's injury problems, has played in four complete seasons while Aikman accomplished that feat only three times.

Aikman also threw more picks than touchdowns four times in his career. McNabb has never even come close, outside of his rookie season, to committing such a cardinal sin for quarterbacks.

Aikman bests McNabb in completion percentage (61.5 to 59), passing yards (69 more than McNabb), and obviously has the rings that McNabb so desires.

Let's also not forget, however, that Aikman played 12 years in this league, and McNabb is only entering his 12th with no sign of slowing down. In fact, over the past three seasons, McNabb has thrown for more than 20 touchdowns twice, has completed over 60 percent of his passes, and just last season has a quarterback rating of more than 90.

And I know what everyone is thinking: "That's all well and good, but Aikman has three rings compared to McNabb's big fat freakin' goose-egg."

However, as I said before, I think we can all agree that Aikman played on the superior teams with superior talent. It was McNabb who made James Thrash and Todd Pinkston look like viable starting options -- can Aikman really say he made Michael Irvin better?

And to anyone who thinks McNabb has thrown substantially more than Aikman, which would explain his more impressive passing numbers, McNabb has only thrown the ball 31 times more than Aikman (4,746 to 4,715).


Conclusion

Even with a better running game and a Hall of Fame receiver, Aikman didn't put up the kind of numbers that McNabb has with an extra season, 23 games, and only 31 passing attempts less than McNabb.

McNabb also has thrown for 51 more touchdowns and 41 fewer interceptions, which leads me to my conclusion that Donovan McNabb is a better quarterback than Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman.

It's not being a homer, and it's without bias. It's simply looking at the numbers and the situations in which both men played. Aikman had, without a doubt, the better supporting cast while McNabb has largely made gold from garbage.

He doesn't have the rings, but again, that goes back to the supporting cast. It almost came together for McNabb in '04 by adding Owens, but without the running game to go with it, it just wasn't enough. Not to mention the fact that Owens was the only reliable target McNabb had and he made it through the playoffs without him.

The rings pushed Aikman into the status of sure-fire Hall of Famer, but I don't think the lack of a ring should preclude McNabb. Of course, he does have time to go after the ring, and if he gets it, putting him in the Hall should be a no-brainer.

It's my belief that were he to retire tomorrow that he should, one day, find himself in the Hall.

But with a ring, it shouldn't take him any more than 10 years after his retirement to have a bust next to the best quarterbacks the game has to offer.
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Phillips' time may be running out in Cowboys country.


Since there's not a whole lot going on with the Eagles right now, I figured I'd comment on what the rest of the division is up to here and there. We're in the dark days of the year right after the season ends and the offseason stuff hasn't started yet, so we need something to keep us entertained.

Anyway, by now I'm assuming everyone has heard about Wade Phillips' contract extension through the 2011 season. It was originally supposed to extend him through the 2013 season, but the last two years were lopped off at the last minute, so he's now only locked up for the next two years.

Well, I suppose it's technically two years, but it's really only a one-year extension as it's understood that coaches typically do not ever make it into the final season of their contract.

Teams do that because they fear that a coach in a contract season will not have the same type of respect from the players. They fear that players may start making plans for the next season if things aren't going well and that it may cause dissension in the locker room.

So with that in mind, it's fair to say that the second-to-last season on a coach's contract is actually the final season.

With that understanding, Jerry Jones is basically telling Phillips, the team, the Dallas fans, and the rest of the country that if Phillips can't win a Super Bowl in 2010 he will be shown the door.

Jones said in the press conference he held to announce he was extending Phillips that he was "encouraged" by the Cowboys' 2009 season, but not "satisfied." Jones is basically saying that he feels Phillips is his best option at this point with Mike Shanahan going to Washington, Bill Cowher staying at CBS, and Jon Gruden staying at ESPN.

So what does this mean for the Eagles? Well, from where I'm sitting it means that we have at least one more season of not worrying about the Cowboys as a legitimate Super Bowl threat. I don't believe that Phillips has what it takes to lead his team to the ultimate prize, or to even duplicate the season that the Cowboys had in '09.

The 2010 Cowboys will once again be good in the regular season (if they can avoid locker room squabbles two years in a row and, really, who thinks that's possible?), but will fall short again come December and January.
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Romo was abused all game long by the Vikings' defense.


Everyone knew how to stop the Dallas Cowboys, it was just a matter of finding a team who could execute the gameplan properly.

Putting pressure on Tony Romo is basically where that gameplan begins and ends, but thanks to a very good Cowboys' offensive line, that plan is easier said than done. However, for the teams that can accomplish it, it should mean a certain victory.

The Eagles were able to get a little bit of pressure on Romo in the Wild Card game after not even making him flinch in Week 17, but it wasn't enough. The Vikings, on the other hand, were able to get in Romo's face all day and force him to move around inside the pocket.

And "inside the pocket" is the most important part.

Allowing Romo to get outside of the pocket might be more dangerous than not getting any pressure on him. When he's outside of the pocket he's able to look down the field, usually with no one around him, and is also a threat to run. The threat to run then takes a half-step away from the secondary and can lead to a big play.

But the Vikings, with a huge day from Ray Edwards, were able to use their defensive ends to keep him in the pocket, then take advantage of his indecisiveness. The pass rush led to six team sacks, three by Edwards, an interception, and three Romo fumbles -- two of which were lost.

Three turnovers for Romo and six sacks crushed his confidence and had him running scared all game long, which in turn led to good field position and all the momentum for the Vikings. The Vikings offense took full advantage and abused a Cowboys defense with its back against the wall.

In other words, the Vikings did everything that I had hoped the Eagles would do, but inevitably fell short of those goals. The lack of starting-caliber talent at linebacker and the lack of a pass-rushing left defensive end were the downfalls of Birds, but is something that the Vikings clearly possess.

It would have been nice to abuse the 'Boys the way the Vikings did, but if it couldn't be our Eagles, I'm satisfied to see it was a former Eagle in Vikings' head coach Brad Childress. Childress and Andy Reid still speak quite often and keep in touch, so I'd bet that Reid asked Childress to lay it on the Cowboys.

Hence the fourth quarter touchdown pass by Brett Favre to run up the score.

Maybe I'm giving them the kiss of death, but I'm now officially supporting the Vikings to take it all the way and win one for the NFC. If you've been visiting the site for a little while you know that I'm a Favre supporter, so let's win one for the gipper, Minnesota.
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Guess who: One has carried his team on his back, the other has cost his dearly in the playoffs.

The influence that the media has on the thoughts and opinions of the masses is staggering. In fact, it's almost horrifying that reading or hearing the opinion of an "expert" will cause most people to fall in line with no thoughts of their own.

But, that's the world we live in today, isn't it? Whether it's right-wing ideologies on FOX News or left-wing ideologies on CNN, people will fall in line with anything that's being shouted loudly enough. Sports, football in particular, is no different.

Shout an opinion loudly enough on ESPN, Comcast, or NFL Network and most of the people within earshot will fall in line shouting the same opinion, nearly verbatim, at their office's water-cooler the next day.

So what's the popular opinion being shouted nowadays? Well, the Cowboys have already punched their ticket to Miami to play the Chargers in the Super Bowl.

Wait, what? We're talking about the same team that hasn't won a playoff game in two tries with this same head coach-quarterback combo, right? And they are playing a team that's been to five NFC Championship games in eight years, including a Super Bowl appearance in 2004?

Yes, that's what we're faced with, but the majority of "experts" are convinced that the Eagles just don't stack up to this team. Because, for some reason, there's something "different" about this Cowboys team.

Sure, the team is different here and there, but the leadership is still the same. It doesn't matter if you replace a team full of scrubs will all-stars, but keep the same leadership, you can expect about the same results from that team.

That's what has happened with the Dallas Cowboys. Sure, they may have upgraded in some areas, and downgraded in others, but as long as Tony Romo and Wade Phillips are the guys in Dallas, nothing will ever change.

Right about now, pessimistic Eagles fans are thinking the same thing about Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid. However, the difference is that Reid and McNabb have been somewhere and have accomplished something. Not to mention that more often than not those two are not the problem. In Dallas, Romo and Phillips are the problems.

So, even though the Super Bowl odds may be teetering away from the Birds for the moment, they'll find them right back in their favor once they take care of the underachieving Cowboys this Saturday in Dallas.

Oh, and just for good measure, I hope someone else spits on the star before, during, and after the game.
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Let's see if Trotter has at least one more run in him.


Last Sunday, against the Cowboys in the regular season finale, it didn't look like anyone on the field wanted to play. Given what was riding on the game -- No. 2 seed, first-round bye, division crown, and a chance to beat the Cowboys -- it was incredibly disheartening to see an Eagles team play so flat and uninspired.

The offense couldn't move the ball without messing something up along the way, the defense seemed to lay down and the special teams wasn't so special.

However, there was at least one guy who came to play -- Jeremiah Trotter, the Axe Man.

Trott was roaming the middle of the defense and flying around like a mad-man all game long. He looked like he was 25 again and was that same guy running around wildly out of position but always making the play.

He laid some punishing hits on the 'Boys offensive players, too. At one point a lineman got in his way of making a tackle, so he just lowered his shoulder, knocked him over, and made the play laying down. Another time he flew in from nowhere and laid a smack on Marion Barber that I'm sure he was feeling the next morning.

Unfortunately, his day was overshadowed by the beating that the other 21 starters on either side of the ball allowed the Cowboys to put on Philly. The Axe Man was out trying to do his best, but not even a superhero could have saved that game.

The point is that it's going to be on Trotter to get this defense on the right track early. If he can make a play behind the line and bring down the axe, it just may set the tone for this defense and prevent another drubbing.

Trott isn't the player he used to be, but he still plays with the same fire and passion that he had going back to his days at Stephen F. Austin. If he can rub a little bit of that off on the other 10 guys, the Birds just might pull this one out.
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McDermott must be more aggressive for take 3.


I saw an article on GCobb.com the other day saying that it wasn't the absence of the blitz that hurt the Eagles as much as it was the absence of effective blitzing. Normally, I would agree with that assessment. I think that, overall, the Eagles have not done a very good job blitzing this season and that gap assignments need to be more emphasized.

However, when it comes to playing Tony Romo and the Cowboys, even an ineffective blitz is enough to rattle Romo.

Even in the 24-0 blanking the Eagles took last Sunday, it was quite evident that Romo still has a fear of the blitz and of being hit. All the Eagles had to do was have a man in arm's-length of him and he was willing to throw the ball up for grabs -- all to avoid any contact.

Watching that on film, it should become obvious what Sean McDermott and the defense must do this Saturday, and that's blitz every single down. It doesn't matter if it's effective or not, just seeing the blitz will get into Romo's head and cause mistakes.

It may be that deer-in-the-headlights look he'll get as he fumbles the ball away, or it could be an errant pass that falls into the arms of one of the Eagles' ballhawk defensive backs, but he will give the Eagles a chance for big plays on defense.

The one thing McDermott can not do (again) is sit back and allow him to have time to see the field. This is the NFL. If you give any quarterback, whether he's Peyton Manning or a third-stringer just signed from the UFL, time to sit back and comfortably see the defense, he's going to pick you apart.

The Eagles have now gone with this ineffective defensive scheme the last two times they've played the Cowboys. If they go with it a third time, they will once again be embarassed at the Jones-mahal. Romo will pick them apart, and Marion Barber and Felix Jones will stick the dagger through their collective heart.

Romo is not a good quarterback under pressure. Don't let him escape the pocket and get a guy in his face, on top of the atmosphere of a playoff game, and he will shut down entirely.

Quite honestly, if McDermott goes in with the same gameplan this week, win or lose, I'll be starting a movement to see that he's fired. Don't do this to us, Sean. Make JJ proud and blitz until Romo is crying for his mommy on the sidelines.
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McNabb and the Eagles have been through worse.


Perspective people, perspective...Please.

The Eagles will be fine this week. Yes, the Eagles "messed the bed" last Sunday, but it was one game. The Eagles are still winners of six of their last seven games. The Eagles still qualify as one of the hottest teams, if not the hottest, in the NFL over the NFL's second half.

We are Eagles fans so Sunday's performance shouldn't be shocking. When Reid and McNabb lose, they tend to really blow it. See games against the Ravens and Redskins last season as examples 1 and 2.

Please also see the Raiders game from earlier this season. Frustrating to say the least. But guess what? The Eagles are going to rebound.

They always do.

And you know who will lead the turnaround this weekend against the Cowboys? Yep, everyone's favorite press conference villain, Donovan McNabb. Just look at his performances, since last season's Ravens' game, following an Eagles loss:

- Completing 64% of his passes
- 7 TDs
- 2 Interceptions
- A QB Rating between 91.4 and 116.2
- 256 passing yards per game

Dominant numbers.

Sure Donovan's comments may sometimes not reflect a veteran, but his play on the field does. When the team is down McNabb leads by example where it matters most...on the field.

So please Philly media enough with the McNabb bashing this week. Give the guy another week. Let's see if history repeats itself this Saturday in Dallas. Because if it does, guess which of the following will happen:

a) McNabb puts up big numbers
b) The Eagles Win
c) Tony Romo and Wade Phillips remain winless in the playoffs
d) The Cowboys playoff win drought goes into another decade
e) All of the above

And if the answer isn't E, well there is all off-season to bash #5 and the Eagles. This fan is already thinking New Orleans.

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Sunday will go down as one of the worst Eagles' losses.


On offense, the gameplan wasn't so bad last Sunday. Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg opened up the game with a little bit of misdirection in an attempt to get some big gains on the ground. It probably would have worked against such an aggressive defense, but their was absolutely no execution.

First off, the running game is all-but doomed whenever Brian Westbrook is carrying the ball. He has absolutely no field vision and lacks the breakaway speed he once possessed. I've said it before, but I'll say it again: LeSean McCoy is the better option. McCoy and Leonard Weaver as a 1-2 punch is an even better option.

However, no matter who is running the ball, they won't be able to go anywhere if the offensive line can't run block. If they're not getting pushed into the backfield they're allowing the defense to create a stalemate. Either way, that's a win for the defense and creates huge problems for an offense.

A lot of people are complaining about the pass-run ratio, and I'm usually the first one boarding that ship, but this week there just wasn't any choice. The running game wasn't working at all and with such a huge deficit there was no choice but to continue passing the ball.

That can't be allowed to happen this week.

The Eagles offense must control the clock and work this Dallas defense down. Once they're tired and worn out, that's when you get a big play in the passing game. Being tired will not only lead to a physical breakdown, but a mental breakdown as well.

If an offense can wear down a defense, it can become a game of backyard pitch-and-catch between Donovan McNabb and this impressive group of weapons.

The defense, however, needs to scrap whatever the gameplan was for last week and just start blitzing. Tony Romo will throw the ball away to avoid being hit, and that will lead to interceptions or just poorly thrown balls. If he's given time, he'll pick this defense apart for the third time this year.

Note to McDermott: Your front four cannot get enough pressure on the quarterback, so do something else. (psst, "something else" means blitz)

No matter what the gameplan, it's up to the players to execute. It could be the best gameplan ever devised, but if it's not executed it's worth about its weight in the paper on which it was written.
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Not a whole lot of good out of this game in Dallas.


Sunday was an absolute train wreck. It was bad from start to finish and the Eagles deserve every bit of criticism that comes their way. Donovan McNabb used the word "embarrassed" in his post-game press conference a few times, but it doesn't even begin to describe how that crew should feel.

It really was a group effort, though. Brent Celek dropped a key third down pass, DeSean Jackson looked either hurt or uninterested, Jeremy Maclin was a non-factor, but I can't exactly put my finger on the reason. It was probably because the 'Boys defense realized DeSean wasn't going to be a factor and began doubling Maclin.

Brian Westbrook continued to show that his vision as a runner is simply not good enough. Not only that, but when he did break into the open field he was tackled from behind -- something that would not have happened to the old Westbrook.

Even Jason Avant, usually one of the most sure-handed receivers in the league, dropped two passes. McNabb wasn't hitting the deep ball like he usually does, but there were a few times when he guys right in the hands and they just couldn't come up with it.

The line was shaky, but okay. They gave McNabb ample time for most of the game, but the receivers were bottled up all game long and didn't give him anywhere to throw. McNabb will squeeze the ball into some tight windows, but there was just nothing open.

Then there's the defense, who were in a league of their own last night. Literally, they should have been in a different league. From the way they were playing the UFL's Florida Tuskers would have taken them to town.

But the beautiful part about the post-season is that nothing that happened in the regular season matters. Yes, a better seeding would be great, but the Eagles made it to the NFC Championship last year as the sixth seed with a less-talented team.

The competition, however, is better than last year, but it still doesn't mean the Eagles are doomed to yet again watch someone win a Lombardi that could very well have come to Philly.

It's time to move on, kick-start into playoff football and start winning. Learn from the mistakes of last week, apply them this week, and get on a roll.

Look at it this way: the Eagles just need a four-game winning streak and they're Super Bowl champions. They've already had six this year, what's another four?
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This is how you beat Tony Romo and the Cowboys.


For the second time in two years, it all comes down to this. For all the marbles it's our beloved Eagles and the hated Cowboys clashing in Week 17 to see who will be crowned NFC East champion, and, for the Eagles, to see who will take the second seed in the playoffs.

The Eagles are riding a six-game winning streak into this game, but the Cowboys are hot in their own right after knocking off the previously unbeaten New Orleans Saints and perhaps knocking off the mental block they always seem to hit in December.

Both of these teams are heading to the playoffs, but only one will go as the division champ. The other will have to fight and claw their way through as a Wildcard and make a kind of improbable run that only happens a couple times per decade.

Let's take a look at what the Eagles must do to beat the Cowboys, and wrap up the division and No. 2 seed.



Keep Tony Romo in the Pocket

Outside the pocket, Tony Romo is almost as dangerous as Donovan McNabb circa 2001. However, inside the pocket he's only average at best. He doesn't seem to see the field as well and obviously does not like to throw with guys around him. He'd rather move outside, see the entire field, and throw cleanly.

The Eagles' defense has to keep him in the pocket. They do that by controlling their own individual gaps and not playing outside the system. Trent Cole and Juqua Parker can't let Romo run around them or step up because they got ridden outside, and Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley have to get an inside push and avoid letting him step up.

On top of that, there should always be a linebacker with one eye on Romo. This might cause some extra receptions for Jason Witten on a hot route, but that's less damaging than if Romo is allowed to make plays outside the pocket and gain some confidence early.

If they keep Romo in the pocket (oh, and hit him whenever given the chance), they should be able to control the passing game, and at the same time, control that draw the Cowboys like to run. If everyone is playing gap football, the draw won't gain a yard.



Allow DeSean Jackson to Attack Cowboys' Safeties

If that Dallas defense has a weakspot, it's their safeties. They're not awful like the pair out in New York, but they're certainly not headed to the Pro Bowl anytime soon. If DeSean can get them to go flat-footed, it will be a very long day for them.

The Cowboys shut DeSean down last time these two teams met, but that was because they were able to focus everything on shutting him down. Since then, Jeremy Maclin has seemed to come into his own and, with a big catch or two, can draw the coverage away from Jackson.

When that happens, it's time to see what you can get down the middle of field to DeSean. If they allow a safety to cover him in the deep half of the field, it's a play the Eagles should be able to take advantage of a couple times in this game.

Here's a prediction: Jackson will break the single-season record for most 50+ yard touchdowns.

He'll get his ninth today, beating Devin Hester and Crazy Legs Hisrch's record of eight.



Give Them a Heavy Dose of Leonard Weaver

As much as the big play will be a factor in this game, so will controlling the clock and playing mistake-free football. Brian Westbrook goes down too easily, and LeSean McCoy has had a bit of a problem with holding onto the football in key situations, so it's time to see more of Weaver.

Weaver is a guy who will very rarely go down because of one guy. You're going to need two, three, or even four players to bring him down and by the time those guys get there he's dragged the others for an extra yard or two. He abuses defenses and will make guys think twice before they hit him.

If the Eagles can do this with Weaver, it will open up the deep passing attack and give an opportunity to Westbrook and McCoy to take advantage of a beaten Cowboys defense.

The best friend of an offense is a tired opposing defense. It will allow Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg to do almost whatever they want with success. Of course, it's contingent upon those two actually sticking with the run.

So, in short, don't hold your breath, Philly.
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It's going to be an old-school NFC East clashing in Big D.


Because of Minnesota's loss to the Chicago Bears in overtime on Monday Night Football, the Eagles have a chance this Sunday to not only wrap up the NFC East, but to steal the No. 2 seed and not have to worry about playing Wild Card Weekend.

This is what it's about. This is where we see what kind of team this 2009 Eagles team really is. Are they a team that can win when there's not a whole lot on the line, but crumble under the pressure? Or, are they a team that will step up when the time comes and take something that they need or want?

Personally, I believe that this team has shown up when they have to. Whether it be playing tough to clinch a playoff berth or simply playing tough in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter to complete the comeback.

This, to me, looks like a team that is sick and tired of hearing all the whispers. They're done hearing about what a good team they could be if they just did this, or they just did that. They've had their ups and downs, but this could be the very best team the Philadelphia Eagles have put on the field since their last championship in 1960.

But, let's not get ahead of ourselves. There is still a game to be played against a very good Dallas team that -- to the misfortune of Philly fans -- have finally found a way to win in December.

But this isn't a December game. It's January and it's for all the marbles. Unlike the Birds, the Cowboys don't seem to have that killer mentality to do what is needed in order to win a game.

They beat the Saints, but I've been saying since day one that a hard-nosed running team like Dallas could beat them. It's impressive knock off an unbeaten, but in this case I don't think the Saints' record reflected them as a football team.

Either way, this is going to be a clash of NFC East opponents both looking to take back the divisional crown and gain some footing heading into the playoffs. Look for this game to be hard-hitting, crowd-pleasing, and a back and forth bout that could rival last year's showdown in Week Two.

Want a prediction? Here you go: Eagles will win in the last two minutes of the game on a Donovan McNabb-Brent Celek connection. The Cowboys will get the ball back, and Tony Romo will force a pass into coverage, being intercepted by Sheldon Brown.

Eagles win 27-24.
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If Hixon can do this, I don't want to see Fitzgerald.


The NFC is stacked this year and could have an argument for being a better overall conference than the AFC for the first time in a while. Of course, the Arizona Cardinals didn't do much to help that case by losing last night, but I stick to my guns.

Right now, it looks like the six teams in the playoffs will be the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, our Eagles, the Cardinals, Green Bay, and either the Dallas Cowboys or New York Giants. The Atlanta Falcons are still in the mix, but would need both Dallas and New York to severely tank the remainder of the season.

And hey, Falcons fans, with the Cowboys anything is possible.

But I digress.

Look at all of those teams. There are teams like the Vikings and Packers who boast top five defenses, but for the most part those teams are the best six because of their explosive offenses.

The one team on the list without an overly-explosive element to their offense, the Giants, were even able to put 38 points on this Eagles defense. That's with an injured quarterback, a dinged up offensive line, and some issues at wide receiver.

If the Giants can put up 38, is it really out of the question that an offense like that of New Orleans, Green Bay, or Arizona could put up 50? Personally, if the Eagles play the way they did against the Giants, I'd be shocked if the defense only gave up 50.

This is, of course, with the acknowledgment that the Eagles' defense played out of character Sunday night and are indeed a much better unit than the one the country got to see. Add in that it was a divisional game and you may have the reasoning behind the poor performance.

However, it shows how bad this defense is capable of playing, and it's a cause for concern.

Sure, it was a divisional game, but how do they think playoff games are going to feel? The playoffs are worse than any divisional game by a long-shot.

Naturally, it brings up some questions.

Can Sean McDermott plan and execute a defensive scheme that can hold its own in the playoffs, or will his lack of experience be devastating? Can a rotation of Juqua Parker and Jason Babin do enough to get pressure on the quarterback and take some pressure off Trent Cole? How will the dinged up corners play against an elite passing attack in January?

These are all questions that the Birds won't be able to answer until Wildcard weekend, but that will plague the minds of Eagles fans everywhere until the time comes.

Let's also bare in mind that if the Eagles do win the division and take the third seed, they'll most likely have to play either the Cowboys or Giants. Last I checked, a divisional game in the playoffs was a whole lot more difficult than one in Week 14.

Interesting sidenote: If the Cowboys take the sixth seed with the Eagles remaining as the third, the Eagles and Cowboys could play one another in back-to-back weeks. Week 17, then the playoffs.
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A good spot would have kept the game alive for Philly.


Mike Pereira, VP of officiating for the NFL, said on his usual Wednesday chat with Rich Eisen of NFL Network's Total Access program, said he would have moved the ball on the fourth down Donovan McNabb sneak.

Pereira said that with the presence of the field logo, it made the spot very easy to make because the ball lands at a point in the Eagles' logo. He said that had the logo not been there, he probably would have kept the call on the field.

However, the thing that will get your blood boiling is not the fact that it would have moved the ball, but that Pereira added, "It might have made a difference."

Which is the VP of officiating's way of saying, "Yes, it would have been a first down."

First, let me say that I'm very surprised, and pleasantly at that, with Pereira. He usually goes on those chats with Eisen and blows a whole lot of smoke for Eisen. He will waiver on calls here and there but rarely does he ever dispute a call.

This time, it was very obvious that the ruling needed to be overturned, and I give kudos to Pereira for actually saying it, rather than continuing to stick by the incompetent officials.

The first challenge that Reid made, I believe, was a good challenge. It wasn't conclusive, and was worth another look. He probably should have, and did, lose that challenge, but to lose the second challenge is inexcusable.

But when is the league going to make officials like Walt Coleman and Alberto Riveron, who is absolutely awful, stand up and be accountable? When is there going to be a repercussion other than a bad mark and maybe the loss of a playoff game?

It's a shame that there aren't more officials like Ed Hochuli, who messed up the call between the Broncos and Chargers last season, but instead of clamming up and acting like he did nothing wrong, the man read and answered every piece of hate mail he received.

That's a man with character. That's the guy who should be the new VP of officiating when Pereira steps down, which evidently is going to be at the end of this season.

It's always a stretch for me to say that one call could change the outcome of an entire game, because anything could have happened on that next play. McNabb could have fumbled the snap, threw an interception, gotten sacked and had the ball stripped or anything else.

Or, he could have hit DeSean Jackson up the middle of the field for a touchdown to take the lead late in the fourth quarter.

The fact is we just don't know, but what we do know is that Coleman blew the call. It was plain as day, even to Cowboys fans. Anyone can say, "Well, you can't see the left elbow," but if you look at the replay, it's not possible.

McNabb would have to have a much longer left arm, or be tilted to the left. In fact, he's tilted to the right, making it impossible that his elbow touched the ground.

Either way, the game is over and it's time to look ahead to the Chargers. Hopefully this blown call and knowing how close they came to overtaking the NFC East will light a fire under this team, which has looked lackluster, to say the least, at points in this season.
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If you're thinking "Ogletree, who?," you're not alone.


The Cowboys have run two wide receivers screens in this game to No. 85 Ogletree, and both of them have been illegal.

As soon as the ball is snapped, Marc Colombo is running down field to block any defensive back he can get his hands on, but that problem is that the screen is actually a pass, unlike a lot of wide receiver screens.

For a lot of screens, the wide receiver will take a step behind the line of scrimmage, technically making it a run. But instead of doing that, Ogletree is actually taking a step or two forward before catching the ball.

Because he's going forward, what Colombo is doing should be ruled as an illegal man down field. The way the officials are missing these calls is absolutely atrocious and if the Eagles do not bring it to their attention, then they are fools in their own right.

If you make the officials aware, they will begin to look for it and therefore have absolutely no excuse for not calling back every single screen the Cowboys run until they run one legally. And if they were to actually run one legally, it wouldn't work.

Watch to see if the Cowboys run the screen again, and if they do, watch for the yellow laundry hitting the grass.
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