For those of you into numbers, here are some to consider:
This season, the Eagles were 11-1 against teams not making the playoffs and 0-5 against teams in the playoffs.
The Cowboys have not won a playoff match since 1996, while Andy Reid is a perfect 7-0 in playoffs openers during his decade-plus tenure in Philadelphia.
When the Eagles return to Dallas for their 8 pm match-up against the Cowboys on Saturday, expect a much different demeanor from the one we saw last weekend. Despite the Eagles’ recent success in the playoffs, they are a team with something to prove. After a chance for a first round bye, they let the Cowboys have their way with them in an embarrassing loss.
But losing was the best thing that could have happened to them. Division title and first round bye aside, the Eagles needed something to bring them down to Earth. As a team, they play much better when they have something to prove.
While the Cowboys might have the edge on the field, the Eagles are the team with the better coaching staff. Expect the offensive line to be reorganized with the intent to stop the Cowboys defense, as the team can not afford to let McNabb be sacked four times again. Center Jamaal Jackson’s loss is a huge setback for the team, but like many times this season, they have the tools and the will to power through it.
The lynchpin for the team will once again be Donovan McNabb. While he wasn’t terrible last week, he fumbled and made some costly overthrows that put a blemish on an otherwise fine season. As the team’s unquestioned leader, he needs to lead by example.
Running back Brian Westbrook, another veteran who is respected by his teammates, spoke to everyone immediately after last week’s loss. This is the NFL’s second-youngest team, and Westbrook let the young guys know that it’s do-or-die time.
To win, the Eagles need to have their best effort of the season. They’ll need momentum on their side, and the best way to do that is to make a big play early. If they can take the fans at Jerry’s World out of the game early, the team should not have a problem getting on a roll. Whether that’s an Asante Samuel pick or a deep pass to DeSean Jackson is anyone’s guess, but if the Eagles expect to win they need to make a statement early.
Stopping the run is paramount as well. After getting torched by Marion Barber and Felix Jones last week, the defense should focus on shutting these two down so Romo will have to rely on the passing game.
I am still scratching my head over the lack of blitzes last week, and despite all of that, wide receiver Miles Austin and tight end Jason Witten were still left uncovered for most of the game. These are quality players that will find a way to score, but the Eagles’ defense can’t let their jobs be so easy. It should be relatively simple for Sean McDermott. If Romo is blitzed early and often, expect him to get rattled, especially if he’s not able to get the run game going.
While last week’s match-up was important, this is the game for all of the marbles. The Eagles of the past decade are a team that can get a little lazy when they’re in the driver’s seat, so expect them to head into this game focused and angry.
McNabb and his crew will not make the same mistakes twice, but the question remains, can the Eagles beat the Cowboys in Dallas? Most will say no, but I am confident in not just the team, but also in the coaching staff’s ability to out fox Wade Phillips and company. History favors the Eagles, so expect them to come away with the tough win and some redemption.
The Eagles put on a truly terrible display today. Almost nothing good can be said about today’s 24-0 loss to the Cowboys, except maybe that losing today is better than next week. This was the worst game of the season.
What didn’t the Eagles do well? The easy answer is everything.
The team’s offensive line was terrible – exposing Donovan McNabb to four sacks and precious few moments to throw to receivers. A likely cause for this was not just the hot defense of the Cowboys, but also the recent season-ending injury to center Jamaal Jackson. His loss is one that should not be underestimated.
Nick Cole, who had previously started at right guard, is handling Jackson’s snapping and blocking duties for the rest of this season. To say he wasn’t prepared is an understatement.
The Eagles run attack was practically non-existent, even for the pass happy Andy Reid. While the team has made strides this season to balance their play-calling, they regressed this week. Spread out on 10 carries, the team picked up only 37 yards. Just 37 yards! While the Cowboys are very good against the rush, the Eagles didn’t even try.
Defensively, the Eagles were equally as putrid. Marion Barber hit the ground running and didn’t look back. On 14 carries, he picked up 91 yards. Felix Jones was even more destructive, picking up the same yardage on 15 carries along with a touchdown.
Receivers also put a hurt on in every which was as Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin, and Jason Witten all had big days. Although Austin and Witten were effective, Crayton made the most noise with 99 yards on just 4 receptions – average 24.8 yards per touch. Don’t forget his touchdown either.
Additionally, a team that’s known for blitzes had very few of them. The Eagles put no pressure on Dallas and we all know how Tony Romo wilts when he’s attacked.
In the first half, the Eagles made a number of mistakes or had just misses on what would have huge plays that would have likely put them up at the half, not the Cowboys.
Rookie receiver Jeremy Maclin allowed a high, but catchable pass to go right through his hands when he was wide open. McNabb overthrew the speedy DeSean Jackson by 5 yards on a play that would have scored a touchdown. And if that didn’t take the wind out of the Eagles’ sails, then McNabb fumbling in the red zone did.
The McNabb haters were out in full force this week, some of them even taking joy in his failure. The Eagles and #5 had a terrible game and lost the chance to lock up the division title and get the first round bye, but they’re still in the playoffs. Unfortunately the trail to the Super Bowl is just going to be a little harder.
Shockingly, not all was bad for the Birds today. They did get shut out and embarrassed on the final day of the season, but Brent Celek put up another big day with 7 receptions and 96 yards, including a 25-yard run. Despite that, his day could have been much bigger since he had his fair share of drops.
Both Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson had decent days with just about 50 yards apiece, but they too had their issues as dropped passes plagued them both.
In a long rivalry filled with big games, this may have been one of the biggest. Unfortunately for the Eagles, they stepped on the field and choked. Although it would have been nice to have the first round bye and the NFC East crown, they’re still in the playoffs as the 6th seed.
This debacle is just a prologue now, as the seedings call for a first round match-up between the Eagles and Cowboys this Saturday at 8 pm. Once again, it’s at Jerry’s World in Dallas. The Cowboys fans are likely to rub it in this week, but be honest; you would have done it to them if the Eagles had won.
This wild card match-up is the one that will truly matter, and while the history and match-up favors the Eagles, as we saw today, it really is anyone’s game. The Eagles can’t afford to sleep on anyone.
The team ends the season at 11-5, second place in the NFC East.
In a stroke of pure scheduling genius, the Eagles travel to Dallas on Sunday to face the much-hated rival Cowboys in what is easily the most important game of the season. The victor gets the NFC East title, and if the Eagles win, they’ll get a first round bye as well. Dallas would need Arizona and Minnesota to lose to get the same placement.
A lot has been made about the Cowboys ineptitude in December, and while the numbers don’t lie, this really is anyone’s game. While December started out in a typical fashion for the Cowboys, the team is riding on a wave of confidence after two straight wins.
They played well enough to give the Saints their first loss of the season in a 24-17 win, and they followed it up by blanking the Redskins 17-0 last week. There is a lot riding on this game for Dallas and they would like nothing more than to shut up their critics and prove that they can win late into the season. Like the Eagles, Dallas has already punched their ticket to the post-season, but now it’s all about the division and playoff seeding.
We all love to hate Tony Romo, mostly because he’s an easy target, but his recent play has sparked the Cowboys winning streak. In the last two games, he has thrown for an average of 300 yards with two touchdowns and just one interception. Romo seems to be learning that to win, he needs to control the team rather than throwing them on his back.
The Cowboys have a potent offense, and there are three guys in particular the Eagles need to contain. Running back Marion Barber didn’t put up big numbers against the Eagles earlier this season, nor has he lit up the field in the past few weeks, but he does have the potential to be a huge playmaker. If the Eagles can contain him, then Romo will have to rely on the passing game.
One of his favorite targets has been tight end Jason Witten, who is knocking on the door of his second 1000-yard season. The Eagles have too often ignored tight ends in their defensive schemes, and Witten is a guy that will make them pay. In the teams’ previous meeting, his 7 receptions for 49 yards are not exactly gaudy, but as proven many times in the past, he’s not a guy you don’t want to sleep on.
Wide receiver Miles Austin has had a breakout season this year. The Birds did a great job neutralizing him earlier this season, but his one catch at the end of the game was for a 49-yard touchdown and the deciding score. During Dallas’ current win streak, he has 16 receptions for well over 200 yards and a single TD.
One sure way for the Eagles to exploit one of the Cowboys’ weaknesses is to do what Andy Reid likes to do best – pass the ball. While Dallas ranks at #5 against the run, they are 21st against the pass.
With all of the Eagles receiving weapons, there is the potential to run up the score very quickly. If DeSean Jackson is covered, Donovan McNabb’s options are endless – Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant, Brent Celek, or even Brian Westbrook. Although the team has done an excellent job in the past several weeks in mixing up the plays, this may be the week where the willingness to pass can be exploited.
I am sure I am not the only one who is absolutely thrilled about this game. Football doesn’t get any better than facing your biggest rival for the division title on the last Sunday of the year. If the Eagles win, they’re watching football on the couch like the rest of us during the first week of the playoffs.
This is a tough match-up, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I like the Eagles chances in this game. The Birds are playing better ball right now than just about anyone. Either team has a shot at getting the win, but it’s going to come down to who makes the least amount of mistakes and how those mistakes are capitalized on. This will not be an easy game for either team.
The naughts solidified the Eagles as Philadelphia’s team. Although they haven’t given the city that parade down Broad St. (yet), the team’s popularity is undeniable. The only people who will truly understand why we live and die with this team are those that have spent time in and around the city.
Over the course of the decade, the Eagles have gone to the playoffs 8 times, won the division 5 times, made the conference championship game 5 times, and the Super Bowl once. More importantly, they have been a model of consistency that has seen the same head coach preside over them for over ten years. They’re also a team that graduates assistants to other head coaching positions across the league, having a staff that is sought after because of their professionalism and remarkable football minds.
Franchise QB Donovan McNabb
All-Decade Team
QB: Donovan McNabb (2000–2009)
WR: DeSean Jackson (2008-2009), Terrell Owens (2004-2005)
RB: Brian Westbrook (2002-2009), Duce Staley (2000-2003)
TE: Chad Lewis (2000-2005)
OL: Jon Runyan (2000-2008), Shawn Andrews (2004-2009), Jamaal Jackson (2005-2009), Tra Thomas (2000-2008), Jermane Mayberry (2000-2004)
DL: Hugh Douglas (2000-2002, 2004), Trent Cole (2005-2009), Corey Simon (2000-2004), Mike Patterson (2005-2009)
LB: Stewart Bradley (2007-2009), Jeremiah Trotter (2000-2001, 2004-2006, 2009), Carlos Emmons (2000-2003)
CB: Sheldon Brown (2002-2009), Troy Vincent (2000-2003)
S: Brian Dawkins (2000-2008), Michael Lewis (2002-2006)
K: David Akers (2000-2009)
P: Sean Landeta (2000-2002, 2005)
KR: Brian Mitchell (2000-2002)
PR: Brian Westbrook (2002-2009)
Head Coach: Andy Reid
Defensive Coordinator: Jim Johnson
1. Donovan McNabb – He’s the franchise player that a lot of people didn’t really want, and no offense to the great Randall Cunningham, he’s the greatest quarterback that Philadelphia has ever seen and one of the greatest of the past decade in the NFL. Until he gets that Super Bowl ring, he’ll still have his doubters, but us fans with common sense know what he means to this team and city.
Dawkins during pre-game intros
2. Brian Dawkins – The emotional leader of the team for most of this decade, his presence was felt both on and off the field. His pre-game antics were legendary and his level of play was always inspired, which is why seeing him leave hurt so much. A total of 25 forced fumbles and 24 interceptions over that span is nothing to sneeze at either.
3. Brian Westbrook – 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.
4. Terrell Owens – T.O. was a narcissistic asshole (and still is), but when he was pulling down passes and fueling the Eagles run to the Super Bowl in 2004, fans didn’t care. He may have only spent parts of two seasons in Philly, but he was the only true star the Eagles had at that position this decade, at least until DeSean.
5. Jon Runyan – Runyan was born to play in Philly. He anchored the offensive line for years and played through what was surely some excruciating pain, but he loved playing football. There are few constants in life, but one of them was seeing Big Jon on the field every Sunday. He may have made just one Pro Bowl, in 2002, but his impact on the right side of the line was immense.
Plays of the Decade
1. 4th and 26 (January 11, 2004) – This is one of those plays everyone remembers where they were when this happened. After a bye week, the Eagles were facing the Packers in the divisional playoff games, and late in the 4th quarter they were down 17-14. After some penalties and a sack, the Eagles had a huge hill to climb with a 4th and 26 and no timeouts left. What happened next was something that every fan had playing in their heads, but no one expected it to happen. When McNabb threw the ball and Freddie Mitchell pulled it down, getting the first down, I couldn’t believe what I just saw. The Eagles fans crowding the NYC bar that was showing the game stared in disbelief at what had just happened, then started cheering. After several high fives and the tying field goal, we knew it would be ok. The Eagles pulled out the win in overtime, 20-17.
2. Brian Westbrook’s 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.
3. McNabb’s 14-second scramble vs. Cowboys (November 15, 2004) – One oft-forgotten skill of McNabb is his ability to avoid defenders in the pocket, and it was nowhere more evident than on his play against Dallas in 2004. Unable to find an open receiver and doing everything he could to avoid a sack, #5 ran back and forth for over 14 seconds until he threw the ball downfield to an open Freddie Mitchell. FredEx, who was again in the right place at the right time, caught the ball for a 60-yard reception, sealing the win against the Cowboys.
Lito Sheppard out-running the competition
4. Lito Sheppard interception + touchdown return (October 8, 2006) – Any TD against the Cowboys is a good one, but cornerback Lito Sheppard took rubbing it in to a new level with this pick. With the Eagles only up by 7 points, Dallas was inside the 10 and Drew Bledsoe fired a shot into the endzone that seemed to be on target until Lito Sheppard stepped in the way. He not only grabbed the interception, but he ran it back 102 yards for a touchdown, which sealed the game for Philly. See video here
5. Benching McNabb vs. Ravens (November 23, 2008) – Even a franchise player can get benched, and that’s just what happened when the Eagles played the Ravens last year. By halftime, he was 8 for 18 for 59 yards and had two interceptions and a fumble. That’s a quarterback rating of just 13.2, which is absolutely terrible. The week before wasn’t much better as he threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in an overtime tie (loss) with Cincinnati.
While you can blame the running game and defense as well, the truth was that McNabb was dismal, so when halftime rolled around in Baltimore Andy Reid benched him. It was a decision that was both expected and unexpected, especially given the relationship between these two. Apparently this was what McNabb needed to light that fire under his ass. Both his, and the team’s, season turned around dramatically as they closed out the season winning all of their games but one and making the playoffs. They lost in the NFC Championship game to the Arizona Cardinals.
This low point in McNabb’s career showed him, and the Delaware Valley, that he wasn’t untouchable. Since that fateful day, McNabb has been playing to the high level we’ve all come to expect from him.
The Next Decade
With the new decade beginning, the Eagles find themselves in the playoffs again, along with the possibility of yet another NFC East title. Sunday’s match-up against the Cowboys will be a fitting way to end the season. If anything can be said about the next 10 years, it’s that the Eagles are set up for the long term. Reid will be around to at least 2013, and the coaches have an uncanny ability of knowing exactly how to build a team, frequently bringing on young talent at the right time and nurturing players with promise. Players of the past couple years, like DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, LeSean McCoy, and Winston Justice are prime examples of this philosophy.
One thing’s for sure – although they can be frustrating at times, the Eagles remain a fun team to watch. Will the future bring us that long-awaited Super Bowl trophy? That’s impossible to say, but if any team is set up to do so, it’s these guys.
For much of the second half on Sunday it looked like the Eagles were going to blow a 17 point lead, and the game to the Denver Broncos. Last season that probably would have been the case, but then the 2009 iteration of the Eagles showed us why they are different and deserve to be taken seriously as a legit Super Bowl contender in the NFC.
In the Birds’ defense the game shouldn’t have been that close. Up 17 in the 3rd Asante Samuel picked off a deep Kyle Orton pass down the far sideline and took it all the way to midfield. The way the Eagles offense was clicking at that point in the game it seemed like they would cruise to an easy win, but a terrible unnecessary roughness call on Macho Harris (and an additional penalty on Samuel for delay of game) backed the Eagles up to their goal line.
The refs really screwed the pooch on this call because it wouldn’t be out of question for Tony Scheffler (the intended target of Orton’s throw and recipient of Harris’ vicious hit) to recover and tackle Samuel from behind. That makes Harris’ hit a block; a fantastic, CLEAN block. Thanks to those two calls the Eagles started the drive on their own 1 instead of the 50, and lost all their offensive momentum as a result.
Unfortunately that was not the only bad call to go against the Eagles. Don’t even get me started on the challenge that overturned a backward pass that should have led to an early defensive TD, or the poor spot on a late 3rd down that took a Reggie Brown first down catch and instead turned it into a punt (his knee was down with the ball in front of the first down marker.)
All of these calls contributed to a game that was closer than it needed to be, but when it mattered the most Donovan McNabb and Co. rose to the occasion. Two performances in particular stood out to me in playing a big part in the W:
- Jason Peters‘ day didn’t start out too well, as he was beat by Elvis Dumervil on the Eagles first drive leading directly to a sack and a forced fumble that Denver recovered on their own 32. From there on out though Peters was brilliant, containing the NFL’s sack leader and giving McNabb plenty of time to throw. Dumervil did end up with two sacks, but he beat Celek on the last one, not Peters.
- Jeremy Maclin may not have had his most impressive performance from a statistical point of view, but he had the play of the game on the Eagles winning drive coming up with a tremendous sideline grab that reminded me of something we’d see from Marvin Harrison in his prime. The 27-yard catch came on a third and long with the Eagles just out of field goal range, and set up David Akers’ winning kick.
In a game where Desean Jackson was effectively neutralized by Champ Bailey, Maclin stepped up with six catches for 92 yards and showed just how important he is to this passing attack.
A few other observations from the Eagles win and the rest of Week 16′s games:
- Brent Celek had a huge first half, but wasn’t even targeted in the second. I’m sure the Broncos made some changes to their coverage but the Eagles still need to get the ball to him more consistently.
- Jason Avant continues to show he may in fact have the most reliable hands on the team. The focus and reflexes it took to snatch that deflected third quarter TD pass were remarkable.
- Brian Westbrook looked good in his return and forms a lethal duo along with Shady McCoy. I still cringe everytime he takes a big hit though.
- A pretty quiet game for Brian Dawkins. Made a few mistake on the Eagles first drive and was a step late on several plays, but I still would take him back in Philly in a heartbeat. All due respect to Sean Jones and Macho Harris, of course.
- I don’t know about you, but I felt like the CBS announcers started rooting for Denver more and more as the game went on. Jim Nance and Phil Simms kept harping on the few blown calls that favored the Eagles, while ignoring the countless ones that went against them. The icing on the cake? When Phil Simms said about Sheldon Brown, who had just knocked away a deep ball from Brandon Marshall, “He’s clearly not at 100%.”
Ok ok that may not be biased, but it’s definitely STUPID. I could see why CBS would favor Denver with their coverage; the Broncos are a team they’ve seen many times this season while the Eagles are rarely on that station (Fox usually gets the big NFC matchups.) Still it doesn’t give you an excuse to suck as badly as Nance and Simms did today.
- I don’t understand at all why Peyton Manning was pulled in a close game between the Colts and the Jets. One more Manning-led scoring drive could have sealed a win for Indy and preserved the perfect season, but instead Jim Caldwell put Curtis Painter in and the Jets had no problem victimizing the backup and pulling away late.
Look, I can see why you’d want to rest your starters with a first round bye already locked up, but the goal in every game is to win and if your team has a shot at making history and going undefeated you don’t tank a winnable game against a mediocre opponent. That was a real momentum-killer for the Colts, and Manning’s displeasure with the situation sums it up in my mind. Indy’s first year coach (and whomever else had a hand in the decision) screwed up, plain and simple.
- For those of you who missed Saints owner Tom Benson’s reaction to an almost game-winning field goal this amazing animated gif comes courtesy of Deadspin and 30fps. Geaux HOME Aints!
Images courtesy of ESPN.
**A quick note: some of you may have noticed that my posts have been few and far between lately. I’ve been busy with some personal matters (nothing bad, I assure you) and will be extremely busy through New Years. Once everything starts to settle down for me in early January I’ll start posting more regularly. Happy Holidays!**
While fan favorite Brian Dawkins will be returning to town on Sunday with the Denver Broncos, don’t expect the Eagles to stay sentimental for long. Although they’re guaranteed a trip to the playoffs, there are still bigger fish to fry, namely the division title and the elusive long shot – the second and final first round bye.
The Bronocs, who started the season 6-0, sit at 8-6 and although they currently have the last wild card spot, they sit on shaky ground. With two games left in the season, there are several hungry teams in the AFC at 7-7 who would love to make it into the playoffs. This game means as much to them as it does to the Eagles.
The Eagles come into this game on a tear, putting up wins in their last 5 games. While the defense has been spotty, they can kill on offense, showing the ability to put up points in any situation, both on the ground and in the air.
Adding to this big play ability is Brian Westbrook, who is likely to return from his second concussion of the season this week. While there has been debate on whether he should play, doctors have cleared him and he appears ready to go. Although LeSean McCoy will make the start, Westbrook is expected to make some carries.
The Eagles can clinch the NFC East with a victory on Sunday coupled with a Dallas loss to Washington on Sunday night.
Kyle Orton, who was swapped for Jay Cutler in the off-season, seems to have taken a liking to his new home. While Orton has completed over 60% of his passes for 3182 yards and 17 TDs, keep in mind that most of his success came early in the season. He’s only passed for 300 yards once this season, in week 5, and has thrown an interception in the last 4 out of 5 games.
Orton should be more of a test than the 49ers’ Alex Smith was last week, but if the Eagles can shut down Denver’s running game, he will be forced to throw. If he goes to the air, then the defense can focus on turning the ball over. The Eagles defense is currently ranked 11th, and are tied for third in the league with 23 interceptions. We’ve seen how they can turn the game around on turnovers, and if they continue doing so, they will remain a viable playoff team.
Brandon Marshall is Denver’s biggest receiving threat, he of the recent selfish 21-catch, record-setting game in a loss to Indianapolis. The defense has been burned by wide receivers recently and outside of tight ends, this remains their Achilles heel.
Marshall is at 1081 yards so far this season, his third time reaching that mark. While his average per touch is a career low, he has 10 touchdowns after 14 games, which is a career high. This is Denver’s big play guy.
Running back Knowshon Moreno leads all rookies with 224 carries for 879 yards, but has not put together a big game yet this season. He’s been stymied the last two games, going just 63 and 42 yards. Also keep an eye on former Eagle Correll Buckhalter who has carried the ball 108 times for 582 yards.
Adding to the challenge is Denver’s defense, currently ranked third overall and second on the pass. Old friend Brian Dawkins is a key member of this group, and the Eagles are well aware of what he can do and what he means to a team. His 81 tackles are nothing to sneeze at – currently ranked second on the team.
Elvis Dumervil is an absolute beast who will have Donovan McNabb in his line of sight at all times. The 5-11, 248 pound linebacker uses his hands well and is sporting 15 sacks this season, leading the NFL.
While the Birds may not be able to rely on the air attack, they can fight Denver where it hurts most, and that’s on the rush. LeSean McCoy has proven valuable, and Leonard Weaver has been firing on all cylinders the past five games. Couple them with the return of Westbrook and the Eagles will have a diverse ground attack.
Sentiments aside, this will be a big game for the Eagles on a number of levels. Dawkins may be back in the city where he is revered, but the Eagles have business to handle. By putting the Broncos away on Sunday, they both increase their stranglehold on the division and continue to nip on the heels of the Vikings for the second and final first round bye. If they continue their inspired play, this will be a game that they can put in the win column.
Today the Eagles announced that Michael Vick has won the Ed Block Courage Award. It’s a yearly honor given to players that “exemplify commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage.” Some of the past winners include Chad Lewis, Correll Buckhalter, Duce Staley, Jerome Brown, Mike Quick, and Ron Jaworski.
It’s safe to say that Vick may not have been the best choice for the award, despite being unanimously selected by his teammates. I firmly believe that everyone deserves a second chance, and we can debate whether his crimes are worse than others in the NFL, but the fact remains that he was convicted of brutal, premeditated acts.
While a player should never overshadow an entire team, that’s easier said than done with Vick’s history. He’s done his time, and while we should allow him to start over, the decision to give him this award has only further stirred the pot.
I respect that Vick has made positive steps to turn his life around and I can whole-heartedly cheer for him as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, but Michael Vick the man needs to do more than a few appearances to help abused dogs. This is a worthy cause, but the Ed Block Courage Award specifically highlights players who help abused children and families in crisis.
This is neither the time nor the place to award him. His first year back in the NFL should have been all about redemption and getting back into playing shape – save the awards for when they are truly deserved and don’t use them as some hollow PR gesture.
Many of Phinally Philly’s Twitter and Facebook followers sounded off as well. Here are our some of the comments:
Frank T.: “He was/is not without courage, but I would think they could have found someone more deserving of that award.”
That Dude: “I think his teammates thought he deserved it. Now, I think his teammates need to be taught the proper definition of courage, but I digress.
Joe F.: Vick made a series of bad decisions, he owned up to them, and he did his time. I think he deserves the award for being able to turn his life around. I mean come on, he did two years in jail, lost millions of dollars, not to mention just about everything he had, was villafied relentlessy in the media, and is living under intense scrutiny where if he even has a drink in an airport he gets attacked. Let’s cut the guy a break, to go through everything hes been through and be able to turn your life around takes a lot of courage.
Terence M.: Donovan McNabb goes through a blizzard to play Santa to a shelter for kids and everybody hates him!! But this guy, gets rewarded for facing the music he brought on himself!! You can see the rationale here!!
When Brian Dawkins returns to Philadelphia on Sunday, it will undoubtedly be a bittersweet affair. During his 13 years as an Eagle, the free safety was the heart and soul of the team, an unquestioned voice of leadership who could command the attention of both the defense and offense at any time.
For fans across the Delaware Valley, he was arguably the team’s most popular player. On the first day of free agency when he signed a multi-year deal with the Denver Broncos, the entire region received a collective punch in the gut.
We lost not only one of the team’s best players, but also a member of our extended family. Running out of the tunnel each week, replete with his antics and uncanny ability to fire up the crowd, we needed him to get fired up for game. He was our cup of coffee on Sunday afternoons.
Over the past ten months we’ve come to grips, for the most part, with the sometimes brutal business of football. When a player means as much to a franchise as Dawkins did, it’s tough to accept that he’s moving on to another team. Depending on how you look at it, he was either with the team forever or not long enough. I see it both ways.
Will the fans honor one of the greatest that has ever played in Philly this Sunday? Of course they will. Dawkins will get his hero’s welcome.
Many of the Eagles played side-by-side with Dawkins for years, being not only colleagues, but also friends. He reached the Pro Bowl 7 times and was a First-Team All-Pro 4 times. There will be plenty of memories shared throughout the day, but once the game starts, the gloves are off. Dawkins wouldn’t want it any other way.
Lest we forget that while the Eagles have secured that playoff spot, there is still business to be done. The team is within grasp of securing the NFC East and they have a shot at the second and final first round bye, as they sit just one game behind the Minnesota Vikings.
This is an important game for both teams and Dawkins will play his heart out. It’s hard watching him play for another team, and it always will be, but he’s doing what’s best for his family. While that doesn’t include playing for the Eagles, I am happy for him.
The Eagles’ last home game of the season is likely to be filled with fans in their #20 jerseys. When Dawkins is introduced, the entire stadium will stand up and give him the ovation he deserves. There will likely be some tears, but when the teams line up for the kickoff, all of the cheering will be for the midnight green.
In contrast to last season, the Eagles march to the playoffs has been a relatively easy affair. After the team’s 27-13 win over the 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, the team will be playing post-season football and will have a good shot at winning the NFC East. They even have an outside shot of getting a first round bye, but it would take victories in their final two games and for the Vikings to drop the next two out of three.
Leading up to today’s 4:15 pm match-up, the odds were stacked in the Eagles favor. In the past few years, they have dominated the 49ers. Additionally, San Francisco has been atrocious on the road this season, currently sitting at 1-6, and they flew cross-country for this match-up after a Monday night victory.
Once again, the Eagles opened up the game with a score, coming on a 19-yard TD catch from DeSean Jackson. This was the second-year wide receiver’s shortest touchdown reception of the season. Jackson was once again an offensive lynch pin, grabbing six passes for 140 yards. This pushes him over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career and he is the third receiver under Andy Reid to do so.
During the preseason, Jackson said he planned to double his reception total from last year (62), and although it doesn’t seem likely since he currently has 56, he has significantly increased his overall production. With two games left, he sits at 1,087 in receiving yards, especially impressive since he missed the Washington game.
The team has been great at setting the tone early this season. This was their ninth touchdown to open a game, and they have a total of 51 opening drive points. This leads the league and is also the most under Reid’s tenure.
LeSean McCoy added to the onslaught, running for 48 yards and a touchdown, while breaking the team’s rookie rushing record. Tight end Brent Celek picked up 73 yards on four catches, including the play that stuck a fork in the game.
Not enough good things can be said about these guys, especially Celek, who played with a bad back. Injury or not, he plays the type of football that Philadelphians love – tough and hard-nosed with a focus on working his tail off every time he touches the ball. He has the makings to become the league’s next great tight end.
The defense, sans the third quarter when they just threw in the towel, redeemed themselves for their sloppy play from the previous week. Quintin Mikell, Asante Samuel, and Tracy White all pulled down interceptions off of 49ers quarterback Alex Smith. This was White’s first career pick, while this was the 8th of the season for Samuel, who leads the team and is tied for second in the league. Keep in mind that these weren’t all bad passes from Smith – these guys were just intelligently jumping routes.
Outside of Frank Gore, who ran for over 100 yards, the defense kept the Niners in check and actually made big tackles. Chris Clemons picked up one sack while Trent Cole added two to his team-best total of 11.5.
Leonard Weaver, who continued his great run to end the season – he had two catcher for 18 yards and rushed for 52 yards on 17 carries, ended the second quarter with his head up his ass, costing the team 4 points.
As the team was quickly marching down the field following the White interception, Weaver got into it with the 49ers’ Ahmad Brooks. The fight, which took several seconds off of the already waning clock, had to be broken up by Reggie Brown. At least Brown is good for something.
McNabb, who played well, did under throw the ball a number of times and was picked off twice. Another interesting point to make is that both he and Smith had roughly the same amount of attempts and completions, but McNabb’s total passing yards was 306 – more than 100 more than his counterpart. It all came down to weapons, and #5 utilized them well.
For the eighth time in Reid’s 11 seasons as head coach, the Eagles are going to the playoffs. They’ve won 10 games for the first time since ’06 and have a chance to close out their best season since ’04.
While getting the first round bye is highly unlikely, the Eagles have two tough games ahead of them, including next week’s home match-up against the Broncos, which is likely to be bittersweet with the return of fan favorite Brian Dawkins, who signed with Denver in the off-season.
Injury notes: Michael Vick left the game in the first quarter with a bruised thigh. Sheldon Brown has a possible lower right leg injury, although he returned to the game in the third quarter.
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For those of you into numbers, here are some to consider:
