The Eagles win the NFC East for first time since 06.


Odds are if you're an Eagles fan you were more than upset at the news that the Week 16 game against the Minnesota Vikings has been moved to Tuesday due to the snow. But if you're an astute Eagles fan, there was at least one very bright spot Sunday afternoon.

While sitting at home, the Eagles locked up the NFC East for the sixth time under Andy Reid, and will be heading to the playoffs for the third year in a row, and the ninth total time in Reid's 12 years as head coach.

When the New York Giants lost to the Green Bay Packers, it meant that there was nothing anyone else in the division could do to stop the Eagles. Even if the Birds were to lose to the Vikings on Tuesday and the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, they would still win the east and are guaranteed the No. 3 seed.

The only thing left to play for is the chance at a first-round bye. Had the New York Jets been able to pull off the win against the Chicago Bears, the Eagles would control their own fate. But since the Bears were able to make it past the Jets, the Eagles now must win out and root for the Packers to once again help them out.

The Bears and Packers play Week 17. The Packers will be facing a win-and-in situation, so they're going to be giving the Bears everything they have. If they beat the Bears and the Eagles don't slip up in these next two games, it will mean a first-round bye for Philadelphia.

I'm a bit torn, however, as to whether or not that will be a good thing. This team has seemed to play best when pushed against the wall. With a first-round bye, it might cool them off a bit. But there's also the fact that Reid's teams do not lose after a bye.

After wrestling through the possibilities, it probably would be best to have the bye. Mike Vick has to be all sorts of banged up, and we know DeSean Jackson, Asante Samuel, and Winston Justice have had some bumps along the way, so a bye might be just what they need to get everyone healthy for a big run.

And as I've already mentioned, Reid does not lose after an extra week of preparation.

The biggest challenge now will be playing two games in such a short span. The team cannot overlook the Vikings or the Cowboys, or they could be in for a nasty surprise.

It's probably safe to bet Vick and Jackson had to use all the magic they had left to beat the Giants last week, so they must come out and take care of business from the first whistle.

When all is said and done, I think the Eagles will get the bye. I don't foresee the Bears being able to stop an explosive Packers team that will be fighting for a lot more than the Bears will be. And I don't see Reid allowing his team to sleep on the Vikings or Cowboys.

The fact that this team is being led by Vick at quarterback and fighting for a first-round bye in the playoffs is still a bit hard to fathom, but it's been one hell of a ride so far. Hopefully they can just keep it up for another month and a half.
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Vick put the team on his back and made it happen.


-- First of all, that was the most incredible comeback by this franchise I've ever seen (thank you Matt Dodge). The Eagles scored 28 points in the final eight minutes after going down 31-10. I'm about to point out a lot of bad things, but one thing that can be said is this team never even thought about quitting.

-- After that final drive, Michael Vick has convinced me he's the only choice for MVP. Tom Brady has been good, but Vick is clearly the most valuable player to his respective team. He put everything on his back and made him happen. What an absolutely astounding finish.

-- LeSean McCoy was very good when he actually touched the ball. Only 10 carries is a catastrophe, especially since running the ball in the first half could have really calmed things down and McCoy has proven week after week that he's a play-maker.

-- He didn't see a ton of time and appeared to have gotten a bit banged up during the game, but Owen Schmitt did his job. He continues to be impressive, but why can't the guy get a carry?

-- Schmitt shouldn't feel too bad, however, since James Harrison can't get many carries either. Does Andy Reid know this guy has a 286-yard game on his resume' and a 100-yard game this season?

-- Jeremy Maclin continues to back me up when I say he's the best overall receiver this team has. If Vick had any time on the one long ball he attempted, Maclin would have had three touchdowns and about 60 or 70 extra yards.

-- The punt return was incredible. That is undeniable. But as a receiver, I was not impressed with DeSean Jackson. He was out of the game early and was very lazy running his patterns. He has to stick with his time during the bad times as well, and he wasn't willing to do that.

-- Jason Avant did his job. He didn't have any incredible plays in a game that was full of them, but he was there for a few underneath routes to keep the chains moving.

-- Not to burst any bubbles, but if there's a single Giant defender in the area, Brent Celek drops that ball. He bobbled it as it hit his hands, but did a nice job of turning up-field and making sure he was getting in the end zone. The team will still need more from him as a receiver and blocker, but this was a good step in the right direction.

-- Outside of getting duped by a corner blitz once, Jason Peters had another very good game in both run and pass protection. He's turning into the guy the Eagles thought they were trading for when they gave up three picks including a first-rounder.

-- Todd Herremans, Mike McGlynn, and Max Jean-Gilles were less than impressive. They did not work well together, they could not get out of each other's way, and constantly got Vick hit or allowed guys in his face. Herremans, however, will inexplicably continue to be overrated.

-- King Dunlap needs to work on the mental part of the game. He was stepping inside to help Jean-Gilles with a defense tackle while a linebacker or defensive back came around the edge. He must recognize things like that before he can be counted upon on a weekly basis.

-- As far as Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg go, there isn't a whole lot of good. The play-calling was atrocious. They were getting Vick killed with the predictable calls, and Reid not challenging that Hakeem Nicks catch and the Jackson fumble is unforgivable. The team won in spite of these guys.

-- Trent Cole is just a guy in the second half of the season. Where's that key sack? Where's that key play? If he wants to be considered one of the best in the league, he must step up and make the plays when they need to be made. Right now, he's not doing it.

-- Brodrick Bunkley, Antonio Dixon, and Mike Patterson were alright. They got handled a bit too often, but they stepped it up in the second half and contributed by keeping blockers out of the second level. They must all step up, especially in giving a pass rush.

-- The defensive tackle not mentioned, Trevor Laws, wasn't very good either until the Giants' final drive of the game. Laws had a tipped pass and sack on that drive and was instrumental in making sure the Giants had to punt.

-- The defense still needs much, much more out of Darryl Tapp, Juqua Parker, and rookie Daniel Te'o-Nesheim. Tapp had a tipped pass on third down in the fourth quarter, but Parker and Te'o-Nesheim were manhandled most of the game.

-- I've said it before but I'll say it again. I hate Ernie Sims. He's brought nothing of value to this defense and it's mind-boggling that he hasn't been benched for Akeem Jordan yet.

-- Moise Fokou had a decent game with six tackles and a sack, but let's not forget he nearly missed that sack because he couldn't bring down the strong and elusive Eli Manning. Hopefully the sarcasm is coming through.

-- Jamar Chaney is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. This guy had 12 solo tackles and still contributed on special teams. Did you see the huge block on that punt return? That was Chaney throwing his body at that guy for the good of the team. If he keeps this up, Stewart Bradley might have some serious competition next season.

-- What happened to Dimitri Patterson? He had to know they were going to target him with Asante Samuel coming back, but he just seemed out of place all day. He did a decent job tackling in the open field, but he's got to be better at sticking with receivers than he was against the Giants.

-- There weren't a ton of passes thrown his way so it's tough to say what kind of day Asante Samuel had, but one thing is for sure: the Giants were afraid of him. Which I guess qualifies as a good day.

-- Despite the interception, Quintin Mikell did not have a good game. He missed tackles and blew coverage that allowed the Giants to go up 31-10 when he gave up covering Kevin Boss. I'm not sure what's wrong with him this season, but he's got to figure things out quickly.

-- Nate Allen is going to miss the rest of the season with a torn patella tendon. It's a huge loss for this defense and a damn shame for Allen. Kurt Coleman, who did a decent job filling in, will take over as the starter. Expect the Eagles to bring in another safety in the coming days.

-- Like the offense, the defense played in spite of their coach. I loathe Sean McDermott and the way he calls this defense. He plays soft and in turn has created a soft defense. Hooray for them for standing strong at the end, but they still gave up 31 points and a vast majority of the blame falls on McDermott.

-- I'm not sure if Bobby April or Andy Reid came up with the idea for the onside kick, but David Akers executed it to perfection. That is the best onside kick I have ever seen, and Riley Cooper did a great job of getting it at its highest point. From start to finish, that was spectacular.

-- On Jackson's punt return, Omar Gaither made an even better block than Chaney. Coming down the field, Gaither blocked one guy into two other Giants and effectively took out three defenders with one block. With that block, Jackson might not have broken that.

-- The big play wasn't there, but I love the grit and determination Jorrick Calvin shows on kick returns. He refuses to go down and gets as much as he possibly can with no blocking.

-- What an unbelievable game. The Eagles are now in the driver's seat and their magic number is one. One win either next week or the week after, or one loss by the Giants gives them the NFC East title. If the Chicago Bears lose one of their next three games and the Eagles win out, they will earn a first-round bye.

-- There was a lot of good in this game, but the bad cannot be overlooked. The coaches were awful all game and the defense still allowed 31 points. If they can go in and correct what went wrong in the first three quarters, this team could (again, could) be legitimate contenders.
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DeSean Jackson has etched himself into Philly lore.


As an Eagles fan, you're going to be able to tell your grandchildren about this game. Right after you finish telling the little scamps about Herman Edwards and Brian Westbrook, you're going to tell them about DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick.

The first half of that game was atrocious. The mistakes that were made by everyone on the field were completely inexcusable and enough to have anyone watching pull their hair out. But, we'll talk more about that later.

The second half is a much cheerier subject.

After exchanging touchdowns, the Eagles were down 31-10. At that point, it's difficult to even keep watching, but we do because that's just who we are. We're Eagles fans, dammit.

And we were rewarded.

Michael Vick was incredible. He clearly had seen enough and decided he was going to put the team on his back. When he had to run, he ran. When he had to make a big throw, he made it. He did everything that a quarterback must do in that situation and, in my mind, has cemented his place as the MVP of the entire league.

Tom Brady is good and all, but he hasn't done that this season.

Even the defense, which was beyond bad in the first half, got its act together just long enough to force that final punt. Then there was that punt return.

Once Jackson dropped it, I thought the worst. The Giants were closing in and the ball was on the ground. But as he picked the ball up everything opened up. He hit that seam and it was a footrace from there.

He got an incredible -- and I truly mean incredible -- block from Jamar Chaney and he was off to the races. No one was going to catch him. He pulled a Brandon Stokely along the goal-line, ran all the time off the clock, and crossed the endzone.

After a mandated extra point attempt was successful, the Eagles headed into the locker room with a 38-31 win that will always be remembered as the Miracle at the Meadowlands, Part 3.
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Nate Allen's impressive rookie season is likely over.


Nate Allen went to the ground and immediately began grabbing his knee without any contact in the second quarter. It's eerily similar to the way Brandon Graham tore his ACL, and actually the way most ligament tears happen.

By my guess, Allen suffered the same fate.

He was on the ground writhing in pain the same way Graham was, and was carted off the field. He could not even get to the cart on his own power.

With Allen out, Kurt Coleman will take over at free safety. Special teams ace Colt Anderson and linebacker Keenan Clayton (when he returns from injury) will be the backups. Add that injury onto Grahams and Stewart Bradley's and you have a defense that is in complete disarray.

As it stands at halftime, the Eagles are facing a 24-3 deficit. Things don't look to be picking up on either side of the ball and this game is just about over.

No one is making a report on Allen as of right now, but I'd be willing to stake any reputation I have that a ligament, likely the ACL, in his knee is torn.

Happy Holidays, Eagles fans. It's going to be a long one.

UPDATE: Howard Eskin is reporting it's a torn patella tendon. That makes sense too, but my money is still on ACL.

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Justice missing this game could mean big problems.


Asante Samuel, who has missed three consecutive games with a sprained knee, Winston Justice, who has missed one game with a sprained knee, and DeSean Jackson, who suffered a foot injury in the Eagles' win over the Dallas Cowboys, have all been listed as questionable heading into Philly's biggest game of the season against the New York Giants.

Even though all three are officially questionable, Samuel and Jackson are expected to go. Justice, on the other hand, looks to have about a 40 percent shot at suiting up. It's more likely that King Dunlap, who took most of the starting reps, will protect Michael Vick's blind side.

The only positive for Justice possibly playing is the fact that he made the trip. That at least says that head coach Andy Reid is still keeping the option open -- something he wouldn't do if the prospects of Justice playing were any worse than about 40 percent.

Jackson appears the most likely to play, declaring himself healthy on Thursday. Samuel, on the other hand, remains a question mark. He will practice one day, sit out the next, say he's ready to go, and wind up missing a game.

There's no telling with him. Jackson is likely to play, Justice is not, and Samuel is going to be a last-minute, 11:29AMEST decision.

If Samuel is unable to go, Joselio Hanson will get the start for the fourth straight week. Hanson has been very up and down, but the secondary has found a way to make it work for the most part by platooning him and Trevard Lindley, as well as giving safety help over the top.

Jason Avant and Riley Cooper would see a lot more time if Jackson is sidelined, but that doesn't seem to be much of a concern.

Beating the Giants is going to be difficult enough, but doing it without all three of these guys is going to be damn near impossible. The Giants are a little banged up too, but they're healthier now than they were the first time when the Eagles barely beat them.

If even one or two of these guys can go, it should mean another close win for the Eagles. If I had to rank order of importance, I would say hope for Justice to play, then Samuel, then Jackson.

Hanson and the secondary showed last week they can handle their own and I have enough faith in the offense's other weapons (Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy specifically) that not having Jackson doesn't worry me all that much, even though they're obviously much better off having him on the field.

Justice, however, is the key guy here. Dunlap has played well and it's good to know they have him at least, but Justice is a guy who I think is very underrated. Let's not forget that he's been protecting Vick's blind side all season long. Teams have been rotating their best pass-rusher over him and he's handled himself very well.

And if there's one thing the Giants have, it's highly-talented pass-rushers.

Vick is getting sacked and hit a lot, but most of that comes up the middle and over the highly overrated Todd Herremans and Nick Cole/Max Jean-Gilles and not from Justice.

All inactives must be reported an hour and a half before kickoff, so we'll get a much better sense of how this game will play out come 11:30AMEST.
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Chaney must show he can handle the mental aspect.


New York Giants wide receiver Steve Smith has torn his ACL and will not play this week when the Eagles head up to the new Meadowlands. Mario Manningham also looks highly questionable for the pivotal NFC East showdown.

That's the good news.

The bad news, however, is that the lack of receivers will force the Giants to run the ball more often at a young defense filled with holes and a rookie in Jamar Chaney making his first start at middle linebacker.

Antonio Dixon and the rest of the defensive tackles have stepped up their game to help make up for the sub-par linebacker play, but it might not be enough against the Giants.

Starting center Shaun O'Hara and backup left tackle Shawn Andrews are practicing this week, so Sean McDermott and the Eagles defense will not face the same decimated unit they faced the first time around.

Not only that, but both Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are running very well -- unlike last time the two teams faced when Jacobs was clearly frustrated with his playing time and not entirely in the game.

If the Eagles hope to sweep the Giants and take a firm hold of the lead in the NFC East, Chaney is going to have to step up and show that he's learned the defense. Physicality isn't a problem as he's shown he's capable of making plays, but if he's caught out of position, a guy like Bradshaw can stick a dagger in a defense by breaking off huge runs at any time.

And all it takes is once. One bad read, one bad call, or even a late read or call could lead to a big play that winds up being the difference.

I'm not a big fan of Stewart Bradley, but at least we don't have to worry about him having the defense out of position because he's familiar with how it's run. Chaney has only been in the scheme since April, so it's likely that he's not as versed in it as he should be in order to start.

My first thought when the announcement was made that he's the starter was curiosity as to whether or not this was an endorsement of Chaney or an indictment of Omar Gaither.

Gaither has run this defense in the past, so it would make sense that if Chaney wasn't ready they would go with Gaither and find a way to make up for his lack of size.

Hopefully that means we can expect the best out of Chaney, but Andy Reid has put his faith in some pretty bad linebackers in the past -- Barry Gardener, for instance, comes to mind.

If he's made the same mistake with Chaney, taking the NFC East from the Giants is going to be something of a daunting task, if it wasn't bad enough already.
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The team won with Mike Vick playing a supporting role.


-- It won't look this way on the stat sheet, but Michael Vick had another good game. Good, not great. His receivers dropped at least two touchdowns, but he did overthrow a wide open Clay Harbor and missed a couple other throws. He had his first turnover of the season, but I think he's earned at least one freebie.

-- For the most part, LeSean McCoy had a tough day. Holes were closing very quickly and there wasn't a whole lot of running room for much of the game, but two huge plays have his stat-line looking mighty impressive. My only real complaint with McCoy is his affinity with wanting to juke guys out even when he can clearly just outrun them.

-- I think I can just copy and paste my remarks week-to-week about Owen Schmitt. How in the world can the Eagles just let this guy walk? Just a solid guy who epitomizes what a football player should be.

-- Jeremy Maclin still refuses to just catch the ball and go forward. His fear of getting hit is evident every time he touches the ball. But, with that said, it's hard to fault him after nine receptions for 120 yards. With some toughness on a consistent basis, Maclin could be one of the best receivers in the league.

-- DeSean Jackson had a solid game with five catches for 50 yards. Someone correct me if I was seeing things, but it seemed like Jackson was short-arming quite often. For example, why not dive for that long ball from Vick? Why not stretch for that post that sailed over his head? DJack might be a bit gun-shy with guys around him.

-- Brent Celek was, once again, non-existent. It's time to see what Clay Harbor can do with extended reps. Either Harbor breaks out, or he matches Celek's effort and goes without a catch.

-- Jackie Smith, I mean Jason Avant, must be sick to his stomach. His eyes just got too big all alone in the back of the endzone. Avant might have the best hands in the league, so dropping something like that is a once-in-a-career type of thing. Or, it would be had he not dropped what would have been a game-winning touchdown against Washington a few weeks back.

-- All things considered, this was an incredible effort by the offensive line. The blitzes bit them a little bit from time to time, but most of the time they were very, very good. Yes, even Nick Cole got the job done. Mike McGlynn is this year's Winston Justice and will make things very difficult once Jamaal Jackson comes back next season.

-- The offensive line, as a unit, was very good. Todd Herremans, however, made far too many bonehead plays. The clipping and chop block calls against him were 100 percent justified in a night of some terrible, terrible calls. He must clean up his game before it really costs them.

-- Not a single carry for Jerome Harrison is ridiculous. How do you watch this guy go for over 100 yards including a 50-yard scamper against the Redskins and not give him a single carry the very next week?

-- The play-calling by Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg was atrocious. Why do they think play-action will work when they haven't established the run? I counted at least four times in a row they ran play-action. Who exactly do they think they're fooling? Reid is enamored with Vick and will now put the entire team squarely on his shoulders the way he did with McNabb.

-- As a unit, the front seven was very good against the Giants. They held Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs to a combined 17 carries for 39 yards. The blitzing was largely ineffective and they didn't get to Eli Manning often enough, but Eli wasn't going to beat them without a running game to lean on.

-- For the first time this season, Trent Cole was held without a sack in back-to-back weeks. He will have to step up against division opponents if this team is going to stay on top of the East.

-- Antonio Dixon is a monster. Mike Patterson is a plug. When Brodrick Bunkley is 100 percent and Trevor Laws tossed into the mix, the Eagles could have the best defensive tackle rotation in the league.

-- Ernie Sims flew past the play a lot again against the Giants. He also blew coverage against Jacobs on a throw-back by Manning. It almost seems like he needs to just relax and learn how to play under control.

-- Bradley, again, was worthless as soon as a blocker got into him. When he was left untouched, he was dangerous, but even a tight end was able to effectively shut him down. He still refuses to turn his head in coverage, but this was certainly one of his better games of the year.

-- Brandon Graham seems to fall down far too often. He does a good job getting off blockers, but seems off balance when he does it. He, like Sims, must play under control. That being said, he did a great job of stripping Bradshaw when Quintin Mikell stood him up. That's exactly what guys are taught to do, and he did it to perfection.

-- Speaking of Mikell, he was largely unimpressive again. He missed too many tackles. He was fine in coverage, but the missed tackles are getting old. I always thought he was a poor man's Brian Dawkins (which is still a good thing), but he's had two or three chances every game to make a key tackle in the open field and has missed it.

-- Asante Samuel was a one-man wrecking crew. I said during the offseason that it was time for the team to part ways with him because of his free-lancing and refusal to play within the scheme, but he's doing that now and it's translating into big plays. He's even tackling much better, even though the zebras are now flagging big hits.

-- It wasn't as impressive as last week, but Dimitri Patterson had a solid outing. Patterson was on Hakeem Nicks, and he pulled down six receptions for 65 yards. But no touchdowns and really only one big play. Overall, another good outing for Patterson. He's certainly earned his spot.

-- Nate Allen did a good job in pass coverage and even flew to the line of scrimmage in run support a couple of times. He's looking like a steal in the second round.

-- For this game, Sean McDermott gets a pass from me. I'm still far from being a fan, but the results are hard to argue. The defense slumped a little bit at one point, but they rebounded beautifully and shut down the second-best offense in the league. McDermott gets a thumbs up from me this week. Talk to me next Sunday around 7:30PMEST.

-- It's taken a little while, but Bobby April seems to have gotten through to the special teams unit. They're flying down the field, the first guy is usually making the tackle or a swarm of guys are getting there all at once, and they've eliminated the big plays for the most part. The return game has hit a bit of a lull, but that can correct itself at any point.

-- Sitting atop the NFC East is nice, but the Michael Vick-led Eagles can assert themselves as the best team in the NFC with a convincing win over the 7-3 Chicago Bears next Sunday. They've already beaten the Falcons and the Giants, so beating the Bears should leave little doubt. Who can honestly say they were expecting to hear that this season?
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The Eagles' front seven must play in the Giants' backfield.


If the Eagles want to take sole possession of first place in the NFC East, it's going to require a killer instinct and a mentality that they're going to take out a Giants ream that has to be reeling right now due to some injuries and an embarrassing divisional loss to the Cowboys last week.

But more specifically, that killer's mentality must come from Sean McDermott and the defensive side of the ball.

Two starters along the Giants' offense line, center Shaun O'Hara and left tackle David Diehl, have already been ruled out for Sunday night. Diehl's potential replacement, Shawn Andrews, is having back problems and listed as questionable.

Giants fans might not know this yet, but Eagles fans know what that means. Andrews is out for this game and likely the season.

For McDermott, that has to mean one thing: blitz.

Eli Manning has shown time and time again that he will put the ball up for grabs if he gets guys in his face. That's just the type of player he is. Rather than being like his brother and hitting the deck if it becomes evident he's going to be sacked, Eli chucks the ball into the air and hopes for the best.

So if McDermott will blitz the 'A' gap to take advantage of O'Hara being on the sidelines, and allow Trent Cole to come around the edge and take on William Beatty (Andrews' likely replacement), who will be making his first NFL start, rather than dropping him into coverage, the front seven should be able to get a boatload of pressure on Manning and force turnovers.

Dimitri Patterson has shown a nose for the ball, as has safety Nate Allen, and we already know interceptions are about all that matter to Asante Samuel. With those three going for the ball and Eli more than willing to offer it up, those turnovers should lead to short fields for Vick and the offense and translate into a lot of easy points.

However, if McDermott pulls out his usual scheme and plays a soft man or just flat-out zone, Eli will torch them. If given time to find Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham, it will be an absolute blood-bath. He is, after all, still a Manning.

And we haven't even brought up the idea of run-blitzing yet. Ahmad Bradshaw is currently (and very quietly) third in the league in rushing. With the way Stewart Bradley has been playing, the Giants might be able to run right up the gut even with O'Hara out.

The way to counteract that is the run blitz. Bring Quintin Mikell into the box, blitz Bradley so he doesn't have a chance to get flat-footed, tell the defensive tackles to squeeze 'A' gap while controlling 'B' gap and let Ernie Sims and Moise Fokou know they've got contain on a pitch.

If McDermott blitzes, the injuries along the line should be too much for the Giants to overcome and the Birds should send the Giants back to New York a game and a half out of first place.
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Could Keith Bulluck be the answer at SAM linebacker?


Adam Schein of Sirius NFL Radio and FOXSports.com believes that the Eagles and Giants could, and should, target veteran free agent linebacker Keith Bulluck as it's becoming more and more likely that he doesn't get an extension in Tennessee.

"If teams are serious about winning, I'm the guy," Bulluck told Schein on his Sirius radio show.

On his Twitter account, Schein said that he believes Bulluck is right, and that linebacker-needy teams like the Giants and Eagles should pursue the 33-year old strongside linebacker.

But how much interest would the Eagles realistically have in a linebacker of his age coming off a torn ACL? They have a history of parting ways with players over 30 who seem to be perfectly healthy, let alone a guy coming off a major knee injury.

The only thing that could catch the Eagles' interest is the fact that Bulluck can play the strong side and has played it very well. But a big part of playing the strong side is being able to cover the elite tight ends the Eagles face in the NFC East -- something Bulluck could find very difficult to do at his age and coming off an injury.

The Giants seem to have the same sort of reservations about the linebacker.

I don't see the Eagles going after Bulluck because of his age and the injury. They would probably feel better starting Moise Fokou full-time and going through his growing pains rather than using Bulluck as a one-year stop-gap player.

They might reach out and see how much he'd like in a one-year contract just because they like to do their homework and, if he's willing to come in dirt cheap, he might get a workout. If that workout blows them away, he might get a contract offer.

But he will probably want starter money, so don't expect to hear a whole lot about Bulluck continuing his career in Philadelphia.
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Pierce would be a good addition to the Eagles' defense.


Earlier today, the New York Giants released their middle linebacker Antonio Pierce. Because of his time in the league, he will automatically become a free agent.

The Eagles have had a first-hand look at Pierce throughout his entire career -- Washington and then New York -- and have always spoke and thought highly of him. The Eagles have a need at linebacker, and could make a play for the Pro Bowl linebacker.

If the Eagles move Stewart Bradley over to SAM (like I would like them to do), Pierce could be a great guy to bring in for a year or two until the Birds either a) find a SAM linebacker worthwhile, or b) find a younger middle linebacker through the draft. Either one is fine with me, but the Eagles have to be looking to 2010 and what they can do with this linebacker unit.

Pierce is a sworn enemy of the Eagles as he was one of the most brash and outspoken Giants, but anyone who could come in and play linebacker for this team, and at a high level, would immediately become a fan-favorite.

On the field, Pierce isn't all that great in coverage. He can be exploited if left on an island with a running back (as we've seen with Brian Westbrook), and will struggle mightily if asked to cover a tight end.

However, he is a downhill type of guy who's not afraid to stick his nose into the pile and hit somebody -- something Westbrook could also attest to. He's a very vocal leader who does a good job of getting everyone set and can really instill an attitude that this defense could use.

Personally, I think his absence from the defense last year was a big reason for their decline. It's similar to the way Eagles fans were calling for Jamaal Jackson to get cut, but once he's gone you immediately see the impact he had because everything starts falling apart.

He spent two years under Steve Spagnuolo, so he understands how Sean McDermott runs his defense. Spags and McDermott both learned everything they know under Jim Johnson and run basically the same defense with their own wrinkles, so the learning curve would be very minimal.

The Eagles need linebacker help, and they need a guy who can be that vocal leader. Pierce could fill both needs for a year or two before being replaced through the draft. I'm not sure that this is a move the Eagles will make, but it warrants consideration.
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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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At least for one night, the old Axe Man was back.


I'm not from New York. In fact, I've never even been to New York -- It's not really my kind of place. So, if you are from New York (or have ever been to New York), I would love to hear if the city actually still has phone booths.

Well, it must because Trotter had to find somewhere to change back into the Axe Man.

What we all got to see Sunday night was a 32-year old linebacker who many, including myself, have called washed up and too beaten up by knee injuries to be effective in this league be very effective.

He led the defense with nine total tackles (eight solo), and a few of them for a loss. The best tackle of the night, however, had to be when Trotter stopped Ahmad Bradshaw in the backfield for a short loss.

The eyes got big, the shoulders went back, and down came the axe.

Trotter's patented move was met with a wave of boos from the Giants' faithful in the Meadownlands, but it had no negative effect on the Axe Man. He fed off of it and was a force for the rest of the game. He was filling the holes well, reacting to the plays, and nearly had himself an interception.

Of course, that near interception turned into nothing more than a tipped pass that fell into the hands of Kevin Boss for a first down, so it won't get chalked up in the "good play" category.

And while it was exciting to see a glimpse of the old Trotter, I'm trying not to get ahead of myself. He looked pretty good, but there were still a few times that he got washed out of the hole and was unable to make the play. There were still a few times that he was slow getting out into coverage and allowed the Giants to move the sticks.

However, there were a few times when the old Axe Man showed up, and that's cause for optimism in Trotter for the remainder of the season.
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Cole draped on Manning is what the Birds need today.


It's always fun when the Eagles and Giants go at it. Most Philly fans would say that the Cowboys are the most hated rivals, but Brian Dawkins always used to say that nothing got his blood pumping like Giants week -- both of them.

The Giants, however, are a bit limp heading into this game. They won five straight games to start the year, then they lost four straight, and now they're 2-1 since then to bring them to a 7-5 record that will force them to win out and get some help if they're going to win the division.

Beating the Eagles tonight would be a good start to that as it would bring both teams to 8-5 with a series split, but the Eagles are going to be fighting just as hard to win this game and keep pace with the Cowboys and their less-than-tenuous division lead.

Let's see what it's going to take for the Eagles to keep pace, and to end the Giants' hopes in the Meadowlands tonight.


Get Pressure on Eli Manning

It's not secret that Eli has been banged up all season long. His foot has been giving him issues throwing the ball all year, and the Eagles were able to victimize him the last time these two teams met.

He's not able to plant properly which is resulting in the ball sailing over the head of his receiver and, more often than not, into the arms of a waiting defender. Asante Samuel and Quintin Demps each grabbed a pick off Eli without pressure in his face, so with some pressure I imagine he'll throw the ball much more erratic.

Eli has always had a reputation of a guy who will just throw the ball up for grabs rather than getting hit, so if the Birds can get Trent Cole, Jason Babin, Darren Howard, and the like in his face it will result in a long day for Eli and some quick points for the Eagles.


Stuff the Box With Eight Guys Every Play

This coincides a little bit with getting pressure on Eli, but this one is more about stopping the run and not fearing the Giants' receivers.

With Plaxico Burress gone, the Eagles corners aren't dwarfed by their receivers anymore. Their guys may be a bit faster, but Sheldon Brown and Asante Samuel are able to stick with anyone in the league based solely on great technique, so that's not exactly worrisome.

If Sean McDermott will put eight in the box every play, the Birds should easily be able to stifle the 1-2 punch of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. That forces Eli to try and beat them, and then my first point comes into play.

See how this all fits together?

Off of this set McDermott can then start to employ some zone blitzes and get to Eli's hot reads before he can. Once again, should result in a long day for Eli and some quick points for the Birds.


Heavy Dose of the "Dream Weaver" and "Real McCoy"

It's a key to every game -- call me stubborn -- and it won't change no matter who the Eagles are playing. They must run the ball to win the game. I don't buy into the nonsense that now you pass to setup the run because it just doesn't make sense. The run will always set up the pass -- passing will do nothing more than make your team soft when it comes time to run.

Leonard Weaver has done more than enough to warrant more carries, and the rookie LeSean McCoy has been sensational when he gets the starting nod. The Eagles have something here in these two, so let's just hope that the duo of Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg realize it.

You know what will create a very long day for Eli? Watching from the sidelines as his defense gets thumped.
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Curtis would be just another weapon for the Eagles.


The injury-raddled wide receiver has been out of commission since Week Two, and whether he knows it or not, has drawn the ire of many Philly fans. Outside of an overrated 2007 season, he's been largely ineffective during his time as an Eagle and many are calling it a miss by Andy Reid.

Andy Reid misses on a wide receiver? Really? You don't say?

All obvious sarcasm aside, it appears as though there's about a 50-50 shot of Curtis actually getting onto the field when the Eagles head to the Meadowlands. Reid has already said that Curtis will travel with the team, but that could just be an insurance policy if DeSean Jackson (concussion) or Jeremy Maclin (foot) were to have setbacks.

He's officially listed as questionable, but being listed as questionable this late in the week usually means very questionable and borderline doubtful. Curtis hasn't exactly earned a reputation as a tough player, so it's safe to assume that we wont see No. 80 this week.

He should, however, be ready to go next week when the Eagles head out west to take on the Niners.

Outside of just having the depth and experience, his loss hasn't been substantial. At this point, he's most likely the fourth receiver behind Jackson, Maclin, and Jason Avant, and may even get tossed behind Reggie Brown in the rotation if his speed is diminished in any way.

It would be great to have him back for either the Giants or Niners game, but at this point having him is just a plus, whereas not having him isn't really hurting this offense.
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Slowly but surely, this offense is coming along nicely.


For the past couple of weeks, everyone has been questioning Donovan McNabb. They've said his mechanics are breaking down, that his decision-making has been off, and that his offense can't get the job done against a good defense.

Well, whoever questioned him is chomping on their own words right now as McNabb was lights out in an Eagles win against their division foe, the New York Giants.

Going 17 for 23 with 240 yards and three touchdowns against a "good" Giants defense should certainly be enough for the "experts" to quit questioning McNabb, but it's probably better for Philly if these so-called experts keep spouting their misguided opinions.

He really does seem to wear it as an enormous chip on his shoulder, and shakes it off by running around and throwing touchdowns. In fact, McNabb did everything today. He threw the ball tremendously well, took off once for 14 yards and a first down, and even caught his own pass after it was batted in the air and took off for a gain of one yard.

Of course, the reception didn't mean a whole lot, but it just goes to show the extent McNabb went to today in order to leave the Linc with a win.

For whatever reason, Andy Reid continued running the offense out of the shotgun, only putting McNabb under center perhaps a hand-full of times, but his mechanics were spot on. He's been having trouble with his footwork, but obviously cleared it up for this game.

If he can keep this up and stay this accurate, there's not a team that the Eagles can't beat.

Forget Brian Westbrook, this offense will go as Donovan McNabb goes. He is the key to the Eagles heading to Miami, or heading home.
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Time to prove your worth young fella... again.


According to Adam Schefter, Brian Westbrook is expected to sit out today's game against division rival New York Giants.

Despite Andy Reid's comments throughout the week that a decision had not been made, most people with a brain could assume that Westbrook would not suit up today.

It was more of a smokescreen than anything for the Eagles. When you have a player that can do the things Westbrook can do, why help out the opposing team and rule him out early? When, you can just as easily wait, and make them prepare for the game as if the dynamic Westbrook would be playing.

After a recent run-in with congress over the safety of players with this exact issue, there was no way the NFL could afford having Westbrook play with a concussion. Such a serious injury, if re-aggravated, could put Westbrook's career to an end.

In my opinion, missing one or two games is worth it to save your career.

Rookie LeSean McCoy will get the nod for the Eagles in place of the injured Westbrook, and aside from depth, the Eagles shouldn't lose all too much. (Of course you lose something with Westbrook.)

McCoy, who filled in for Westbrook earlier in the season had a good showing as the starter in Philadelphia, and is almost an exact replica of Westbrook.

He can catch and run out of the backfield, can make plays no matter what the situation, and is a small shifty back who can fit through the hole, even if there is no hole.

McCoy will do fine, there.

The only area of concern will be the blitz pick-up ability of Brian Westbrook. Westbrook was a good blocker in the backfield, and with this Giants pass rush, that aspect of the game is essential.

An area that McCoy has struggled in this season.

The Eagles are still working with a patch-work offensive line, and Todd Herremans did not have a good outing in his first week back last week in Washington. McCoy will have to step-up big time.

So, get ready young fella, you're going to earn your pay check today.
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Get to Eli and win, or watch him as he beats you.


The Eagles are heading into their second game of a three-game stretch that many, myself included, believe will tell the story of the Eagles' entire 2009 season.

They won the first game of this stretch last week against the Washington Redskins, but that's a game that this Eagles team is expected to win. The 'Skins are reeling this season as their head coach has been humiliated by an incompetent owner, and their players are dropping left and right.

That said, it was still a good win for the Eagles to get as anything can happen in a game against a division opponent.

The fact of the matter is that these next two games are far more important than the first for the simple fact that they are against much better teams. And with the loss to the Raiders, the Eagles cannot afford to drop another game. The NFC East, and NFC overall, is too competitive to be dropping games against divisional or conference opponents.

Now with that said, let's see what the Eagles must do to take this must-win game against the Giants.

Pressure Eli Manning With the Front Four

The qualifier to this, of course, is "with the front four." Getting any kind of pressure on Eli would most likely result in the throwing of a few ducks for the Eagles' ballhawk corners, but it could also mean that Kevin Boss has a big day catching balls across the middle.

Instead, if the front four can get into Manning's face without the help of the blitz, it will clog the rest of the field for the passing game. Eli will have trouble getting the ball through the lanes and it could turn into a big day for the Eagles defense.

Of course, that's how every game would go in a perfect world. So realistically it's going to take some blitzing to get to Eli, especially with the line that the Giants have put together.

However, if the defensive tackle rotation of Mike Patterson, Brodrick Bunkley, Antonio Dixon, and Trevor Laws can cause problems inside, it will allow for a lot of one-on-ones for the defensive ends. Which, in turn, would also slow down the bruising inside-style running of Brandon Jacobs.

Take Advantage of the Giants' Weak Secondary

Ever since Kenny Phillips went down for the season, the Giants have struggled defending the pass. In fact, the last two weeks, the passing attacks of the Saints and Cardinals have taken advantage of the Giants weak secondary and rode the passing attack to wins.

The Saints and Cardinals both have prolific passing attacks, but the Eagles offense can be just as explosive as either New Orleans or Arizona. The big drawback for the Eagles will be the loss of Brian Westbrook who, most likely, will not play. He has a way of dominating the Giants going all the way back to 2003 with his miraculous punt return to win the game in the final 1:30.

While the Eagles should be able to pass on this secondary, they shouldn't continuously try for the big play. Instead, they should dink and dunk down the field using slants, digs, combacks, etc. to move methodically down the field and keep the Giants offense off of it.

Use the Wildcat Effectively

Up to this point, the Eagles have not used the Wildcat as effectively as they could. In fact, it's been fairly useless so far, but if the birds want to take this game against Big Blue they're going to have to find a way to succeed in the Wildcat.

In order to do that they'll have to be creative. They must pass out of the Wildcat, use it to get the offense going, and make sure they're not predictable once they get into the formation.

Therefore, when we see the Wildcat, I want to see Vick running it instead of DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, or even LeSean McCoy. The point of the Wildcat is to outnumber the defense by making sure that the player taking the snap is a dual-threat to either run or pass. With anyone other than Vick, the defense knows it will be a run.

The point is that Vick was not brought in to watch from the sideline, so use him while you've got him. However, make sure you're using him properly. Let him hurl the ball downfield once or twice and you'll demand the respect of the defense.

Continue to use it how they're using it and they'll quickly turn into a laughingstock, if they haven't already.
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Eli and the Giants currently sit atop the NFC East.

The Eagles didn't have the pleasure of playing this Sunday, but they did get some valuable time to heal and study up on their division foes as the other three NFC East teams did play Sunday.

They had to be fairly happy with what they saw, as none of the three teams played well. The Redskins stole one from Tampa Bay, the Giants played just well enough to get by the Chiefs, and Dallas fell to the surprising 3-0, now 4-0, Denver Broncos.

On top of all that, Eli Manning, Marion Barber, and Roy Williams are all nicked up coming out of their Week Four games.

The NFC East is still one of the most competitive divisions in football, and none of these games will be a cakewalk for the Eagles this season, so a quarter of the way into the season let's take a look at how the division is shaping up.


1. New York Giants (4-0)

The Giants are now 4-0 and even though they're not playing their best football at the moment, they are undefeated, which is more important than anything else. They are relying on their passing game a whole lot more than they have in the past as Brandon Jacobs has been largely ineffective in the first quarter of the season.

Ahmad Bradshaw has been effective, but has been underutilized and, for the most part, is nothing more than a change-of-pace back for Jacobs.

Of course the big question heading into the season was how the offense would respond to losing Plaxico Burress as he's currently serving a two-year prison sentence because of his heavily publicized nightclub incident. Mario Manningham and Steve Smith have stepped into the role of Manning's favorite targets and are really coming into their own in his absence from the team.

Eli Manning is looking sharp as he's distributing the ball well and is now really starting to not only trust his wide receivers, but trust himself as he's taking more chances and being rewarded for it. The Eagles secondary has always found success of Eli, but at the rate he's going they may not be able to victimize him the way they did last season.


2. Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)

We'll talk plenty about the Eagles this season, let's move on.


3. Dallas Cowboys (2-2)

Let's all just face this right now, and this is not speaking out of bias or anything else but, Tony Romo is just not as good as everyone thought he could be. He started the year off well, but that was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There's not much argument that they're not exactly a Super Bowl contender.

That's not to say that Romo is a bad quarterback by any means, but he's just an average, sometimes above-average, quarterback and probably will not be anything more than that. He just has not progressed the way that a quarterback should, and really put that on display this week.

He was missing his receivers in every which way. He'd miss them high, he'd skip the ball, he'd miss left and right, and just overall was way off point and off target in a game that the Cowboys could have very easily won were it not for his continuous errors.

In the Cowboys' defense, I think it is now safe to say that the Broncos are for real.

Or, you know, maybe not.


4. Washington Redskins (2-2)

Yes, they pulled it out against the Bucs. Yes, they're a .500 team right now, and yes, they may just be one of the worst teams in the league right now.

So how can a .500 team be one of the worst when there are several winless teams still floating around the league? Well you earn that dubious distinction by beating the Rams and Buccaneers by a combined five points. That's right, five points.

There may be a debate as to if the Redskins really are one of the worst teams in the league, but there's no debate that the Rams and Bucs certainly belong in the bottom of the barell.

The Redskins can't pass, they can't catch, they can't run, they can't block, they can't tackle, they can't cover, and they just can't play together. Add all of those things up, then pile the talk that Jim Zorn's job is on the line and you have the makings of a team that wouldn't surprise anyone if they went 4-12 or 5-11 to finish this season.
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Joe Flacco is making his case for MVP of the entire NFL.


It was an exciting week in NFL football. Ups and downs. Here's how I breakdown and rank the NFL after week three. Enjoy.

1. Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: 1)

Another week, another win for the Ravens. Albeit against the worst team in the NFL, but a win nonetheless. Second in the NFL in both yards per game and points per game, behind only the Saints (Like I needed to tell you that). And as I've stated before, this Joe Flacco guy is the real deal. How 'bout it folks? 839 yards, 6 touchdowns to only 2 interceptions and a QB rating of 101.4. Oh, and they have the number one rush defense in the NFL giving up only 51 yards a game.


2. New York Giants (Last Week: 3)

The Giants are really starting to make more noise than I'm sure most people thought. Now, whether they man up and admit it or not is the key. I will admit I was wrong about the Giants. Namely the receiver position, but these young guys have done nothing but step up in the absence of Plaxico. I still think eventually they will come back down to earth, but maybe not as far down as originally thought. They'll be a tough test for anyone, and already hold a two-game lead in the NFC East.


3. New Orleans Saints (Last Week: 2)

They were finally held in check. Drew Brees didn't throw a touchdown, and they had to rely on the run game. Oh, no they didn't lose, sorry to have mistaken you. Pierre Thomas scampered for 2 scores, and let Drew Brees and the rest of us know, they can do more than pass. I'm still not sure whether this game was result of the offense cooling down, or the weather playing a factor. Regardless, a win is a win, and the Saints are 3-0 and lead their division.


4. Indianapolis Colts (Last Week: 4)

This is a team I can't quite put my finger on, but they've gotten it done on the field. Peyton Manning looks like he's way to smart for his receivers (and well, he is). What I do know, and what they showed against the Cardinals Sunday night, is that once they get a lead on you, you're in trouble. Once you have to resort to the pass, it's all-but over. They will pin their ears back and those defensive ends will get at you in a big way. I still look for them to play a winning team, but it won't happen this week as they got Seattle. Despite the 0-3 record, I do expect Tennessee to show us whether or not Indy is real in two weeks.


5. New York Jets (Last Week: 8)

This team has really shown much improvement under the supervision and leadership of new Head Coach, Rex Ryan. Ryan has brought a tenacity to this defense, and they swarm. They also have a guy under center who's proving to be quite good. I'm obviously talking about USC product, Mark Sanchez. Sanchez has looked like a seasoned vet thus far in this season, and they've played some decent talent along the way. Sanchez isn't afraid to get his nose dirty as you saw in his 14 yard TD run against Tennessee this past week. I like what I see from him, and I know NY agrees.


6. Minnesota Vikings (Last Week: 7)

Greg Lewis. That's all you need to say. In a game that was all-but lost, Brett Favre hooked up with Greg Lewis on a miraculous touchdown play. I don't know what it is about Lewis. If you leave the man wide open, drop. However, double coverage, game on the line he gets the job done. He has a knack for making the big catch when it's needed. Oh and a little stat to keep in mind for next week. With a victory, Brett Favre becomes the only QB in NFL history to beat every single NFL team. That's all 32 folks. That's incredible. This is why you come back.


7. Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: 11)

Kevin Kolb has shown why the coaching staff has had so much faith in him. However, this is still McNabb's team and he's still the better quarterback, but it's nice to know you have some reliability behind him. LeSean McCoy showed that he can be a premier back in this league, and what else is there to say about Brent Celek other than "wow". He's making his case to be a top 5 TE in this league, and he's not done yet. Solid defensive play and McNabb coming back healthy after the bye equals good news for Philadelphia.


8. New England Patriots (Last Week: 10)

They made their case that they're still a top football team by beating up on a very good Atlanta Falcon team. They held Michael Turner to just 56 yards, and Tom Brady is getting more and more comfortable as the weeks go bye. News is coming out that Randy Moss is starting to slack off again as he did in Oakland. Keep an eye on that New England fans.


9. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week: 6)

How about the defending champions starting out 1-2. They could very well be 1-3 after this week and if that is the case, you got to be very worried. They were just outplayed by Cincinnati at the end of the game. Parker looked to get going a little bit, but the lack of a running game really hurts them. They really got to get things righted before they meet Baltimore or this division is gone, and so could a playoff spot.


10. Atlanta Falcons (Last Week: 5)

They failed to get anything going against the Patriots. Michael Turner hasn't been able to get anything going through 3 weeks, and that's going to be a huge problem. Matt Ryan is good, but he's still a young quarterback. Nothing helps out a young quarterback like a rock-solid running game. They've got to produce more pressure defensively. Tom Brady was free to roam on Sunday.


11. Chicago Bears (Last Week: 15)

Jay Cutler is really making his case as a strong quarterback after such a terrible outting week one. Keep an eye on Forte, or the lack thereof.


12. San Diego Chargers (Last Week: 14)

They have a huge game this week with Pittsburgh. This team continues to struggle with looking prepared. That's on the Head Coach.


13. Cincinnati Bengals (Last Week: 19)

They went toe-to-toe with the defending champs, and came out victorious. Carson Palmer makes the Bengals a completely different team, and Lavernues Coles is the most underrated off-season pick-up.


14. San Francisco 49ers (Last Week: 9)

Greg Lewis struck gold against the Niners this week. They played tough, but were 0-11 on third down. They could lose Frank Gore for up to 3 weeks as well. Nothing but trouble there.


15. Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: 17)

They pulled one out on MNF against Carolina, but continue to struggle in certain aspects of the game. Felix Jones got a little banged up. Despite returning to the game, the 'Boys RB health has got to be a concern.


16. Houston Texans (Last Week: 12)

Up and down, up and down. That's the only way to describe this team. I think they play down to their opponents level too much.


17. Tennessee Titans (Last Week: 16)

Could be the most surprising start in the NFL this season. It doesn't get any easier this week as they take on division-rival, Jacksonville.


18. Denver Broncos (Last Week: 18)

Surprising start number 2. But let's wait until they play a real decent team before we make too much of a roar here.


19. Buffalo Bills (Last Week: 13)

Another solid 3 quarters by the Bills. If we were playing hockey that'd be great. But, alas, we're playing football which requires 4 quarters.


20. Green Bay Packers (Last Week: 20)

They bested the Rams, but that doesn't say much. They're underachieving right now, and are just not as good as I thought they would be.


21. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last Week: 25)

A solid win inside the divison against Houston. Jones-Drew drives this team. If he puts up numbers, they'll win.


22. Arizona Cardinals (Last Week: 21)

Could Kurt Warner finally be showing his age? Questionable decision to sideline Beanie Wells for most of the game. Could've been the most costly factor in the loss.


23. Seattle Seahawks (Last Week: 23)

Hung in there with the Bears even without their starting QB, but just couldn't pull it out. Maybe it was just the jersey throwing the Bears off? (I liked the jersey's BTW.)


24. Miami Dolphins (Last Week: 26)

They just can't seem to get things to go their way. Another tough fought game under their belts, but still a goose egg in the win column. No A's for effort in the NFL.


25. Carolina Panthers (Last Week: 22)

No running game against Dallas this week, and Delhomme had another poor outing. Could it be A.J. Feeley time?


26. Oakland Raiders (Last Week: 24)

Well, if Jamarcus Russell is satisfied with a 41 percent completion rate, than Oakland has some huge problems. If Russell was accurate at all, this is a 10-11 win team.


27. Detroit Lions (Last Week: 30)

Rejoice, Detroit! After a 19-game losing streak the Lions finally pulled one out. Tears were even shed after the game. I guess it's okay since they still had the Red Wings.


28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Week: 28)

Blanked by the Giants, and the Starting QB is now benched. Josh Johnson gets the call for now, but I don't think it'll be long before we see the other Josh. Freeman that is.


29. Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: 29)

They were dominated by the Eagles. Kevin Kolb put up over 300 yards through the air and McCoy put up 85 on the ground. No positives from this game.


30. Washington Redskins (Last Week: 27)

They gave their Lions a their first win in 19 attempts. No rushing game, no passing game, and a head coach that is in way over his head. Recipe for disaster.


31. St. Louis Rams (Last Week: 32)

They didn't win, but still get the nod to move up. I guess you can look at the positives, you're not the Cleveland Browns.

32. Cleveland Browns (Last Week: 31)

Brady Quinn and his 1 INT was pulled in favor of Derek Anderson and his 3 INT's. I haven't taken a math in college yet, but that's not a good ratio.

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Is McNabb the best quarterback the NFC East has to offer?


The NFC East is arguably not only the most competitive division in the NFL, but it may also be the most talented. The NFC East boasts what some still might call the most talented roster (at least on paper) in Dallas, 2008's Super Bowl champion New York Giants, a young but talented Washington team, and the always-contending Philadelphia Eagles.

So what kind of offense could the NFC East rosters put together? Let's find out.



Quarterback

Starter: Donovan McNabb (2nd: Tony Romo)

For me, and really mostly anyone besides delusional Giants fans, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo are the obvious choices here. McNabb gets the nod for obvious reasons, among them the fact that he has won in the playoffs and has taken his team to the biggest stage that the NFL has to offer, only to fall three points short of the ultimate prize.

McNabb is borderline Hall of Fame quarterback, with a Super Bowl ring (or lack thereof) being the only thing that will keep him out of Canton. By the time his career is over, he will join only three other quarterbacks to pass for over 30,000 yards, and rush for over 5,000. The other three are Steve Young, Fran Tarkenton, and the late Steve McNair.

Two of those quarterbacks (Young and Tarkenton) are in the Hall of Fame, and McNair be enshrined one day. Young is the only one of the three to have a Super Bowl ring.

Romo has the skills, but needs to start winning games for his team, rather than throwing them away. Eli Manning has proved he's capable, but is not a standout in terms of production or overall talent. Jason Campbell is still progressing and while I believe he has more upside than Manning or even Romo, must show it before he can be considered.



Running Back

Starter: Brian Westbrook (2nd: Clinton Portis)

When healthy, Brian Westbrook may be the most dangerous player in the NFL. Some may argue Adrian Peterson, but AP does not make the plays in the passing game that Westbrook can make, even though he's miles ahead as a runner.

Portis is an incredibly talented running back, but isn't as explosive as Westbrook is. I suppose they're different types of backs, and it really all depends on what you want to do with your offense, but if you're going to pass to your back at all, Westbrook is the obvious choice.

Marion Barber could make a case for this, but until he shows that he can be a game-changer and take some pressure off of Romo, he won't enter the class of Westbrook or Portis. Brandon Jacobs is a good bruising kind of back but needs a guy to take carries away from him or he'll wear himself down.



Fullback

Starter: Madison Hedgecock (2nd: Leonard Weaver)

Hedgecock is an old school kind of battering-ram fullback, which personally, I love. He's a dying breed in the NFL because while he's able to catch and run out of the backfield, it's not what he's best at doing, or what he'd rather be doing. He wants to stick his nose in there and pop a linebacker to make way for Jacobs, which is how the fullback position is played.

Weaver is part of the evolving fullback. He's a guy who can do it all out of the backfield including taking handoffs and catching over the middle or in the flats, but his blocking suffers because he focuses on these different elements. He's perfect for a west coast scheme, however, and is just what the Eagles need.

Deon Anderson is the kind of triple-threat that Weaver is, but he's not quite on the same level. Mike Sellers is surely a close third and in most any other division might be the very best fullback, but the East is stacked at the position this year. He's an incredibly underrated guy, and I may even be guilty of it now, but putting him ahead of Hedgecock or Weaver didn't seem right.



Tight End

Starter: Jason Witten (2nd: Chris Cooley)

Witten is a top five tight end in the entire NFL, so it's certainly not a surprise that he's on the top of a pretty good crop of tight ends coming out of the East. He can catch, he can block, and better than any other tight end in this division, he can run after the catch. He's a nightmare to cover, then he's a nightmare to tackle. Said simply, the man is good.

Cooley may be the most versatile of the tight ends. He is able to not only play tight end, but can line up in the backfield as a fullback, or even a tailback if necessary. He's a headache for defenses because he moves around so much and can make a catch anywhere. There's not really a specific weakness in his game, he's just not the same caliber as Witten.

Kevin Boss and Brent Celek are guys still coming into their own. Boss is a great security blanket for Manning, whereas Celek is more of a target for McNabb. Both players are very good for their teams and in a few years could be making a list like this very difficult.



Right Tackle

Starter: Shawn Andrews (2nd: Marc Colombo)

Andrews is a difficult guy to place, but when healthy he's hands down the very best. Even though he hasn't played right tackle in the NFL yet, he is making the switch this year and should be great doing it (the qualifer again being "if he's healthy). He played right tackle in college, and was a terrific right guard in the NFL, so it's not a stretch to say he should be just fine.

With Andrews out at the moment, the starter would be Marc Colombo of the Dallas Cowboys. He's a guy who's not going to make any headlines, but he does his job and he does it well. The other two teams don't have a right tackle set in stone, but guys like Kareem McKenzie could be starting for the Giants, and Stephon Heyer for the Redskins.

While both are good players, neither are going to challenge Andrews or Colombo.



Right Guard

Starter: Chris Snee (2nd: Leonard Davis)

Snee is one of the best in the game at the guard position, and is the hands-down favorite to win the spot for the All-NFC East team. Like most linemen, you don't hear a whole lot about Chris Snee, but as an Eagles fan, you know who he is every time you watch him blow up a defender.

The Cardinals must be kicking themselves for not thinking of moving Davis inside to guard and keeping him there, because the man once regarded as a bust has turned into a Pro Bowl-caliber guard for the Dallas Cowboys and only continues to get better. He's a dominating guy on the inside, and should make life easier for smaller guys like Felix Jones and Tashard Choice.

Stacy Andrews should be very good at right guard, but he's coming off a torn ACL and is moving to the inside from tackle, so we'll just have to wait and see how he does. Randy Thomas in Washington is by no means a standout, and on any of the other three teams in the division is only a backup type of player.



Center

Starter: Andre Gurode (2nd: Shaun O'Hara)

Picking a starter between these two was extremely difficult, but in the end Gurode grit and tough play wins him the starting nod over more of a technique-driven player in Shaun O'Hara.

Gurode and O'Hara run their lines very well, and a case could be made for either of these men depending upon what you're looking for out of a center. There really is not a wrong answer, and either way you're getting a Pro Bowl-caliber center.

Jamaal Jackson has been slipping over the past couple of years, or he may be in the conversation, but he'll have to have a stellar year to get back to being regarded as one of the best centers in the game again. Casey Rabach is a viable starter in Washington, but again, not much more than that.



Left Guard

Starter: Todd Herremans (2nd: Rich Seubert)

Left guard may be the weakest position of the stellar offensive linemen that the NFC East has to offer, but it seems to be clear that Herremans is the best of even a weak bunch. Seubert could have a case for the starting spot, but Herremans is younger and a better pass blocker.

Kyle Kosier and Derrick Dockery are certainly not bad players by any means, and at one point Dockery was even considered one of the best in the entire league, but after failing to live up to a huge contract in Buffalo he was released and is trying to rebuild his reputation the same place it started, in Washington.



Left Tackle

Starter: Jason Peters (2nd: Chris Samuels)

Jason Peters is the biggest name on the offensive line, and for good reason. He's one of the best left tackles in the game, and certainly the very best in the NFC East. He's got great feet, and is very good at anticipating a defensive end's movements. The Eagles just traded for him from the Buffalo Bills this past offseason, but he's already the best in the division.

Chris Samuels is another guy with pretty good feet, but on occassion he will be slow out of his stance and allow a defensive end to just run around him. The athleticism is there, so his erratic play is a mystery, and could point to a poor work ethic, but short of spending time around him and the team, there's no way to be sure.

David Diehl may be getting a challenge from rookie William Beatty as it seems as though the Giants aren't ready to cement Diehl as the starter at left tackle. However, Beatty could also be pushed over to right tackle, so it's a story worth watching. Flozell Adams is a good left tackle, but isn't on the same level as Peters, and doesn't quite beat out Samuels.



Wide Receiver

Starters: DeSean Jackson, Roy Williams (2nd: Santana Moss, Kevin Curtis)

DeSean Jackson is the best receiver in the NFC East. Even entering his second season, he has shown that he has the talent and the capabilities to be a No. 1 receiver. He'll get a great chance to put up some big numbers in Reid's offense, and could really open a lot of eyes.

Roy Williams has caught a lot of heat in Dallas and many aren't sure that he's truly a No. 1 receiver. However, looking at his body of work in Detroit, and his new-found work ethic in Dallas, he's gearing up to have a big year catching Tony Romo-thrown passes. He's still a guy that defenses always must keep an eye on, because he has the talent to explode.

Santana Moss and Kevin Curtis are both speedy guys who can be a nightmare if they get behind the coverage. Moss is the better of the two, as he is the No. 1 guy in Washington, but Curtis proved his worth after his 1,000 yard season in 2007 during his first year as an Eagle.

Rookies Jeremy Maclin and Hakeem Nicks may find their way onto this team next year, but for now they are just rookies and will need to show something first. No Giants player made it onto this receiving corps, and the reasoning is simple: they're just not that good. Steve Smith is probably the best they have to offer, and he's a No. 2 guy even on a poor team.
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