Phinally Philly

In case you missed it last year…Eagles Offseason Bingo is back with a new and improved version for 2010!

It’s the end of an era – Brian Westbrook was officially released today by the Philadelphia Eagles.

In the back of our minds, we probably knew this coming, what with the emergence of young talent like LeSean McCoy and the regular physical breakdown of #36, including a duo of concussions last season. Despite all of the injuries, Westbrook played his heart out for this team and I am proud that I got to witness almost every minute of his time on the field – he’ll never be “Softybrook” to me.

Just like when Dawkins left last year, it’s tough to see one of your all-time favorites move on, but the NFL is a business and we all know that the Eagles value youth.

Back on the 1st of the year, we had this to say in our Eagles’ decade wrap-up:

“This is a guy that has done it all – run the ball all over the field, catch passes at a remarkable frequency, and run back punt returns. Injuries may have slowed him down, but he’s a tough player in a tough position. From 2004 to 2008, he totaled more than 1,200 yards combined in both rushing and receiving. He had a career year in 2007 when he racked up over 2,000 yards.”

To celebrate Brian’s time with the team, Phinally Philly is going to look at the moments that defined his career in Philly. If you feel like we missed anything, please feel free to comment.

1. Punt return vs. the Giants (October 19, 2003) – While returning a punt for a touchdown is special enough by itself, this return became a turning point for the team. After a dismal 2-3 start, this play sealed the win for the Eagles in the Meadowlands, who went on to win the next 9 games. They won the NFC East, got a first round bye, and made it to the NFC Championship game where the Carolina Panthers halted their fine season. This was #36’s crowning achievement with the team.

2. Westy kneels on the 1-yard line in Dallas (December 16, 2007) - While leading Dallas 10-6 in the waning moments of the game, Westbrook got the ball on the Cowboys’ 25-yard line and had nothing separating him from scoring. But he stopped and kneeled on the 1-yard line. It was a selfless and incredibly smart move, as Dallas had no timeouts left. After the two-minute warning, the Eagles kneeled three times to preserve the victory. Later we found out who planted this idea in Westbrook’s head – none other than Jon Runyan.
View here: NFL.com

3. Wild Card game against the Vikings (January 4, 2009) - When the Eagles needed him most, Westbrook came through in a big way. He tallied 121 total yard with just 38 coming on the ground. The biggest moment of the game came in the fourth quarter when an effective Eagles offensive line game Westbrook the space he needed to grab a screen pass and run for a 71-yard touchdown. It came at the right time and ignited bedlam all across the Delaware Valley.

4. Brian saves the team in DC (November 11, 2007) - When looking back at Westbrook’s time in an Eagles uniform, it’s important to note how often he came up big against divisional foes. Take this match-up against the Redskins, for example. The team was on their way to another loss, but with some key blocking and another brilliant run into the endzone from Westy, the Birds sealed the deal and snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat.

Westbrook, who was due $7 million next season if the Eagles brought him back. That coupled with his decrease in production made this an obvious move for the team. He ends his Eagles career with 37 touchdowns on 5,995 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns on 3,790 yards receiving.

Happy trails, Brian.

My favorite Eagle of all-time will be taking on a new organization this fall. Brian Westbrook was officially released by the Philadelphia Eagles.

All of you who have lived through this decade as young Eagles fans grew up with Brian Westbrook in the back-field. I was lucky enough to watch him in many games when he played for Villanova. There’s a reason this man was my favorite player ever.

Always humble, always giving, and always running, Brian Westbrook exemplified work-ethic and humility in a league that could use a lot more players like him.

Even so, “No Country For Old Men” strikes again. Westbrook will not likely retire a Philadelphia Eagle. I hate to see him go, but I wish him the best. Everyone knew this was coming.

So, one final time, Brian Westbrook, my hat’s off to you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for the Eagles and the city of Philadelphia in nearly a decade of service.

Things have been relatively quiet around the Eagles camp in the past few weeks with nothing more than idle speculation to be done. One story came out today that made me chuckle, one that I wouldn’t normally touch with a ten foot pole, but things have been slow.

It’s been reported by Life and Style magazine that Vick has been offered $1 million to pose for Playgirl. In turn, this money would then be donated to PETA. The request was sent on Wednesday, but the rep Daniel Nardicio has not heard back yet.

While Vick did a good job this season to repair his image, I am not sure if this is exactly the sort of thing he want to spend his off-season doing, donation or not. And I know that the possible Vick in Playgirl issue won’t be found around the Phinally Philly offices, unless you look in Foley’s desk.

A few weeks ago we looked at what holes the Eagles needed to fill to come back in 2010 as a stronger, fitter, and better unit. While some of those needs will be addressed through the draft, there are a number of free agents who fit in very nicely in midnight green.

To refresh your memory, the places the Birds need help include offensive line, defensive end, safety, and running back. While I don’t expect all of these needs to be filled, a majority of them need to be addressed for the team to go much deeper in the playoffs next season.

Julius Peppers (DEFENSIVE END): This is a big potential name on the market, one that wore the franchise tag for the Carolina Panthers last season. This guy is a stud whose style of play would fit in brilliantly with the Birds. Imagine him and Trent Cole as the team’s starting defensive ends? Absolutely amazing. According to ESPN’s John Clayton, this is a possibility that the team will step in and explore Peppers. If this happens, I’ll be thrilled, but let’s hope it turns out better than Jevon Kearse. The Panthers have until March 5th to give him the franchise tag or re-sign him. (Unrestricted)

Leonard Weaver (FULLBACK): He made his first Pro Bowl this past season with the Eagles. The question here is not why should he be signed for multiple years, but why the hell the team hasn’t done it yet. With questions about the future of Brian Westbrook and the still emerging talent LeSean McCoy, Weaver needs to be signed long term. (Restricted)

Jerious Norwood (RUNNING BACK): While there is the potential of better running backs being available in free agency, the 26-year old Norwood is the type of guy who could return to his winning ways in Philly. Despite losing his job in Atlanta to the emerging Jason Snelling, Norwood would still be a solid pick-up. Not only would be an excellent addition to the running corps, he’d also add another threat to special teams. Last year he averaged 25 yards per kick return, which was not much different than Quintin Demps. (Restricted)

Bobbie Williams (GUARD): While he’s 33, bringing back guard Bobbie Williams would be a prudent move for the team, especially one that needs a guy that’s excellent in blocking for the run. Chances are that he stays in Cincinnati, but if not, the Eagles need to make a run at him. The offensive line needs major work. (Unrestricted)

Barrett Ruud (LINEBACKER): While I totally expect Tampa Bay to lock up this explosive player, if he’s available come March 5th, the Eagles need to aggressively pursue him. A great tackler with excellent instincts, he’d be another young centerpiece to go with Stewart Bradley, moving the team one step closer to have the vaunted defense that had in the middle of the last decade. (Restricted)

Much of this is pure speculation, and the list of who’s available and whether they’re restricted or not will become much clearer pending March 5th and the status of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. For right now we can refer to this as our wish list to push the Eagles to the next level and hope that they can lock up Weaver and pull in at least one of these guys come next month.

While Eagles fans wish we were one of the two teams that were still on the field playing football, the fact of the matter is that we’re not. Since the team’s elimination on Wild Card weekend, the focus has quickly turned to the off-season. The action off the field hasn’t exactly been boisterous, but there has been some interesting movement in the past week or two. Some of this may be old news, but we thought it would prudent to wrap much of this stuff in one post for everyone.

- MICHAEL VICK: It’s safe to say that Vick didn’t have much of an impact with the team in ‘09. There were a few good passes, some sentimental moments in Atlanta, and a glimpse of the speed that he was once famous for, but he was mostly a bust. On paper he may have been cut out for the Wildcat, but none of that came to fruition.

A couple days ago, via the Daily News, we heard that Andy Reid told Vick that he will be traded before the draft. There are a handful of teams out there that could use a QB, and with the team already having two serviceable quarterbacks, this makes a lot of sense. The latest news, courtesy of NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi, is that the team has decided to keep Vick, which only leads to speculation about Donovan McNabb.

Which report is true? Who knows, but one thing is for certain – there will be rumors like this from both sides the entire off-season.

- DICK JAURON: This week Jauron was hired to take over as the team’s secondary coach. Previously he had been head coach of the Buffalo Bills, but was fired during his fourth season. He also led the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, the latter on an interim basis.

Andy Reid coached with Jauron in Green Bay and two have a genuine bond. This is an excellent move for the team as his experience will help bolster the young, but promising Sean McDermott.

- DESEAN JACKSON: Now that Jackson’s first two years are up on his rookie contract, he’s able to discuss an extension. We all knew this was coming when #10 signed with Drew Rosenhaus last year, and you can be sure that agent and player will want top dollar. There’s no denying that DeSean deserves it, and during a recent interview at the Gatorade Performance Lab, he was quick to point out that he would be reasonable, unlike a certain former Philly wide receiver. “I’m not going to make it a big deal. I said I’m going to be patient and when the time is right it’ll be done.”

Let’s hope this is handled in the right manner by all parties.. I think I speak for the entire fanbase when I say that this is a guy that I want in midnight green for a long time.

- PUNTER SIGNED: He may not be a threat to Sav Rocca, but it should light a fire under the Austrlian’s ass. Former Redskin Durant Brooks was signed by the team this week. He starred in six games with Washington in 2008 until he was released in favor of Ryan Plackemeier, ending the season on Green Bay’s practice squad. He did not play in 2009, but the previous year he had an average of 32.1 yards per punt.

Lastly, everyone at Phinally Philly sends out their deepest condolences to the family of Tom Brookshier. The former Eagles great died this past Friday, and from an official statement from Andy Reid, he was respected “both for what he did on the field and for the kind of man he was off the field.” He will be missed.

Keep your eyes on the site – this is likely to be a very busy off-season for the Birds.

Tonight should be exciting times for football and music fans with the NFL Pro Bowl and Grammy Awards, but unfortunately both are irrelevant. As much as I love football, I can’t bring myself to watch the Pro Bowl, especially this year with the collection of the league’s best playing the week before the Super Bowl. I’d rather watch a high school football game.

With the recent end of the decade, the league announced the All-Decade Team today and as you’d expect, there are some big names included. One glance at the list reveals a list of high class players, like Tom Brady, Ray Lewis, and LaDainian Tomlinson.

Then there are the guys that donned the green and white, those names that we Eagles fans really care about. The two, technically three, players that get the nod are not a surprise at all – kicker David Akers and safety Brian Dawkins.

We all know the story about David Akers, who joined the team a short time after Andy Reid. In need of a kicker, Reid made a shrewd move by taking the former Redskin off of waivers. A decade later, the man has been a story of dependability, leading the team in points and having a success rate that averaged around 80%.

Brian Dawkins is another guy that needs no introduction to Birds fans. He was easily the most popular player on the team during his time in Philly, and he always backed up his undying passion for the game with positively brilliant play. In one of tonight’s more interesting moments at the Pro Bowl (which a friend told me about, of course) he picked off Donovan McNabb. Dawkins may be getting old, but Weapon X can still play.

The third player that spent time in Philly, albeit just for two years, is everyone’s favorite narcissistic loudmouth, Terrell Owens.

Congratulations not only to the Eagles that made this team, but also the rest of the deserving players. Let’s hope that ten years from now we’ll be talking about a few more guys from Philly that made the team.

I have never understood the Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb haters. This small, but vocal faction of fans that don’t like Reid because he isn’t fiery or dislike McNabb because he smiles after he makes a mistake or he threw up in the Super Bowl.

Who cares?

These two men are largely responsible for the greatest era of football the Eagles have ever seen, and while these two have yet to bring home a Super Bowl for Philadelphia, the Eagles are in the playoff hunt almost every year.

This past season had its fair share of bumps in road. There were injuries to key players, like Stewart Bradley, Brian Westbrook, and Jamaal Jackson, and the team saw young players transition into starting roles. Tight end Brent Celek, running back LeSean McCoy, and wide receivers Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson have all developed into legitimate threats, the type of players that McNabb has always needed around him.

We all want that Super Bowl parade down Broad Street and in this era of big money and instant gratification, fans expect it overnight. While Reid has done an admirable job of turning this franchise around, and McNabb remains one of the game’s top quarterbacks, that Super Bowl victory hasn’t happened yet.

Even though both men have their obvious faults, that is no reason to send them packing. Reid doesn’t know his way around a clock, but he sure knows to draft well. McNabb may not be Peyton Manning, but when he has confidence in his offensive line, he’s able to quickly make things happen on the field.

A decade is a long time to wait, but this regime needs to stay. Bill Cowher took a longer time to get his Super Bowl victory in Pittsburgh. John Elway, a very similar quarterback in many ways to McNabb, didn’t get his first Super Bowl victory until his 15th season. McNabb just finished his 11th year in the league.

Looking at Elway closer, you see that he matches up very closely with McNabb. He has a 62% regular season win percentage vs. a 64.1% for Donovan. McNabb’s win percentage is also better in the playoffs as well – 56.3% vs. 50%.

Through 11 seasons, Elway had very good playoff stats. After 14 games, he possessed a 53.1 completion percentage with 3,321 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions. McNabb’s better. After 16 games, he has a 59.1 completion percentage with 3,752 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions.

While you may still say that Elway is the better quarterback, consider this: he won his Super Bowls with the Broncos in his 15th and 16th seasons, but he did not carry the team on his back. It took an amazing defense, an impenetrable O-line, running back Terrell Davis, wide receiver Rod Smith, and tight end Shannon Sharpe. Elway won as many playoff games in his final two years as he did in his first fourteen.

The Eagles main problem throughout most of the last decade was that they had an excellent defense and top-notch quarterback, but the rest of the team suffered. In 2004 when the team was truly a full package, they made it to the Super Bowl and just barely lost to a better New England Patriots team. Only teams that are excellent on every level win the big game.

It’s not time to move on. It’s time to fill in the missing pieces. We know what the Eagles have with McNabb, and while he is not a player that can carry the team on his back, he is a great quarterback who will be able to lead the emerging offense in the years to come.

And Andy Reid, the man of few words and many coughs, needs to continue doing what he does best – identifying and developing talent. While the Eagles are not a year away from a Super Bowl title, the parade is likely closer than you think.

I can’t wait to say I told you so.

If you’re interested in the other side of the argument, please read the piece from our own David Foley posted earlier this evening.

“Insanity [is] doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

- Albert Einstein

Another rollercoaster ride of an Eagles season has finally come to an inevitably disappointing end. In the weeks following the Birds’ depressing list of late season losses there is always that period where fans dwell on what went wrong, and this offseason is no different.

Five years from now we’ll look back on this Eagles team as a complete disappointment primarily because of the way the season ended; with two brutal losses at the hands of the hated Cowboys. The 2009 Eagles may have (at least statistically) been the most prolific offense in franchise history, but how much does that mean when most of the team’s success came against non-playoff teams?

You can blame injuries all you want…yes the losses of Stewart Bradley and Shawn Andrews devastated the team on both sides of the ball…but at the end of the day 2009 played out just like almost every other year of this past decade for the Eagles: great hope and promise ends in a horrific Hindenberg-esq catastrophe. As the sporting world looks on an NFC power inexplicably implodes in the blink of an eye and becomes a shadow of its former self as its leaders piss away timeouts, vomit on the field, take the blame, and look towards next year.

The Andy Reid-Donovan McNabb era may go down as one of the best in franchise history, but the two had their chances at greatness and squandered them each time. Now I stand before you saying that it is time to move on.

Big Red is befuddled. It's a look we've become all-too familiar with over the years.

First, the fate of the head coach: If I ran the Eagles Andy Reid would be fired tomorrow. This obviously isn’t likely to happen given the extension he recently signed, but hear me out here for a minute. Yes he did a terrific job building this team up from the wreck it was in the late 90’s/early 2000’s, but he has consistently shown an inability to take this team to the Promised Land.

Take the past two seasons as examples. In the NFC Championship Game last season the Eagles were clearly the better team than the Cardinals. Call me a sore loser all you want, but the Birds didn’t even show up for the first half of that game and STILL managed to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. What should have been a glorious triumph resulted in a close, brutal defeat thanks in large part to a team that was unprepared to play.

This season the Eagles came into their last two games against the Cowboys as one of the hottest teams in the conference. Two weeks later the Birds had humiliated their fans with two incredibly pathetic performances where they were not only out-played, but out-coached by a fat, bumbling “yes man” to Jerry Jones.

Any Eagles fan who has watched this team week after week needs no lecture on the horrendous game day management Andy Reid has become known for, or the huge holes he fails to address on the roster each season (remember the kick returner fiasco a few years back?!? Damn you Reno Mahe!)  I understand he’s one of the winningest coaches of the decade, but that success hasn’t translated at all to the postseason. It’s time the Eagles shook things up and brought in a fresh face with a new voice.

What about #5? Donovan McNabb was not the only player to blame for those two embarrassing losses to Dallas, but every time the Eagles needed a leader to step up and play at a high level McNabb folded faster than you could say, “air guitar.”

If a team in desperate need of a QB offers a first and a third round pick for McNabb it’d be hard to say no, especially considering Donovan’s “advanced” age (at least by NFL standards.) Ideally though I’d hang on to him for at least one more season and let Kevin Kolb compete with him in camp for the starting spot. Keep the winner, and move the loser for picks. That being said the Eagles are supposedly extremely high on Kolb, so if they have no plans of giving McNabb an extension I wouldn’t at all be surprised if he is traded before the draft. Those picks could go a long way toward filling other holes on this roster.

Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb both deserve a lot of credit for resurrecting the Eagles from the doldrums of the late 90’s, but both have had the time and opportunity to bring a Super Bowl to Philly and failed. It’s time for a change on at least one of those two fronts to bring in a new perspective to get this team to the next level.

Our own Dany Sloan will have a pro-Reid/McNabb follow up later tonight.

After the Eagles were unceremoniously eliminated from the playoffs last weekend, the focus quickly moved to the off-season. There are several issues nagging at the team, especially the deficiencies at offensive line, defense, and special teams.

Let’s hope that back-to-back embarrassing losses in Dallas galvanizes the players and coaching stuff and leads to some positive changes for the team going into 2010. There are plenty of holes to be filled, positions to be upgraded, and free agents to address. Here are some of the team’s most pressing matters, in no particular order.

ADDRESS THE QB SITUATION: Although Donovan McNabb ended the season on a low note, we all know he’s capable of much more. While he is likely not going anywhere now, the 2010 season will be the final year on his restructured contract. Don’t expect the Eagles to enter next season with a lame duck quarterback. Any number of things could happen, but the most likely scenario will be #5 getting extended for a couple of years. Anything else will be surprising.

OFFENSIVE LINE: Jamaal Jackson’s injury exposed how weak the team’s offensive line really was this past season. While he’ll be back next season, the team needs to stock up on talent, both through the draft and free agency. Never underestimate the power of good second stringers, especially when the injury bug hits the line hard. Keep an eye on March 5th (start of free agency) and April 22nd (the first day of the draft).

LINEBACKERS: The single biggest loss of the season was Stewart Bradley’s injury to his ACL on Flight Night. The chain reaction of players being shifted into unfamiliar roles and second stringers starting every week gave first year defensive coordinator Sean McDermott more challenges than he expected. Things got so bad that Jeremiah Trotter was brought out as retirement to give the team another weapon at middle linebacker. Bradley seems to well on his way back to the starting lineup in 2010, but for insurance reasons, the Birds need more quality linebackers.

SAFETY: While the front office deemed Brian Dawkins over the hill and offered him a decent contract, what the Broncos offered was really out of this world. The players that stepped in for him this season weren’t anything to write home about. Quintin Mikell was less than serviceable and Quintin Demps battled injuries all season. We’re almost a year removed from Dawkins leaving, so it’s time to stop thinking about what could have been. The team needs another safety that can anchor the secondary.

PUNTER: Sav Rocca is terrible, inconsistent, and one of the league’s worst punters. Let him walk and find his replacement via free agency or the draft.

FREE AGENTS: There are several players that are eligible to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. While most of them can be passed on, a few of these guys need to be locked up for the long-term. At the top of that list is first team All Pro fullback Leonard Weaver, a player that made an excellent impression in his first year in Philly. Add to that list Jason Avant, who makes an excellent third receiver and really had a break out year in ‘09. Guard/center Nick Cole and linebacker Chris Gocong are also prime candidates to get resigned, as those two positions are in particular need of depth.

The Eagles have a long off-season ahead of them, one that will be likely be filled with a lot of moves. Yesterday the team made its first big announcement by firing special teams coach Ted Daisher and replacing him with well-regarded veteran Bobby April.

The team isn’t going to sit back and hope things fall into place. They have a lot of work to do in order to improve their fortunes in a very competitive NFC East, so expect this laundry list to be addressed over the next several months.

Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images