Die Hard Sports Fan

The Washington Redskins will face the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
TV & Radio Info:
Game: Redskins (3-1) at Eagles (2-2)
TV: FOX (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman)
Radio: 610 AM WIP All Sports Radio (Merrill Reese, Mike Quick)

Time: 1:00 p.m. ET

Game Notes:

• Last Regular Season Meeting: The Eagles beat the Redskins in Washington, 33-25.
• The Eagles have not allowed a touchdown at home in over 3 games.
• The Redskins have yet to turn the ball over on offense this season.
• OG Max Jean-Gilles will replace injured OG Shawn Andrews.
• Current Eagles players K David Akers and DE Chris Clemons started their NFL careers with The Redskins.
• Eagles QB Donovan McNabb is 10-5 all time against The Redskins.
• The Eagles are 12-5 when RB Brian Westbrook rushes for over 100 yards.
• RB Brian Westbrook grew up as a Washington Redskins fan.
• Eagles Punter Sav Rocca currently ranks 1^st in the NFL with a 44.1 net punting average.
• Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid is 2 wins shy of 100 career wins.
• Eagles Safety Brian Dawkins is 1 interception short to tie Eric Allen and Bill Bradley for the franchise lead in career interceptions of 34
• The Eagles lead the NFL in sacks (17)
• The Line: The Eagles are favored by 6.  Over/Under is 42

Injury Report:

Redskins - Out of Game: DE Jason Taylor (Calf). Doubtful: T Stephon Heyer (Shoulder). Questionable: LB Marcus Washington (Hamstring), CB Sean Springs (Calf). Probable: DE Andre Carter(Non-injury related), OG Randy Thomas (Toe).

Eagles - Doubtful: WR Kevin Curtis (hernia), DE Victor Abiamiri (wrist). Questionable: RB Brian Westbrook (ankle), TE L.J. Smith (back). Probable: QB Donovan McNabb (chest), S Quintin Demps (knee), RDT Dan Klecko (hand). 

Quote of the Week:

 ”The last few days have made me more optimistic.  I can feel myself getting better.  That’s what counts.  I am feeling very motivated right now.” - Eagles OG Shawn Andrews
Please feel free to comment below or in the tag board in the sidebar to chat with Eagles fans from around the world.

With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S!!  EAGLES!!

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The Die Hard Eagles Fan, known as “Vedder,” agreed to return the favor and allow us some insight into the mind of an Eagles fan regarding their season, the team, and the matchup this weekend.

How did you become an Philadelphia Eagles fan?

That one is easy.  My dad has been a die hard Eagles fan forever.  He was an usher at the famous 1960 Eagles-Packers championship game and I have been hearing about it since I was probably 5 years old.  Add in the factor that I started following sports at age 6, when the Eagles went to the Superbowl (lost to the Raiders), and it made it easy for me to get interested.  When I was a bit older, in the mid-80’s, some of the home games were blacked out.  So my dad and I would jump in the car and go scalp 2 tickets and watch.  Being at the Vet as a kid was exciting but scary.   For some sick reason, the experiences at the games as a kid helped me become a fan.

As a child, I grew up in Redskins country. But, I still followed the Eagles running back, Wilbur Montgomery. Who is your favorite Eagle from your lifetime of experience? 

There were plenty of players I loved over the years.  Seth Joyner was awesome.   “Arkansas” Fred Barnett was a favorite of mine.  All time though, it has to be Safety Brian Dawkins.  He is everything and anything you would want in a Safety.  He’s a leader.  He’s a ball hawk.  He’s a hitter.  A future Hall of Famer in my opinion.

The Eagles have played in two Super Bowls, yet have failed to win. How do you feel about the season thus far? 

I feel that they are a good team but not a great team.  I feel they have the potential to be in the NFC championship if they could learn from their mistakes and apply those lessons successfully.

I’ve read some commentary that is calling for Andy Reid to resign and/or retire, especially after last week’s loss to the Bears. What do you think? 

Those callings are because Eagles fans are emotional and in dire need for a championship.  They are passionate and let their emotions get to them.  Coach Reid definitely has a lot of flaws, and I will be the first to call him out.  If he doesn’t win the big one soon, he will go down as a good coach for planning during the week, but a bad game day coach who was too stubborn and too ignorant to learn from the past.

I’m not certain, but Reid is probably the winningest coach in Eagles history. Are the fans being fair to be so down on him right now? 

I would say some fans are definitely down on him but if they consider the alternative, such as some of the junk coaches out there, they should be somewhat grateful for what he brings to the table.  Again, if he could work on his flaws, then the sky would be the limit with this team.  Unfortunately, time is running out.

I have lived in the midst of the fans of the Philadelphia Eagles for over 10 years now. I attended and graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia. I remember Buddy Ryan and the days of that defense with Reggie White, Jerome Brown, and others. It was a ferocious team. How do you compare today’s Eagles to those of yesteryear? 

That core of players from that era (late 80’s-early 90’s) was something special and nothing can compare to them, not the 2004 Eagles Defense nor this current Defense.  Defenses like that probably only come around once every 10-20 years.  I still have my old VCR tapes of the 1991 season and every summer I watch the “House Of Pain” game as well as the “Body Bag” game.  Sorry Warmontco, but with you being a Die Hard Skins fan, I had to bring up the “Body Bag” game!

The city seems to be split on their opinion regarding Donovan McNabb. How do you feel about him as a QB? 

I am pro McNabb.  His career currently reminds me of the 1st 10 years of the trials and tribulations John Elway went through out in Denver, only to a smaller degree.  Obviously Elway was a ton better, but the parallels are the same.  McNabb has a rifle arm, is mobile, and uses his ability to step up and around the pocket to make big plays.  I don’t blame McNabb not bringing us a championship on McNabb like others do.  It is not his fault that the team refuses to give him a consistent running attack.  It is not #5’s fault that they refuse to address the WR position with the exception of bringing in TO in 2004.  I believe Reid has wasted his opportunity with McNabb and blew it, not taking advantage of his skills and complimenting them with the right offensive philosophy.

Do you believe it is fair to compare him to Randall Cunningham? Why, or why not?

There’s really nothing to compare besides they were both quarterbacks here.  I mean, sure, both were athletic and impressive quarterbacks.  McNabb is intelligent and can read defenses.  Randall just went out there and used his athletic ability to get him by.  Randall didn’t have anyone coaching him for most of his career here.  McNabb will go down as the Eagles best QB in my book.  So no, its not fair as I believe McNabb earned the right not to be compared to another QB who didn’t win much here.  

Many speculate that McNabb could be traded after this year to the Chicago Bears. Is this the last year for McNabb in Philadelphia?  It very well may be and I certainly hope not.  I think Eagles fans who want Kevin Kolb in there are suffering from “don’t know what you got until its gone” syndrome.  Kolb might be good sometime in the future, but McNabb brings so much more to the table.

Brian Westbrook, when healthy, can dominate a game. Why isn’t he featured more in the offense? Is it because he has trouble staying healthy?  Possibly but I say no.  I believe it’s because Andy Reid’s stubbornness to having a balanced attack.  Can you imagine the numbers Westbrook could put up if Reid didn’t come out throwing 50 times a game?  

With the exception of the acquisition of Terrell Owens, why, in your opinion, do the Eagles seem so reluctant to acquire a top-rated WR’s for McNabb?

I believe its all part of Andy Reid’s philosophy to prove to the world and the rest of the NFL how brilliant he can be.  It’s no coincidence that the only year the Eagles brought in a true stud, star WR, they went to the big dance.

Many people, including me, believe that if T.O. was still with the team, the Eagles would have won a Super Bowl by now. Do you agree? Why, or why not?  

If TO was still here, this team would be in the toilet.  He is a cancer and a time bomb, waiting to explode and break up a team. 

I believe the real issue that set off T.O.’s immature emotional stability was McNabb’s refusal to acknowledge T.O. as the MVP of the team. What do you think? 

I disagree.  I think TO’s a selfish, child who may be bi-polar.

This week the Redskins come to town. What is your prediction, and why?  

My prediction is both teams feel each other out in the first half where it will be a defensive struggle.  I think one team adjusts better than the other in the 2nd half and it opens up the scoring.  I think the Eagles come out in a close game, winning 20-16.  I think the Redskins are put in a tough position, having two road games in a row and might be still flying high and living off the past weekend with their victory over the Cowgirls instead of focusing on the present and the Eagles.

You must have noticed that the Redskins are playing with more confidence and effectiveness. What concerns you most about the Redskins offense? 

Lots of things.  They like to grind it out, wearing down the opposing defense while keeping the ball and thus the other team’s offense off the field.  The Eagles for years have been killed by other teams’ Tight Ends and this year is no different.  TE Chris Cooley makes me nervous.  QB Jason Campbell’s athleticism makes me worry.  The Eagles have been troubled in the past by QB’s who are athletic.  They need to contain him and make him throw off his back foot.  WR Santana Moss will be successful in getting behind the Eagles CBs which makes me nervous.  How many times he is successful at it will probably help determine the outcome.  RB Clinton Portis is a concern but if the Eagles continue to fill their gaps and be agressive at the line of scrimmage, they can limit him and hopefully put the Redskins in 3rd and long positions.  If that happens frequently, with the aggressive nature of the Eagles Defense, it would only be a matter of time until they force QB Jason Campbell into making a mistake.

The Redskins defense is playing extremely well, also. In the past three games, they have been effective in minimizing three powerful offensive teams in the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, and Dallas Cowboys. What will the the Eagles game plan against this surging Redskins defense?

It depends on if Westbrook plays and is at 100% or not.  If he’s there and back 100%, I would expect the Eagles to set up some screens to Westbrook, especially with some misdirection and fake reverses.  The Cowboys still moved the ball downfield many times in the air last week, so I would expect Reid and company to attack in the same fashion.

Who do you think will have the better game: Donovan McNabb or Jason Campbell? 

It depends which McNabb comes out in the beginning of the game.  He can come out, over pumped and hyped up, throwing balls into the ground and at the feets of receivers or over their heads.  This will lead to the sound of the early boo birds which only will feed into McNabb’s performance.  If he comes out calm, cool, and collective, then I believe McNabb has better odds of having a better game.

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On paper, The Philadelphia Eagles defense should match up quite well against The Chicago Bears offense.  The Bears passing game is suspect.  The Bears have no stand out, “have to stop receiver”.  The Bears starting QB, Kyle Orton has not been known to be a top, quality QB so far into his career.  Orton is inexperienced and inconsistent but can manage a game with short and accurate passes.  However, there are portions of the Bears offense that the Eagles need to be mindful of, or last year’s upset loss to the Bears could be repeated again this Sunday night.

Assuming dangerous return man/WR Devin Hester is still out with an injury as he is listed as Questionable at the time of this post, the Eagles should focus on shutting down two aspects of the Bears offense.  The first piece is to make sure they are not hurt continuously by rookie RB Matt Forte.  Forte has been a dangerous runner and receiver so far this season and could be the kind of back that gives the Eagles defense trouble.  There have been many successful rookie running backs so far into the NFL season, and Forte leads them all in production.  The Eagles so far have been extremely successful at shutting down the opposing team’s running backs and will need to keep Forte’s total damage at a minimum.  Doing so will put the Bears in a disadvantage, forcing them to have to attempt to pass, leaving them vulnerable to sacks, potential turnovers, and costly mistakes. 

The second portion of what the Eagles Defense should prepare for is the athletic ability of Bears Tight End Greg Olsen.  So far this season, arguably the Eagles biggest issue defensively has been attempting to shut down the other team’s Tight End.  Dallas Cowboys Tight End Jason Witten absolutely owned the Eagles during week 2’s game.  Last week, Steelers Tight End Heath Miller was the only success in the Steelers’ passing game.  It is crucial for the Eagles to get better at stopping opposing Tight Ends or more and more teams will game plan to pick on this chink in the Eagles defense’s armor. 

The Eagles have great Cornerbacks in Lito Sheppard, Asante Samuel, and Sheldon Brown.  Add in a ball hawking Safety in Brian Dawkins and an improving Safety in Quintin Mikell and I am quite confident that the Bears receiving core will not be much of a threat despite the fact that WR Brandon Lloyd (questionable) has started being more productive.

With that said, the Eagles would be wise to keep up their aggressive style of blitzing and be in the Orton’s face all day.  The Eagles should put as many men as possible up in the box, contain Forte, and bring the heat on Orton, forcing him to try to make the big play.  More times than not, the Eagles defense should be on the right side of things, helping our Birds go to 3-1.

With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S!!  EAGLES!!”

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Feel free to rip me a new one in the comments section if you don’t agree but I think this is the perfect time for the Eagles to make a trade.  After 3 weeks, the Eagles have proven that they are a contender.  Unfortunately, in the NFC, the Cowboys, Giants, and Packers also proved they are contenders.  Worse, the Cowboys and Giants are in the same division as the Eagles, the NFC East.  Therefore, every game means something more this year than ever and the window of opportunity is wide open.  With the AFC so far looking like the lower of the two conferences, if the Eagles can make a move, they can further position themselves to win the Super Bowl.

Next year, the Eagles have two first round picks.  One was acquired last year in a draft deal with the Carolina Panthers.  Assuming major injuries can be avoided, the Eagles have the core of players and talent to win now.  There’s no point in keeping both of these two number one picks for next year.  Those picks can certainly help them in the future but it cannot help us win the Super Bowl this year. 

Hurry up and make the phone call to Detroit Lions GM Matt Millen before he is fired.  The Lions have been known to make some bad trades in the past (see Denver trading RB Tatum Bell and OT George Foster for CB Dre Bly as an example).  WR Roy Williams is struggling in Detroit’s new offensive scheme.  He can become a free agent at the end of the season.  With the Lions starting the season 0-3, they might as well blow up the team and get value for what they have now before they lose Williams and get nothing in return.  They would be crazy not too.  Offer a number one pick to Detroit for WR Roy Williams; conditional on him signing a long-term and cap-friendly contract with the Birds.

Yes, I know, receivers take time to learn the West Coast Offense.  Don’t tell rookie sensation WR DeSean Jackson that.  Let’s see how Roy Williams fits in.  Heck, use him as a decoy and let him run fly routes all game long.  Yes, I know, Head Coach Andy Reid insists we are fine with our current core of receivers and he does not value the receiver position as highly as other positions.  Hello Coach Reid.  The one year we had a stud receiver, we lost the Super Bowl by three points!  QB Donovan McNabb had his best year that season.  Can you imagine Roy Williams lining up with a healthy Kevin Curtis, DeSean Jackson, and any other combination of Reggie Brown, Hank Baskett, or Jason Avant?  The formation possibilities would be endless.  Reid could scheme and confuse opposing defenses by sending RB Brian Westbrook in motion, out of the backfield.  Having all these weapons on the field at all times makes it easier for others including Tight End L.J. Smith.  Having all these receiving threats would open up running lanes for Westbrook as the opposing defenses would have to further respect the pass.  It would give McNabb more choices and make the offense more of a threat.  In theory, a better offense gives us a better defense as they would not have that added pressure of keeping opposing offensive teams’ scoring down as they had to do this past Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

There’s no time like the present.  How much longer will the likes of Jon Runyan, Tra Thomas, and Brian Dawkins be around, playing at a high level?  McNabb could be gone after this season.  This city and the fans deserve a championship.  This core group of players on this current team deserves a chance at the Super Bowl.  It is now up to Reid and the front office to pull the trigger and make the move.  After all, half the time, number one picks wind up as busts.  The upside of the trade is worth the risk.  Do it.

With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S!!  EAGLES!!”

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After witnessing one of the best Eagles Defense’s performances in some time, all I can say is “WOW”!! After a tough loss to the Dallas Cowboys a week ago, the Eagles Defense had a statement to make and that statement is still echoing across the NFL today. There was no better time for this defense to stand up and take on their shoulders the burden of winning the game and they did so with reckless abandon. Most of the time, after a team loses one (if not two) of their star offensive players during a game, the rest of the team goes into what I call a “funk mode” where they just sleep-walk through the rest of the game to get it finished. Not so on Sunday against arguably one of the AFC’s top teams, The Pittsburgh Steelers. It was as if the defense recognized their offense needed a hand and took it upon themselves to keep Pittsburgh out of the end zone and lead the Birds to a very important victory. The Eagles defense registered 9 sacks, 3 turnovers, and even that rare safety. The amazing thing about the defense’s performance is they could have had even more sacks if not for some penalties and Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger’s ability to scramble away for some small, positive yardage or throw the ball away on more than one occasion. Like that bee’s nest that I accidentally hit with a basketball when I was younger, the Eagles defense came out flying and swarming Roethlisberger. They shut down the run and dangerous RB Willie Parker. They gave up minimum yardage to Steelers receiving threats in Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, and Heath Miller and kept them in check. The defense was simply amazing and as if the Eagles had at least 15 defenders on the field facing the Steelers’ 11 players. Nothing made me happier however when in the 4^th quarter, Eagles “Soon to be Hall of Famer” Safety Brian Dawkins came flying in, diving towards Roethlisberger and not only caused a fumble, but somehow used his ‘Jedi’ skills to fall on the ball and recover it too. “B-Dawk” is my favorite Eagle and he took a considerable amount of heat this week, especially after getting beat by Cowboys WR Terrell Owens for a TD in last week’s game against Dallas. With that single play against Pittsburgh, he showed us Die Hard Eagles Fans that although he is indeed older, he still has something left in the tank and he will leave nothing on the field with his hopes of bringing Philadelphia a championship. He is the heart and energy of our defense and despite some loss of speed; he proved yesterday he is very much needed on that field. To conclude, I want to be clear that Sunday’s victory was a true team win. Credit is due to the entire team, not just the defense. The Offense did execute well enough to get some points on the board. The Special Teams were fantastic both on kick-off coverage as well as punts. Punter Sav Rocca indeed had his best game with the Eagles. However, it was the fire and intensity that the Eagles defense brought all game long, and for that, we Eagles fans should be very proud and excited of what opportunities lie ahead if they can consistently perform at that level. All I can say is “WOW”!! With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S!! EAGLES!!”

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The Eagles Defense earned the victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.  In a physical, defensive battle, the Steelers could not find a way to protect QB Ben Roethlisberger from the ever attacking Eagles Defense.

1^st Quarter

The Eagles won the coin toss and QB Donovan McNabb moved the offense down the field.  FB Tony Hunt caught a ball out in the flat and tried turning it up field.  Hunt was knocked silly on the play, suffering a concussion.  Worse, he fumbled the ball and the Steelers were awarded possession after a challenge review indicating a fumble.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger then successfully lead the Steelers offense downfield and settled for a 37-yard field goal to earn a 3-0 Steelers lead.

2^nd Quarter

During the next Eagles offensive possession, RB Brian Westbrook went wide left on a running play and tried hurdling over OT Tra Thomas to avoid stepping on him.  When Westbrook came down, he landed awkwardly, spraining his ankle.  Westbrook limped off the field and did not return to the game.  X-Rays did not show anything broken and he will have an MRI on Monday.  A few plays later, McNabb found backup RB Correll Buckhalter open for a 20-yard TD pass.  It was McNabb’s 176^th TD pass, a new Eagles franchise record.  The Eagles lead 7-3.

On Pittsburgh’s next offensive possession, the Eagles defense turned up the heat and shut down RB Willie Parker and the Steelers Offense.  Roethlisberger was sacked 3 times and also fumbled where the ball was recovered by Philadelphia.

The Eagles immediately went to work, mixing it up with the pass and some run.  They marched down to the Steelers’ 14 yard-line where they settled for a 31-yard David Akers field goal making the score 10-3.

The next possession for the Steelers was similar to the last one where the Eagles defense was flying around the field, causing constant pressure.  After being sacked 2 more times, Roethlisberger was intercepted by Eagles CB Asante Samuel, giving the Eagles offense back the football.

After 2 plays, it was third down and McNabb dropped back to pass.  Backup RB Lorenzo Booker missed a crucial block to protect McNabb and he forced a ball into coverage.  It was intercepted by Steelers CB Bryan McFadden, giving the Steelers great field position, at the Eagles 49-yard line.  The Steelers then took the ball forward and settled for a 53-yard field goal by K Jeff Reed, making the score 10-6 right before half-time.

3^rd Quarter

After the Steelers Offense came out and was forced to punt, surprisingly the Eagles offense was lead out onto the field by backup QB Kevin Kolb.  It was reported that McNabb was in the locker room with a chest injury.  Kolb’s first pass was intercepted by Steelers Safety Troy Polamalu.

The Steelers were unsuccessful on their next possession and were forced to punt.  Kolb started the offensive drive, but McNabb replaced him, coming back in on a 2^nd and 2 play.  The Eagles drive stalled a few plays later where P Sav Rocca dropped the ball nicely to the Steelers’ 10 yard-line.  The Eagles and Steelers then finished the 3^rd quarter by trading possessions, punting the ball back and forth to each other after each team failing to move the ball on offense.

4^th Quarter

A few more possessions were traded back and forth as the Eagles defense was too much for the Steelers and their offensive line.  The Eagles offense also had trouble in the early stages of the 4^th quarter moving the ball. 

After a 54-yard punt by Rocca, placing the Steelers at their own 6-yard line, the Steelers were shut down trying to move the ball out from their goal-line.  On 3^rd down, Roethlisberger was pressured in his end zone and flagged for intentional grounding, giving the Eagles a Safety and increasing their lead to 12-6.

The Eagles received the Steelers’ free kick at the Eagles’ 39-yard line but were unsuccessful in moving the ball.  On the Steelers next possession, Roethlisberger was hit by a Eagles Safety Brian Dawkins who forced the fumble and recovered the ball as well.  The Eagles settled for a field goal, extending their lead to 15-6.

The Steelers took the ball back but Roethlisberger left the game with a hand injury.  Backup QB Byron Leftwhich replaced him and was unsuccessful in leading the Steelers to a score.  The Eagles got the ball back, took a knee and ran out the clock, winning this physical battle over The Keystone State, 15-6.

Wrap Up 

The Eagles Defense forced 9 sacks, 1 Safety, and 3 Turnovers against the Steelers.

Besides injuries to Hunt, McNabb, and Westbrook, TE L.J. Smith suffered a back injury.

The Eagles Defense held RB Willie Parker to just 20 yards rushing.

 With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S!!  EAGLES!!”

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For the Eagles Defense to be successful against the Steelers Offense, two things have to happen consistently; 1) put constant pressure and hits on Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and 2) be more physical than the Steelers.  Roethlisberger has already been sacked five times this year and has sustained an injury to his shoulder.   During the off-season, the Steelers lost their best offensive lineman in free agency, Alan Faneca.  The Eagles should look to see how they can take advantage of Faneca’s replacement, Chris Kemoeatu.  Ideally, the Eagles would like to get in the face of Roethlisberger all day long, throwing off his rhythm and timing, and causing him to force balls and make mistakes.

An interesting thing to see is who wins the running game match-up.  The Steelers bring a powerful, physical running game with RB Willie Parker.  Last year, Parker led the lead in rushing yardage until sustaining a broken leg very late in the season.  He is a running back capable of splitting a crack between players and breaking it for the home run from any point on the field.  If Parker can get into open space, his speed can bring problems to the Eagles Linebackers and Secondary.  The Eagles will need to hold their ground against the Steelers Offensive Line and not let Parker out into open space. 

Against the pass, if the Eagles do not do a good job of throwing Roethlisberger’s timing off, it could be a long day for the Eagles Defense.  WR Santonio Holmes is a speedster; the type of receiver that quickly gets behind a defense and finds himself open, deep down field with his double moves.  WR Hines Ward is not fast, but is the arguably one of the NFL’s consistent receivers, always coming up with that important catch on third down or being Roethlisberger’s go to guy as a possession receiver.  Additionally, Ward is a physical receiver who loves to stick his nose in and pancake defensive players and has been instrumental in Parker’s success in the past.  The Eagles CBs will always need to know where Ward will be, or they could wind up being surprised by being blown up by Ward on a running play. 

The last match-up which could wind up being the turning point and pointing things towards the Steelers Offense’s way is TE Heath Miller.  A quiet TE overshadowed by bigger name star players such as Roethlisberger, Parker, Holmes and Ward, Miller can be that silent assassin; making that crucial red zone Touch Down reception.  The Eagles have a history of not being able to stop Tight Ends in the past and this year is no different so far.  Last week, my biggest concern was who would shut down Jason Witten of the Cowboys.  The answer was no one was able to stop Witten and his performance last week helped Dallas to victory.  It is my opinion that if Miller starts to be a force catching the ball early in the game, the Eagles should change up their coverage, taking advantage of having three stud Cornerbacks, and put one of them on Miller.  Looking at the current Eagles defense, I do not have confidence in the pass coverage skills on a Tight End from S Brian Dawkins or Linebackers Omar Gaither or Chris Gocong. 

In conclusion, it will be a great dog fight, there’s no doubt.  There will be Steelers’ possessions where they score points and then some.  They are too physical and too talented not too.  My hopes are that the Eagles remain physical and beat the Steelers at their own game, thus minimizing the points scored and hold the Steelers to enough points to let the Eagles Offense pull things out on the other end and therefore our Eagles will be now 2-1.

With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S!!  EAGLES!!”

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It has been over 24 hours now since the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Dallas Cowboys.  The more time goes by, the harder I am taking this loss.  After the game was over, I felt a disappointment just because how it ended.  Now, I feel more than disappointment.  Its not anger but its definitely something worthy of feeling like I got kicked in the you know what.

With a few minutes left in the game and the Eagles Offense being led onto the field, I had a false sense of hope and promise where I envisioned Donovan McNabb marching the offense down the field as John Elway has done so many times for the Broncos in his career.  I could see it right then and there; with McNabb running the 2-minute drill and leading the Eagles to victory over the hated Cowboys and making the 70,000 plus fans go home with their hearts in their hands.  It never happened, obviously.  Instead, a different Donovan McNabb led the team to failed attempts to bring our team back. 

The first three quarters and #5 was his old self.  Moving around in the pocket, throwing tight rope passes to his receivers down field, spreading it around with no bias.   McNabb was successful during the first three quarters without his two top receivers and with someone that was trying to impersonate franchise Tight End, L.J. Smith.  McNabb was the smiling, happy McNabb.  The quarterback playing for the Eagles last night during the first three quarters was the same quarterback who lead our beloved team to the Super Bowl just a few years ago.

The fourth quarter was a different story.  McNabb looked distant, almost confused at times.  The quarterback out there sporting #5 in green had trouble handing off the ball in the most crucial times.  He missed a wide open Bryan Westbrook on a huge third down play that might have changed the outcome of the game if the ball was thrown correctly.  This quarterback, playing for the Eagles in the fourth quarter against Dallas took sacks that our offense could not afford to let happen. 

After the game, McNabb took it like a man and took full responsibility for the cause of the turnover late in the game when he mishandled a simple handoff on a fake reverse.  “My bad” with the pat to his chest is what I pictured when hearing him talk after the game.  I don’t know what happened to him as I am guessing he was flat out exhausted and ran out of juice.  The Eagles loss was not his fault.  The defense gave up huge plays at the most inopportune times.  LB Stewart Bradley was toasted for a TD reception by RB Marion Barber.  Safety Brian Dawkins was out of place at times.  Why Safety Sean Considine is on the field is beyond me.  Special Teams was almost putrid at times including giving up a touchdown to rookie RB Felix Jones.  L.J. Smith disappeared last night.  (Can we go back to the draft and take Cowboys TE Jason Witten and let Dallas draft L.J. Smith?).  WR Greg Lewis didn’t come up with a sideline pass where it was a catch he had to make.    No one with any football understanding can solely pin last night’s loss on McNabb.

McNabb is a good quarterback.  It was a moment like last night where he could have showed the national audience that he wants to be a great quarterback.  He can make plays that very few others can make.  He is greatly appreciated here by this blogger and I will miss him tremendously when his days run out as a member of the Eagles.  I just wonder what it will take to get him over the hump and catapult him into the next echelon of quarterbacks.

With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S!!  EAGLES!!”

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Where do I start?  How about with a nice video clip of my favorite hitting CB in the NFL, Sheldon Brown:

 

With that covered, let’s take a look back at yesterday’s great victory as our Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) now head to Dallas to face the Dallas Cowboys (1-0).

Offense:  McNabb was simply spectacular.  He started the season in fine fashion, on par with helping me be correct with my prediction that he will throw for 4000 yards and pass for 30 TDs.  1 game down, 15 to go with that prediction… He was on fire, completing 21 of 33 passes, lighting up the Rams Defense with 361 yards passing and 3 1^st half TDs.  He did well stepping up in the pocket and avoiding the rush, throwing spreading the ball nicely to his weapons. 

Very quietly, Westbrook had a nice game.  He had the TD reception in the first half and then really picked up steam running the ball in the second half, later adding a rushing TD as well.  There were points in the game where I was wondering if Reid and company forgot about running the ball, but those thoughts quickly disappeared each time the Eagles lead grew by another 7 points.

The receivers stepped up and gave McNabb what he needed.  Consistent players making the catches to keep the chains moving, or in Hank Baskett’s case, to add 7 points to the score when he hauled in a 90 yarder from McNabb shortly before half-time.  What was impressive to me, but probably not much noticeable was the receivers’ down the field blocking.  Whether blocking for each other after a reception, or for Westbrook on running plays, numerous times I looked up and saw the receivers blocking well.  Additionally, I was pleased to see LJ Smith play with at a level that I hope to see from him consistently.  LJ finished with 5 catches, which is a nice amount to receive from your West Coast Offense Tight End.

The Eagles Offensive Line had a great game as a total unit.  They kept McNabb’s uniform clean as #5 was not sacked at all.  They provided very good push upfront giving Westbrook time to hit the gap and average solid numbers.

Defense:  The Eagles frustrated and confused Rams QB Marc Bulger and the rest of their offense all day.  Bulger nor RB Steven Jackson got into a rhythm and the score shows that obviously.  Most impressive was the fact that the Eagles defense basically shut out WR Torry Holt who was held to just 1 catch for a whopping 9 yards.  The Eagles rotation on the defensive line did a solid job at containing Jackson as well as pressuring Bulger.  DE/DT/LS Darren Howard didn’t a lot of tackles, but he did create some pressure, which helps me get over the fact we kept him and cut Jerome McDougle.  The linebackers were steady.  MLB Stewart Bradley handled himself well in a year where the Eagles linebackers really need to step up and contribute better than in past years.

The Eagles secondary were most impressive.  Asante Samuels could have easily had two or three interceptions.  One would have been returned the other way for a TD.  Samuels, along with Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard were all over the field, as if the Rams were only sending out one eligible receiver with the Eagles covering him with 11 men.  Safeties Brian Dawkins and Quintin Mikell played solid support coverage against the run and held their ground in the passing game.

Special Teams:  Wow!  Night and day is the comparison here for this year’s season opener versus last year’s loss versus Green Bay.  I don’t want to remind Die Hard Eagles fans but last year, all the Eagles had to do was fair catch a punt and the game was their’s to win, but Greg Lewis (and not Brian Westbrook) didn’t and well, I will move on….

Punt Returner and Rookie Sensation DeSean Jackson was a breath of fresh air and brings a very much needed threat that the opposing teams will now have to game plan for.  What Jackson also does is makes the offense and defense better simply by giving the Eagles better field position.  He helps the offense by not making them have to work as hard if they have a smaller field to play with.  He helps the defense assuming the offense is productive off of where he gives them better field position.  Sunday, he was dazzling and came up on fire for his rookie debut.  Besides catching over 100 yards, he also returned 8 punts for 97 yards including an exciting 60 yarder that made me hold my breath, not wanting to jinx anything by saying he was going to score.  When something like a 60 yard punt return happens for the Eagles, I am used to something bad occurring immediately right after it, such as a penalty negating the return. 

Another Rookie bringing hope to the Eagles’ Special Teams was Quintin Demps.  Demps made two special plays on punt coverage that won’t show up in the stats today but made a huge impression on me.  On one punt, he made a head’s up play, jumping into the end-zone and batting the ball back into play for the other Eagles to down the ball.  It was most impressive.

Even Punter Sav Rocca did well.  I cringe every time he is back there to punt, I must be honest.  I was a Dirk Johnson guy last pre-season.  Rocca only had to punt 4 times, but averaged a nice 41.5 yards.    

So in conclusion, the Eagles did exactly everything (except a shut out!) that we Die Hard Eagles fans needed after waiting so many months for the season to start.  They demolished the Rams and beat the Rams in every portion of the game.  I don’t know about you, but I was nervous after every play, when the score was 31-0 and 38-0 and the Eagles still had first string players in there.  I got to exhale after Westbrook and company were safely on the bench but that leads me to a question for Andy Reid.  With the game obviously out of hand, even before it got to 31-0, what would have been the harm of starting to pull the 1^st stringers and give the younger guys some reps and experience versus the Rams’ first string players?  If this is McNabb’s final year (which I hope it is not), then getting Kevin Kolb in there before the 4^th quarter would have been wise to me for more than just keeping McNabb safe and healthy, ready for another day, specifically next week versus those Dallas Cowboys.

With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S!!  EAGLES!!”

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The Saint Louis Rams will face the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

TV & Radio Info:

Game: New Rams (0-0) at Eagles (0-0)
TV: FOX (Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa)
Radio: 610 AM WIP All Sports Radio (Merrill Reese, Mike Quick)
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET

Game Notes:

• Rookie WR DeSean Jackson is scheduled to start for the Eagles.
• Under Head Coach Andy Reid, the Eagles are 3-6 on opening day.
• Last Regular Season Meeting: Eagles beat the Rams 17-16 at St. Louis in 2005.
• Although not practicing much of the pre-season, DE Chris Clemons is expected to play.
• Field conditions may be of issue with Temple playing on Saturday and rain in the forecast.

Injury Report:

Rams - Out of Game: WR Donnie Avery (Knee). Probable: CB Fakhir Brown (Shoulder), C Brett Romberg (Hand), RB Brian Leonard (Shoulder).

Eagles - Out of Game: DE Victor Abiamiri (Wrist), WR Kevin Curtis (Hernia). Doubtful: WR Reggie Brown (Hamstring). Probable: RB Lorenzo Booker (Hip), DE Chris Clemons (Calf), S Sean Considine (Hand), FS Brian Dawkins (Ankle).

Feel free to chat with other Eagles fans in the Tag Board in the right column. With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S! EAGLES!!”

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