Cheesesteaks and Heartbreaks

Castillo Stinks, But So Does Andy's Drafting Record

2011-12-07T08:03:00.003-05:00

The hiring of Juan Castillo as defensive coordinator has been a complete disaster, and it has to go down as one of Andy Reid's worst decisions as the head coach of the Eagles considering the team's previous defensive struggles, the influx of new players, and the shortened offseason. The defense performed poorly enough in the last two seasons to get Sean McDermott fired, and they have managed to perform even worse this year, despite being given plenty of fourth quarter leads. It has been rumored that Reid must fire Castillo in order to keep his own job, which honestly should be a no-brainer, but with the way the Eagles organization operates, you never know.

As bad as that decision was, there is something else you have to look at when trying to analyze what has gone so wrong with a defense that used to be one of the most feared in the National Football League, especially since the passing of former defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. To put it plainly, the Eagles have been downright terrible at drafting defensive players. As the Executive VP of Football Operations, this can be traced right back to Andy, as he has his hands all over the personnel decisions that the Eagles make. Take a look at how the Eagles have drafted on the defensive side of the ball under Reid:

2011: Jaiquawn Jarrett, Curtis Marsh, Casey Matthews, Brian Rolle, Greg Lloyd
2010: Brandon Graham, Nate Allen, Daniel Te'o Nesheim, Trevard Lindley, Keenan Clayton, Ricky Sapp, Jamar Chaney, Jeff Owens, Kurt Coleman
2009: Macho Harris, Moise Fokou
2008: Trevor Laws, Bryan Smith, Quintin Demps, Jack Ikegwuonu, Joe Mays, Andy Studebaker
2007: Victor Abiamiri, Stewart Bradley, C.J. Gaddis, Rashad Barksdale
2006: Brodrick Bunkley, Chris Gocong, Omar Gaither, LaJuan Ramsey
2005: Mike Patterson, Matt McCoy, Sean Considine, Trent Cole, Keyonta Marshall, David Bergeron
2004: Matt Ware, J.R. Reed, Dexter Wynn
2003: Jerome McDougle, Jamaal Green, Norman LeJuene
2002: Lito Sheppard, Michael Lewis, Sheldon Brown, Tyreo Harrison, Raheem Brock
2001: Quinton Caver, Derrick Burgess
2000: Corey Simon
1999: Barry Gardner, Damon Moore, Pernell Davis

Things were actually pretty good until 2003, and then, for whatever reason, something went horribly wrong. Honestly, how many impact players have the Eagles drafted since 2003 on the defensive side of the ball? Trent Cole is far and away their best pick during that timeframe, but other than that it's slim pickings. You can count on one hand the number of Eagles defensive draft picks from 2003 - 2011 that have turned into starting-quality players in the NFL. 2010 sticks out in particular, as after struggling in 2009 defensively (culminating in embarassing back-to-back losses to Dallas), the Eagles went almost exclusively defense in the 2010 draft. Of their top four picks that year, two have been released and one has barely been able to stay on the field. The other, Nate Allen, has underperformed this year at safety. Chaney and Coleman are starters, but only out of necessity, not because they're starting-caliber players.

That's not the formula for success, and it has set the Eagles back to the point that they were forced to make a series of high-priced free agent acquisitions this offseason to bolster the defensive unit. The young talent just hasn't been there, and the "small and fast" mold that the Eagles have followed when drafting defensive linemen and linebackers clearly isn't panning out.

The first change that is needed is definitely at the defensive coordinator position. However, if Reid is to stay on as head coach (which it appears he will), he needs to take a hard look at the way the Eagles draft defensive players and evaluate just what kind of impact their failures in that department have had on the mess the team is now in. You aren't going to hit a home run with every draft pick - there are always busts, no matter how keen your scouting eye - but right now, Reid is just hitting weak grounders to short.

I would love to see a proven, experienced defensive mind like Steve Spagnuolo, Jack Del Rio, or some other young talent in the NFL we may not have heard of nationally come in and revamp this defense. The problem is, if they are going to be hampered by Reid's stubbornness and clear lack of proficiency in eyeing defensive talent, the team is still going to struggle. Reid would be well served to put his ego aside and turn the defense over to someone else altogether, and he can stick to what he knows best: quarterbacks and offense.

So Long, Dream Team

2011-11-27T21:01:00.006-05:00

Barring some serious ridiculousness, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots have just put the final nail in the coffin of the 2011 Eagles season. Rather than going into detail about everything that went wrong (Nate Allen, the 4^th and 1 rollout, Desean’s drops), which could take until tomorrow, here is a fun stat to illustrate some of the frustration that led to the “Fire Andy” chants in the second half of today’s game.

Wins at Lincoln Financial Field since December 3, 2010:

Temple – 5

Real Madrid – 1

Penn State – 1

Vikings, Cowboys, Packers, Giants, 49ers, Bears, Cardinals, Patriots – 1

U2 (I’ll give them a win for their awesome concert this summer; it was a better performance than what the Eagles have given us) - 1

Your Philadelphia Eagles – 1

To all those who have spent their hard earned money to watch the “Dream Team” this season (this includes myself), especially the season ticket holders – you deserve better. But hey, at least they didn’t blow a fourth quarter lead this time!

Eagles-Bears: News And Notes

2011-11-04T17:47:00.000-04:00

Once again, the Eagles are playing the Bears. This is the fifth straight season in which the two teams have squared off, with the Bears winning three of the last four. The Bears beat the Eagles 31-26 at Soldier Field last year in a game that wasn't as close as the score would indicate, but things are different this year. The game won't be played on the nasty Soldier Field turf that ate the Eagles up. The Eagles will start Nnamdi Asomugha and Asante Samuel at cornerback instead of Joselio Hanson and Dmitri Patterson, which will make things a little tougher on Jay Cutler and a subpar group of Bears receivers. The Eagles' offensive line looks much better than it did last year, and they're running the ball much more effectively. The lines say that the Eagles are heavily favored, and rightfully so. While I don't think this game will be a cakewalk by any means, I do feel really good about the Eagles' chances. The Bears are about due for a blowout at the hands of the Birds.

Now, some news and notes about the upcoming Monday night contest.

Jay Cutler is worried about the noise at the Linc

So, if you're going to be at the game Monday, get loud. Real loud. Not like you weren't going to do that anyway, of course. The C&H authors will be in attendance, doing their part to ruin Jay's night. Given the effectiveness of the Eagles pass rush, their strength in the secondary, and the Bears' lack of big-time threats at the receiver position, it seems clear to me that they will try to beat the Eagles with screens and slants, a la the Bills. Hopefully the D can stay disciplined and minimize the impact of such plays, forcing Chicago into third-and-long situations where the Birds (and their fans) can really tee off on Cutler.

Roy Williams doesn't think this game is a must-win

I love this guy. One of the biggest underachievers in the NFL, but he'll never fail to celebrate a first down, or anything else he does on the field for that matter. He also apparently doesn't view this game as a must-win for the Bears. Now, theoretically, he's right. The Bears could very well lose this game and still make the playoffs. However, aren't players and coaches supposed to treat every game like a must-win? I mean, you only get 16 of them. We hear it from Andy Reid every week when asked if he feels there's any added importance on a given game. "They're all must-wins in this league." And he's right. Even if you don't think it's a must-win in your head, Roy, it would probably be a good idea to just say that it is. That kind of comment isn't going to go over real well in Chicago; I can only imagine if it happened in Philly.

Marcus Hayes thinks Lesean McCoy and Matt Forte are underpaid

And I would tend to agree. Both backs have been outstanding for their teams this season, and both are still playing on their rookie contracts (meaning they make a lot less than Roy Williams). That isn't to say that their teams need to pay them immediately - that's just the way things work in the NFL when you excel as a young player - but you can be sure that there's big money on the way for these guys in the future.

"Shady" McCoy has had a breakout season, second in the NFL in rushing yards and first in yards-per-carry amongst backs in the top 20 in rushing yards. He has also scored at least one touchdown in every game thus far. Forte basically carries the Bears' offense as the only legit big-time playmaker, and he does it both on the ground and through the air. In fact, he leads all running backs with 419 receiving yards. Containing Forte is the key for the Eagles to have success on defense in this game.

Forte and McCoy haven't quite reached the big-name status of guys like Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson (who, by the way, is nowhere to be found this season), but the stats speak for themselves, and the impact they have on their respective offenses is undeniable. Two of the best backs in the NFL will be on display for a national audience to see this Monday night.

Phillies Free Agent Outlook

2011-11-01T19:04:00.000-04:00

Now that the World Series has ended (a series of which I watched a total of about 5 minutes), it's time to put the 2011 season in our rear view mirrors and look ahead to 2012. Sadly, we aren't recovering from the hangover of a parade down Broad Street or waiting in line at Modell's for all the World Series Champions gear we can get our hands on, but we can take solace in the fact that the Phillies still figure to be a major contender next year. As baseball's free agency period is about to open, we ponder the moves the Phillies might make to try and once again reach the promised land. SI just released a list of the top 50 available free agents, and the team that would be the best fit for each in 2012. We take a look at the Phillies on this list, and other options the Phillies might look at to fill out the roster going forward.

10. Jimmy Rollins - Rollins had a productive season in 2011, getting on base at nearly a .400 clip and stealing 30 bags. The Phillies love his defense and the leadership he brings to the team, even though his offensive numbers are likely to decline at age 33. We'd love to have the longest-tenured Phillie finish out his career here, but Rollins has publicly said he wants something in the range of a 5-year deal, which is going to be tough for a Phillies team trying to get younger. SI thinks the Giants are a more likely destination, as they desparately need offense in their lineup, and Rollins is from the Bay Area. We'll see how this plays out, but the odds seem to be in the favor of Jimmy signing elsewhere.

12. Ryan Madson - Madson emerged as the stud closer that the Phillies hoped he would in 2011, blowing just 2 saves in 34 chances. He was really the only consistently dominant reliever in the Phillies bullpen, and you can bet that if he ends up signing elsewhere, the Phillies will bring in another big name closer to replace him as they can't afford to lose that production. SI thinks the Phillies are the best fit, and I agree; the Phils will have to pony up some cash to bring him back, but I think he's wearing red pinstripes in 2012.

22. Roy Oswalt - The Phillies aren't picking up Oswalt's $16 million option, nor should they. Oswalt struggled with back problems throughout much of the 2011 season, and wasn't quite ace material when he did pitch. The team will have to pay $2 million to buy him out, but that's a small price to pay, and I don't expect them to try and re-sign him on the open market even though he will surely command a lower figure than his option amount. I think the Phillies are content with Worley and Kendrick/Blanton at the back of the rotation, and will use the money that would have been spent on Oswalt to fill other needs. SI predicts that Oswalt will end up with the Rangers, which makes sense given his time in Texas with the Astros.

35. Raul Ibanez - Like the Energizer Bunny, he just keeps on going, even as he reaches the ripe old age of 40. However, there's really no room for him on a Phillies team that is, again, looking to get younger, and Ibanez's defense just isn't there anymore. He is still productive enough offensively, however, that an American League team could take a shot at bringing him in as a DH. SI predicts that he will return to Seattle next year, where he spent the majority of his career.

So, there you have it. I would expect Rollins, Oswalt, and Ibanez to be wearing different uniforms in 2012. Madson could very well sign with another team as well, though he definitely makes the most sense out of the four to return. Where else could the Phillies look to bring in a free agent or two? In my opinion, they could use some help in the pen. Brad Lidge won't be back, Jose Contreras is a question mark, and the youngsters, Antonio Bastardo and Mike Stutes, had some rough patches as the season wore on. I would love to see the Phillies bring in a hard-throwing reliever to solidify the back end of the pen, although they might look to their minor league system rather than the free agent market to find one.

The void that will potentially be left by Rollins at shortstop is one that the Phillies could also fill from within. Freddy Galvis was promoted to Lehigh Valley during the 2011 season, and is an excellent defensive shortstop who still has some work to do with his bat. One thing I don't expect the Phillies to do is go after a big-name free agent shortstop (i.e. Jose Reyes), as that money could be spent elsewhere on guys like Madson and Cole Hamels, who is due for a big contract soon. And, of course, Ryan Howard is getting a raise next year. I expect that if Rollins does not return, Galvis will compete with a smaller-name free agent that the Phillies bring in, or they may even decide to go with someone like Wilson Valdez or Michael Martinez.

Placido Polanco struggled mightily at the plate after returning from injury, but I attribute that more to injury than anything else, and believe he can still be productive in the lineup. He had sports hernia surgery immediately following the close of the season, and assuming he gets healthy this offseason, I expect to see him at third in 2012. Don't expect the Phillies to make a move there.

The void at first base if Ryan Howard can't start the season will be an interesting story. John Mayberry, Jr. has shown he can play the position effectively, but if he moves to first that leaves a void in left field. That could open up a spot for Dom Brown, but Ruben Amaro, Jr. seems to want him in AAA for the bulk of the season. Chase Utley could also move to first, which would mean one of the utility guys (Valdez, Martinez) would likely slot in at second. However this plays out, I expect the Phillies to solve the problem internally, or maybe pick up a bench guy to fill in somewhere (which they need to do anyway). Since Howard shouldn't miss a ton of time in 2012, if any, they don't need to make any big moves there.

At the end of the day, I wouldn't expect the Phillies to make any big free agent splashes aside from possibly resigning their own guys. They could shock us all, like they did last winter by signing Cliff Lee, but there just aren't the glaring holes on this team that would warrant throwing a huge contract at a player. There will, however, definitely be a new look to this team in 2012.

Could Lesean McCoy Actually Be An Early MVP Candidate?

2011-10-31T07:41:00.004-04:00

It's hard to believe, but Lesean McCoy is actually making us Eagles fans forget about Brian Westbrook.

Ok, well, not forget him. Westbrook will go down as one of the greatest backs in franchise history and had abilities as a receiver that few backs in the history of the NFL have matched. However, the Westbrook era is starting to feel like a distant memory as McCoy has burst onto the scene and is emerging as one of the best backs in the league in just his third season.

Maybe i was naive, but I didn't have huge expectations for the man they call "Shady" when he was drafted in 2009. He was quickly called upon to play a big role that season when Westbrook went down with an injury, and played fairly well for a rookie, though he showed a tendency to dance in the backfield rather than hitting the hole with conviction. In 2010, his first full season as the starter, he seemed to run with more toughness and exceeded expectations with a breakout season, rushing for over 1,000 yards and collecting over 1,600 total yards while scoring nine touchdowns.

2011, however, has already been the season to remember for the youngster. The season isn't even halfway over, and McCoy already has racked up 754 rushing yards (2nd most in the NFL). That number is even more impressive when you consider the fact that he only has 135 rushing attempts, compared with league leader Adrian Peterson, who has just 44 more yards on 32 more attempts. In fact, McCoy's 5.6 yards-per-carry average ranks first amongst all rushers in the top 20 in the NFL. Well, there is one guy in the top 20 with a higher average, but he's not a running back; that's Shady's teammate, Michael Vick. Quite a tandem.

McCoy ranks fourth in total yards amongst NFL running backs, and admittedly, his pass catching numbers aren't as gaudy as the likes of a Forte, Rice, Jackson (Fred), or Foster. However, his 10 total touchdowns put him right at the top, tied with A.P. (and one behind Calvin Johnson for the NFL lead), and thus I'd say that when you look at all the stats, he's right there when you talk about who is the top running back in the NFL right now.

It would be hard to put McCoy ahead of someone like Aaron Rodgers as the midseason MVP right now with his ridiculous 125.7 passer rating (while quarterbacking a 7-0 team), or even someone like Drew Brees, especially since there are so many other running backs with great stats. However, this breakout season has definitely moved him into that upper echelon of players that will be in the discussion come season's end. A lot of it will have to do with how the Eagles end up finishing this year and if they make the playoffs, and you can bet that if they do, McCoy will have to continue with this success in the second half.

It's still hard to comprehend the fact that the Eagles lead the league in rushing. It helps to have Michael Vick on your team, but even without his stats, the Eagles would still be right up there thanks to Shady's efforts (and those of his offenive line, let's not forget the part they've played in all of this). It's even harder to comprehend Andy Reid saying things like "We're going to run the football, that's what we do." Yes, he himself said that in the week leading up to the Cowboys game. Who are you, and what have you done with my Andy Reid? But hey, I'm not complaining. It's comforting to know that Reid knows what he has in McCoy - a thoroughbred - and he's going to ride him out for the foreseeable future.

Who knows if Shady will put up the numbers in the second half of the season to win the league MVP, but for my money, he is definitely the Eagles' team MVP right now.

Never Mind

2011-10-19T20:08:00.002-04:00

Remember all that stuff I said about Jerome Harrison being a better fit than Ronnie Brown? Well, it doesn't matter now. Brown is back with the Eagles after Harrison failed a physical, causing the trade between the Eagles and Lions to be waived. So, the Ronnie Brown era lives on. Hopefully the rest of his tenure is more illustrious than the beginning of it was.

On a sidenote...must be pretty awkward coming back to a team that just tried to trade you because they clearly thought another guy was better.

Eagles Recap: Juan Was Listening, and Harrison Returns

2011-10-18T18:30:00.004-04:00

As you may recall, I made a post before Sunday's game stating that the Eagles could significantly improve their run defense by simply bringing the ends in on running downs. They had been gashed all year on running plays before Sunday, and I felt that it was a fairly obvious fix that should have happened weeks ago. Well, what do you know? I guess Juan Castillo is reading this blog. The coaches alluded to having made some "tweaks" to the defense, but linebacker Brian Rolle spelled it out:

"We shifted our ends inside on some obvious run downs from a wide nine to a six technique, bringing them closer to the center."

Allow me to quote myself:

"My suggestion is for the Eagles to limit usage of the Wide 9 to passing downs."

I've been wrong about plenty of things when it comes to sports, but I have to give myself credit for this one. The Eagles limited the Redskins' running backs to just 28 rushing yards Sunday after allowing 100+ yards to running backs in each of their prior 5 games. Of course, anyone who watched those five games closely should have come to a similar conclusion, which makes me wonder what took the coaches so long to figure this out. I also noticed Nnamdi Asomugha playing a lot of man press coverage - another one of my three points for improvement. For any NFL teams with an opening at defensive coordinator, I will now be fielding calls.

The Ronnie Brown Era Comes To An Unspectacular End

When the Eagles signed Ronnie Brown this offseason, it felt like yet another big addition to the so-called "Dream Team." The Eagles finally had a power back, and on top of that another player to utilize in the wildcat. Well, the only lasting memory most of us will have of Ronnie Brown in an Eagles uniform is the infamous run-pass option disaster. Brown was traded to Detroit just before the trade deadline today for Jerome Harrison, who was also traded to the Eagles last season. Interestingly enough, he was also traded last year for another underperforming free agent signing, Mike Bell.

It turned out that Brown just wasn't a great fit here in Philly. As much as we've yearned for a big back, the Eagles zone running scheme is much more suited for smaller, quicker guys. Harrison, like rookie Dion Lewis, fits that profile at 5'9" and 205 lbs. They are both shifty, but are also powerful when they hit the hole. Brown just didn't have much left in the tank, and doesn't fit the profile of what the Eagles need in the backfield. I thought Harrison did a nice job last season, and was a little surprised that the Eagles let him walk, but it seems they thought highly of him as well. Had Brown been able to provide the short-yardage production we all thought he would, the team probably wouldn't have made this move, but they felt they were better served to look elsewhere.

The Eagles' D Can Turn This Around

2011-10-15T11:26:00.007-04:00

The Eagles defense has been a joke this year. They've looked inept against the run, they can't tackle, and they might actually be worse in the red zone than they were last year. That said, the team has lost three of its four games by less than 7 points, and was in position for a game-winning or game-tying drive at the end of the game in all three. The Eagles have the talent on defense to be successful. There have been successful defenses that didn't have stud linebackers, but they knew how to utilize their personnel effectively. It seems thus far that Juan Castillo is clueless in that regard. As much as you might call me crazy for saying this, I believe there are a few simple fixes that could take this defense from an embarrassment to a solid unit. Juan, are you listening?

Limit usage of the Wide 9

Notice I didn’t say “abandon.” Clearly the Wide 9 has been very successful at generating pressure and sacks in the passing game. However, it has also left massive holes in the running game that the Eagles’ linebackers aren’t capable of plugging. The Wide 9 can be an effective every-down scheme if you have very skilled linebackers that can read gaps and get in the right position. It doesn’t appear that the Eagles have that. So, why use it on every down? My suggestion is for the Eagles to limit usage of the Wide 9 to passing downs. If it’s successful against the pass, and gets eaten alive against the run, it seems pretty simple, doesn’t it? 2^nd and 10, 3^rd and 7, go ahead and line up wide. 1^st and 10, 2^nd and 5, 3^rd and short, switch to a classic 4-3 alignment. A pretty simple adjustment, and one that I think is necessary to compensate for the fact that the Eagles just don’t have the skill at linebacker to play the Wide 9 every down. Look, we all love listening to the announcers gush over the “track stances” that the Eagles’ defensive ends line up in (not really), but what we would all like more is not getting gashed in the run game every single week.

Put Nnamdi in man coverage, and leave him there

The Eagles paid big money to bring Nnamdi Asomugha to town, and apparently Juan Castillo thought he could turn him into an all-purpose Charles Woodson-type player. Well, Juan, you're not exactly the Dave Duncan of defensive coordinators, so maybe you should just stick to letting him do what he does best. Let him do what earned him that massive contract – lock down on the other team’s best receiver, play press coverage, and take that receiver out of the game. Nnamdi has looked average at best so far, but I don’t think it’s a reflection of his talent. He’s not Darrelle Revis or Charles Woodson. He has a specific skillset that he is excellent at. Stop trying to put him at nickel and safety and in zone coverage. Figure out who the other team’s number one guy is, and say “cover him.” I think you’ll like the results.

Sweat the small stuff

Did Ryan Fitzpatrick throw a pass over 15 yards last Sunday? If he did, I don’t remember him completing it. Why? Because he didn’t have to. Why would you throw bombs downfield against a defense when you can burn them on screens and slants all day long? The Eagles have shown an inability all year to stop these plays, and countless short passes have turned into big gainers when you factor in the inability to tackle. Asante Samuel loves to play off his man seven or eight yards. Fine, but Juan needs to recognize the weakness there and put a linebacker underneath him to cut off that route. If a team continues to hit you with screen after screen, tell your backers to stop getting caught upfield and have someone lock onto the running back, similar to spying the quarterback. Force teams to abandon the short game and test those big-money defensive backs you’ve got back there. Does anyone really think Rex Grossman can beat you consistently down the field? Comeon. But I’m sure he can throw plenty of screens and five-yard slants, and unless the Eagles wake up and figure out how to defend those plays, that’s all he’ll do.

We'll see if the team makes any of these adjustments tomorrow against Washington. If they don't, and they lose the game, the season is over. Not mathematically, but for all intents and purposes 1-5 is too much to overcome. 2-4 isn't great, but they would have a chance in a less-than-stellar NFC East. Hopefully they're up for the challenge.

Flyers Look to Continue Hot Start at Home Opener

2011-10-12T08:26:00.003-04:00

The Phillies and Eagles may have collectively sucker punched our kidneys this weekend in embarrasing losses. Quietly, however, the Flyers are off to a 2-0 start after an offseason facelift that brought in an actual goaltender and sent two top scorers packing.

With Richards, Carter, and Ville Leino all gone, many were wondering where the Flyers scoring was going to come from. Young stars such as Claude Giroux and James Van Riemsdyk are the key to the Flyers' success and GM Paul Holmgren is banking on these guys. Future Hall-of-Famer and recent 1,600-point club member Jaromir Jagr rounds out the top line with the two youngsters to give the Flyers a very dynamic and fun scoring threat. New additions up front in Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds have already made their presence felt with goals in the first two contests. Also, rookies such as Matt Read, Sean Courtier and Zac Rinaldo (at least until Jody Shelley returns from suspension) have also looked solid on the offensive side and have forechecked well.

The real key for the Flyers this season will be their defense. You aren't going to let in a lot of goals when you run out Pronger, Timonen, Carle, Coburn, Meszaros and Lilja. These guys block shots, cut down passing lines and some even have the scoring touch (especially Pronger's wrist shot on power plays). The final stop for the defense is their new goaltender, absolute stud Ilya Bryzgalov. The veteran netminder has only allowed one goal in the first two games and looked as if he didn't even break a sweat as he calmly stopped all 20 New Jersey Devils' shots for his first Flyers shutout this past Saturday. He's even great at dropping one liners. When asked about the extravagant Bruins' cup ceremony to kick off the season, Bryzgalov said that the ceremony was so long, he went back to the hotel room, caught a nap, then came back to put his pads on and play the game. Nothing like taking shots at a rival already, eh?

The new look Flyers look to get the Wells Fargo Center jumping tonight against the reigning Western Conference champs, the Vancouver Canucks.

Ok, I'm Ready To Say It. Andy Must Go.

2011-10-09T18:07:00.010-04:00

The "Dream Team" is a complete failure, and this is the man
who needs to be held responsible.

If I wanted to watch a comedy show, I would go to Helium Comedy Club. Yet somehow, this is what I get when I turn on the TV to watch the Eagles. You’d almost think you were watching the Black Sox out there, just trying with everything they had to give the game away. Five turnovers. One for a touchdown. Running a play with eight seconds left in the half on your opponents’ 26 yard-line, and no timeouts. Jumping offsides when everyone in the stadium knew the Bills weren’t running a play. It’s become downright humorous at this point. But, a funny thing happened as the Eagles were attempting a second-half comeback. I found myself torn as far as what I wanted to happen. Of course, I always want my team to win. But I’m realizing now that a drastic change needs to be made. Forget the Dream Team nonsense, this team came into the season with loads of weapons and high-priced free agents, and they have turned into a flat out embarrassment. The players might be missing tackles and dropping passes, but it’s the guys with the headsets on that need to bear ultimate responsibility. The ringleader of this circus is Andy Reid, and he needs to go.

I’ve always been much more lenient with Reid than the vast majority of Eagles fans. People have called for his firing basically every season since, say, 2002. I’ve always felt that without him, the Eagles would never have experienced the decade of success that they did in the 2000’s, and therefore gave him several passes for questionable playcalling and personnel decisions. But now, after 13 years, enough is enough. Reid is the executive VP of football operations, which means he does a lot more than just coach the team on gamedays. He has a major hand in the personnel moves this team makes, along with GM Howie Roseman, and has assembled this “star-studded” cast of characters that has looked nothing like a cohesive football team this year. He also made the bold move to promote Juan Castillo, the former offensive line coach, to defensive coordinator, and with this defense’s performance thus far, that move has clearly fallen flat on its face. Players ultimately win games, but the man at the top bears the brunt of the responsibility for this team’s performance thus far, and after 13 years without a Super Bowl, it’s time to move on.

Only Jeff Fisher and Bill Cowher have gone 13 years as head coaches without a Super Bowl win in the last two decades. The NFL is a win-now-or-get-out business, and Reid has been given as long of a leash as anyone. I understand that he has led the team to a Super Bowl appearance and to five NFC Championship games, but he has continually had great talent around him, and hasn’t been able to reach the pinnacle. How many years of “almost” and “maybe next year” do we have to sit through? It’s time for a fresh face in the NovaCare complex. No more chippy, smug answers in press conferences, and no more freaking run-pass options at the goal line. My patience has finally run out.

If this ownership group does not make a change at head coach before next season (barring a miraculous recovery and trip to the playoffs), they are sending the clear message that failure is unacceptable…unless you’ve had past success. They clearly went all-in this season, and you can sense the desperation on Andy’s part (going for an onside kick to start the second half), which makes me think he’s starting to feel the heat himself. Something tells me there’s not going to be a move made in the middle of the season, but please, Jeff Lurie and Joe Banner, all good things must come to an end. The Andy Reid era has produced some of the best football in the history of the franchise, but it hasn’t brought the Lombardi Trophy to Philadelphia, and that’s all that matters. This franchise deserves a fresh start.

Embarrassing.

2011-10-08T08:07:00.009-04:00

That's all I can say about last night's loss. Your ace, the guy you brought in for situations like this, comes back from allowing a run in the first two batters and throwing 33 pitches in the first inning to pitch eight innings of one-run ball. Your closer holds down the fort with another shutout inning. And the offense cannot get one single run? Not one? I at least commend Shane Victorino for having two hits and Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez for sending balls to the warning track. But as for the rest of the offense, shame on you.

At least this guy showed up to play in Game 5.

Did Polanco and Ruiz do anything but ground out to shortstop? Did Hunter Pence hit a ball that left the infield? Did Ryan Howard do anything at all? No. All they did was waste an absolute gem against a very talented Cardinals lineup by failing to give their pitcher even a single run. The Phillies came into this season clearly seeing pitching as their biggest need, and they addressed it. This offseason, they've got to figure out something with this offense that looked pathetic and inept for the majority of this series, and was the reason I was never comfortable throughout the five games.

I don't have the answers right now as far as what this team needs to do, but some sort of action needs to be taken. This lineup looks old and weak, and is clearly a shell of its former self from just a couple years ago. Pitching wins championships, but as I said in my previous post, even the greatest of pitchers can't allow -1 runs. To add insult to injury (or rather injury to insult), Ryan Howard may have torn his Achilles tendon as he was making the final out of the season for the second year in a row. As much as he has angered me this season and even more so this past week, I do feel badly about an injury that could cause him to miss time in the 2012 season. But hey, at least he's got that nice $25 mil/year extension about to kick in. That should ease the pain.

The only consolation prize from this debacle is getting to see the Cardinals face the Brewers and their stupid animal claw antics after the leader of the obnoxiousness, Nyjer Morgan, called Albert Pujols a woman and commented that he hoped the "crying birds" would have fun watching the Brewers in the playoffs. Well, Nyjer, they'll be watching alright, from the other dugout. That should make for some interesting drama. However, it's a small consolation as we now turn our attention to another disappointment in the Eagles and a promising young Flyers squad.

We don't call the blog "Cheesesteaks and Heartbreaks" for no reason.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

2011-10-07T09:07:00.002-04:00

Forget Christmas...this is the time of the year any Philadelphia sports fan (well at least for the last 5 years) has been in their utmost glory.

First, you got the fightin' Phils trying to advance to yet another NLCS. Then you have our "Dream Team" trying to wake up and make something out of this NFL season. Finally, you got the Flyers coming back to the ice and taking down the defending cup winners to kick off the hockey season. (Normally, you would also be ready for the upcoming NBA season and the Sixers, but who the heck knows what's going on there!!!).

We've been truly spoiled in Philadelphia for the past few years. As October used to approach, we would talk about the Eagles and expectations for the Flyers. Since 2007, we've had postseason baseball on top of it all! In a town where many bleed green, the Phillies have stolen the show for five straight Octobers and have become the filet mignon for their finishes to the Eagles' Salisbury steak early showings. The Phils send their best of four aces to the mound tonight to try to get past the Cardinals and their legions of squirrel-like fans and continue their postseason run where anything less than a World Series will seem like a disappointment.

With October, we've also been able to get a good evaluation of the Eagles. The prematurely crowned "Dream Team" has been playing more like a nightmare with redzone turnovers, a defense full of holes and no true leader on the club. Too early to panic? Yes. Too early to worry? Not at all. This is a team that is desperate to rebound. However, they face a tough task against a surprising 3-1 Buffalo Bills team in upstate New York on Sunday.

On top of all this, the Flyers jumpstarted their season against the defending cup champion Boston Bruins last night for a 2-1 victory. The Flyers, despite the Eagles big acquisitions, have done a more major facelift. New goalie, trade their captain and a top scorer and bring in a 39 year-old future hall-of-famer along with young talent. Well you could have dressed the Flyers up as Native Americans last night and had them dump out the champagne still left in the Cup (a Boston Tea Party reference, really?). The Flyers played 60 minutes of excellent defensive hockey and got just enough offense to squeak out a W and raise some eyebrows from their fans who were intrigued to see the new team.

All in all, it is a great time to be a Philly sports fan. October has been kind to us in the past and if the Phillies can crack one more nut here (that pesky St. Louis squirrel), they might be destined to make another truly memorable October for us all.

It All Comes Down To This

2011-10-06T12:32:00.000-04:00

If you've got a decisive game in a series and you have to pick one guy to be pitching in it, that guy would likely be Roy Halladay. The good news? He plays for the Phillies, and will pitch in Friday's Game 5. The bad news? Even Roy Halladay needs some run support. Last time I checked, even the best pitcher in baseball isn't capable of giving up -1 runs. So, the Phillies need to figure it out at the plate.

We all feared this would happen, and indeed it has. The offense has gone cold, and that's about the only thing that can stop this team with its pitching staff. Of course, the four aces haven't been totally up to snuff - even Cole Hamels labored while allowing zero earned runs Tuesday - but the bats have been nowhere to be found lately. Since scoring 15 runs in their first 10 innings of the series, the team has scored just 6 runs in the last 25 innings. Even worse, they've only scored runs in 3 of those 25 innings. Not the recipe for playoff success. They just can't seem to string together the killer innings that sap the energy out of the opponent. Yesterday, they score two runs before the Cardinals can record an out, and then just like that, a strikeout-double play kills the inning. Another inning looks promising when Chase Utley walks to begin the frame, and then he inexplicably tries to go first to third on a ball that doesn't leave the infield and is easily thrown out.

And don't even get me started on the cleanup hitter, Mr. 100 RBIs, Mr. Run Producer.

I have no doubt in my mind that Roy Halladay will do his job tomorrow. He might give up a couple runs, but when you're a team that's favored to win the National League and probably even the World Series, you should be able to score a few runs in return. I still like the Phillies chances, but this offense is making me feel awfully uneasy about tomorrow night.

The Ben Francisco Treat

2011-10-04T21:46:00.002-04:00

Ok, everyone breathe. As we were all about to throw our remotes through our televisions in frustration over why Jaime Garcia looks like Walter Johnson against this lineup, the unlikeliest of candidates finally figured it out. Ben Francisco, who lost his job as starting right fielder and was relegated to a (less than superb) pinch hitter for most of the year, smashed a three-run bomb off Cy Garcia to break a 0-0 tie. The bullpen then did their best to send us all into cardiac arrest, but Ryan Madson finally got Ryan Theriot, who was 4 for 4 going into the at bat, to ground out and seal a 3-2 victory. Madson, who pitched a 5-out save, might have already blown the save if not for an unorthodox-but-effective double play turn by Chase Utley:

This isn't the first time we've seen Chase make some crazy defensive plays. Remember these gems from the 2008 playoffs?

The end of that first one brings up the wonderful memories of hearing "I Love L.A." every time the Dodgers scored in that series. I think it was "Philadelphia Freedom" for the Phillies. Either way, it seems Utley has a knack for making huge defensive plays, as well as some really bad ones.

At the end of the day, the Phils have put themselves in position to close out the series tomorrow in St. Louis with Roy Oswalt taking the hill against Edwin Jackson. At the very least, they've set themselves up for Roy Halladay at home in Game 5 as a worst case scenario. The bats need to get going, however, for this run to continue deep into the postseason. We can't rely on Benny Boy to come up with clutch hits like this on a regular basis. Hopefully a matchup against the righty Jackson tomorrow will do the trick.

More Good News From Eagleville

2011-10-04T08:12:00.000-04:00

The slim hopes of the Eagles turning things around this season have taken another hit, as according to BGN, Trent Cole, Antonio Dixon, and Jason Peters are all out for the upcoming game at Buffalo. Cole will likely be out three weeks with a calf strain, while Dixon is likely done for the year with a torn triceps. Peters is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury. So, the team who can't stop anybody to begin with will now attempt to do so without their best defensive lineman (maybe their best defensive player, period) and arguably their best run stopper, while the offense will be without its best lineman.

The Eagles re-signed DT Derek Landri, who was cut after the preseason, to replace Dixon, while Darryl Tapp will likely return from injury to take Cole's place. King Dunlap appears the favorite to get the nod at left tackle. While not bad backups, these are all definitely downgrades at the position, but who knows, maybe the Eagles can "come together" like the Packers did last year when they put 16 players on injured reserve. Oh, wait, they actually had good coaching, playcalling, and players who could tackle. Never mind.

The Eagles have road games against the Bills this weekend and the Redskins next weekend before their bye week. If they can somehow win both of those games, which seems highly unlikely given these injuries and the fact that they couldn't beat the Alex Smith-led 49ers at home with those guys on the field, I'll say they have a chance this year. But if they lose even one of these upcoming games, well, you can start writing the obituary for this season.

Is This The Stupidest Play Call Ever?

2011-10-03T19:38:00.000-04:00

There were countless shaking-your-head moments in yesterday's Eagles game, but this one was downright comical. The Eagles are on the half yard line with a third-and-goal situation in the second quarter, about to go up 17-3. Vick hands off to Ronnie Brown up the middle, and he gets stopped in the backfield. Ok, nothing surprising here, as we all know of the Eagles' ineptitude in short yardage situations. Disappointing, but we're used to this by now. Then, as he's falling into the pile, he inexplicably throws the ball in the general direction of no one (later we realized the intended target was Owen Schmitt), leading to a fumble recovery by the 49ers and yet another turnover. Now, I'm not sure which was stupider, the decision to call the play or the decision by Brown to throw the ball, but it was just another reason why this year's Eagles season reminds me of a rendition of SportsCenter's "Not Top 10" plays. If you don't believe me (if someone told me this happened in an NFL football game, and not a Pop Warner game, I probably wouldn't believe them either), here is video evidence:

Yes, folks, the Eagles looked at their list of goal line plays and this was the best idea they could come up with. Not a bootleg, not a straight run, not a draw play, a...whatever that was. I almost wish the Eagles would just not go inside the five yard line, because it seems any play run from inside that distance is destined for failure. Almost as entertaining as that debacle is the press conference exchange that ensued after the game between Andy Reid and 97.5 The Fanatic's Mike Missanelli. It basically amounts to this:

Mike: What would possess you to call a play like that?
Andy: I thought it was a good play.
Mike: No, it was a terrible play. Can you just admit that it was a terrible play?
Andy: (Cliche about how he has to do better)
Mike: No, I want you to flat out admit that you were an idiot and that the play doesn't even belong in an NFL playbook.
Andy: Will you shut up already?

You have to love Andy reminding us once again that he "has to do a better job." Thanks Andy, now whenever you plan on actually doing that, let us know. Thankfully there's someone like Missanelli in the media to actually call Reid out for this stuff and not just ask the same old stupid cliche questions. Can you imagine Howard Eskin questioning Reid like that? He won't have a chance to for quite some time, actually, as he'll be busy with his bike ride to the west coast.

I really think Andy would enjoy coaching college football for some small FCS school. He could call ridiculous plays like this, and not have to deal with these sorts of media types. I've never been a big Reid hater, but this season's embarrassing start is starting to push me further into that camp. It was Super Bowl or bust this year, and bust is looking like the safe bet at this junction.

Sunday, Not-So-Fun Day

2011-10-03T07:40:00.000-04:00

Well, yesterday was fun. The Eagles blew yet another second half lead as the juggernaut 49ers offense led by Pro Bowl QB Alex Smith (hint: sarcasm) marched up and down the field for 21 unanswered points. I could try and list all the things they did wrong yesterday, but unfortunately writing on this blog isn't my full time job and I don't have eight hours to spend. The Phillies then saw how fun getting an early lead and blowing it was, as they raced out to a 4-0 lead and promptly gave it right back, with most of the damage done by the bottom of the Cardinals lineup. The offense, after sending Cards ace Chris Carpenter to the showers early, decided to put away the bats for the rest of the game and was completely shut down by what seemed like the 24 different relievers that Tony La Russa threw at them. To top it off, Jimmy Rollins was unsatisfied with the level of crowd noise at the game. Guess what, Jimmy? I was unsatisfied with the level of stupidity in you getting picked off first base and killing one of the Phillies' only shots at a late game rally. We'll call it even.

So, all in all, it was not a good day in the land of Philly sports. Thankfully we only have to wait until Tuesday to see if the Phillies can avenge their performance. As for the Eagles? Well, we might have to wait till next season on that one. They have a long shot at still making the playoffs, but at this point they need to just worry about winning a game. When you go 1-3 through what's supposed to be one of the easier parts of your schedule...well, that's not promising. It doesn't get any easier, either, as they now face road tests against the 3-1 Bills and the 3-1 Redskins. I'm no fairweather fan, so as always I'll continue to watch the games and hope for the best, but to say my expectations for this team have been tempered would be an understatement.

On another note, we do have something else to look forward to this week. The Flyers open their season Thursday night against Boston, and we get to see what this reassembled cast of characters looks like. I'm personally very excited about the Flyers this year, as they've finally added a legit, top-tier netminder in Ilya Bryzgalov, and have trimmed a lot of fat by replacing some high-priced egos with young, hungry talent. The Philly Union soccer club is also on the verge of clinching a playoff berth in just its second season of existence, if you're into some soccer action. I've been trying to figure out the wacky MLS playoff format, in which somehow teams can end up in the other conference's playoff bracket (?), and finally decided it's not worth the time. But, regardless, it looks like the Union will be a part of it, which would mean that all five Philly pro teams will have been a part of playoff action in 2011.

The Real Season Is Underway

2011-10-02T08:54:00.006-04:00

Ryan Howard went off against his hometown team yet again
with a three-run blast in the 6th.

With the talent on this Phillies team, it really has felt like a foregone conclusion all year that they would be in the playoffs. Even though nothing is guaranteed in a 162-game season where only 8 of 30 teams make the playoffs, we've all kind of been waiting for the playoffs to come so the Phils can get to accomplishing the only thing that matters this year; winning the title. Division titles have lost their luster, and even a franchise record 102 wins didn't seem so exciting because it's all about what happens in October. That being said, the Phils got off to a nice start, beating the Cardinals 11-6 on Saturday.

It didn't start out well at all, as Roy Halladay quickly was in the hole 3-0 on a first inning homer by Lance Berkman, and the Phillies failed to get a hit off Kyle Lohse through three innings. However, the bats thankfully came alive on two sixth inning homers by Howard and Ibanez, and the floodgates were open. If there's anything that could stop this team from reaching its eventual goal, it has to be the offense, so it was a great sign to see them smashing the ball, especially Chase Utley, who struggled most of the season but went 3-5 Saturday with two doubles.

This win really puts the Phils in the driver's seat in this short 5-game series. The pressure is on Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter, pitching on three days rest for the first time in his career, and the task won't be easy against Cliff Lee. This is why Lee returned to Philadelphia - to have the opportunity to pitch in the postseason as part of the best staff in baseball - and I'm sure he's also eager to erase the memories of last year's less-than-stellar World Series performance. If the Phillies win tonight, the Redbirds will be in all kinds of trouble with King Cole taking the mound in St. Louis Tuesday for Game 3. Tonight's game should be an exciting nightcap to a fun day of sports.

Just How Good Is Roy Halladay?

We all knew he was a great pitcher when he came here last year, but I'm continually amazed when I hear new stats further evidencing his greatness. Sometimes you have to step back from watching him pitch 30 times a year to fully understand how good he is. The homer he allowed to Berkman last night was an anomaly, not just because it was a home run allowed, but because it wasn't a solo home run. If you're a pitcher, especially a pitcher who calls Citizens Bank Park home, you're going to allow some home runs. The key to being a Cy Young-caliber pitcher is to make sure they're solo. This regular season, Halladay allowed just 10 home runs. His ratio of 0.385 HR/9 innings ranked him 3rd in all of baseball. The more impressive stat is that of those 10, only one wasn't a solo shot (that was a two-run homer by Neil Walker of the Pirates).

It gets better, though. Of the 36 home runs Roy had allowed as a Phillie (including playoffs, before last night), just six had not been solo. And, all six were two-run homers. In fact, the last time he gave up a home run of three runs or more before last night? August of 2008. That's just insane. Another reason to remind ourselves that the best pitcher in baseball does indeed wear red pinstripes.

Get Pumped Up For A Big Weekend

2011-10-01T09:50:00.007-04:00

This has to be the most fun time of the year to the a Philly sports fan. The Phillies are in the playoffs, the Eagles' season is underway, and the Flyers are about to kick off their 2011-2012 campaign. This weekend is especially jam-packed, with two Phillies playoff games and an Eagles game, all in the friendly confines of South Philadelphia. To get you warmed up for all the action, here is the trailer to the "Philly Sports Power Hour," created by John Thomas Gallagher. Pretty awesome stuff, with the soundtrack courtesy of Philly's own, The Roots.

Thanks to Crossing Broad for putting this up. The full power hour video is here. Get ready for a fun weekend.

Eagles Recap

2011-09-25T17:19:00.005-04:00

It turns out I was a little off with my prediction that the Eagles should win by two scores over the Giants Sunday. Not only did they leave at least eight points on the board by failing to score touchdowns in goal-to-go situations, but they put on a horrible display of tackling defensively. First, it looked like the Eagles were in control after stopping the Giants on their first drive, getting the ball, and moving methodically down the field. Then, a ball that should have been caught by Steve Smith was tipped in the air and intercepted. That led to a Giants touchdown. Then, a short pass to Victor Cruz (who?) that should have gone for a seven yard gain turned into a touchdown when Kurt Coleman inexplicably tried to take Cruz down by the shoulders instead of going low, and Nnamdi Asomugha also missed a tackle. The Eagles once again looked like they were in control in the second half when they drove inside the Giants’ 5, but failed to punch It in. Then, despite the Eagles lack of success on short yardage plays, Andy Reid decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 from outside the Giants’ 40. They failed to pick up the yard, and it led to another Giants TD. To top it all off, Michael Vick left the game with a broken right hand.

Now, I’m sure a lot of Eagles fans are jumping ship. The team is 1-2 and will likely be without their starting QB next week against the 49ers, and possibly for a couple weeks after that. However, it seems that these mistakes are due more to stupidity than lack of talent. You simply have to make tackles when you have your hands on a guy. You can’t get inside the opponents’ 5-yard line twice, and fail to score a touchdown. And you can’t go for it on 4^th-and-1 when you’re up by two in the fourth quarter and outside your opponents’ 40, where failing to pick up the first down swings all the momentum. I don’t know if the Eagles will correct these mistakes, but they are correctable. The Giants were not the more talented team, but executed better than the Eagles in key spots. That has to change going forward, as this is the second straight week that a game was in the Eagles’ control and they let it slip away.

We’ll see how severe this injury ends up being for Vick. The good news is that it’s his non-throwing hand, and Vince Young was also active today for the first time. The Eagles have a weaker opponent next week in San Francisco; however, if you make these stupid mistakes and fail to execute, it doesn’t matter how weak the opponent is. NFL teams will capitalize on that and beat you. The Eagles have a lot of figuring out to do this week, and they had better hurry up and fix what’s broken or this season could be over before it gets started.

But, on a good note…

The Phillies finally managed to pull out a win Sunday, breaking an eight-game losing streak and beating the Mets 9-4. The bullpen made things a little interesting, allowing 4 runs after Roy Halladay pitched 6 shutout innings, but the cushion was enough. Hopefully this is the start of a turnaround for the Phils, who need to get things going to have some momentum heading into the postseason.

The wild card races, which appeared to be over a month ago, have become very interesting going into the final series of the year. It hasn’t been a good weekend for Bostonites, as not only did the Patriots lose to the Bills in overtime, but the Red Sox lost two of three, leaving just a game between them and the streaking Rays. The Braves also lost, and with the Cardinals winning, the Redbirds are also just a game back of Atlanta. This means that the Phillies’ last three games in Atlanta suddenly have a lot more meaning, as the Braves try to cling for dear life to the wild card spot in the NL. It may actually be better for the Phillies if the Braves do end up winning the wild card, as you never want to face a hot team in the first round, especially if you’ve been playing meaningless games the last two weeks. The Cardinals would certainly be that hot team if they were to end up making the playoffs, and they would face the Phillies in the NLDS.

The baseball playoffs will get started this Friday, with NLDS Game 1 for the Phillies on Saturday.

C&H Weekly Picks - Week 3

2011-09-25T11:02:00.007-04:00

We have the first edition of Cheesesteaks and Heartbreaks weekly picks, in which the authors will pick each NFL game against the spread. We will tally up the points throughout the season and crown a winner, with a prize to be named later. We missed the first two weeks, but better late than never. Here are the picks:

	Zach P.	R. Scott
San Francisco at Cincinnati (-2.5)	SF	SF
New England (-7) at Buffalo	NE	NE
Houston at New Orleans (-4)	NO	NO
N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia (-8.5)	PHI	PHI
Miami at Cleveland (-2)	MIA	CLE
Denver at Tennessee (-7)	DEN	DEN
Detroit (-3) at Minnesota	DET	DET
Jacksonville at Carolina (-3)	CAR	CAR
Kansas City at San Diego (-14)	KC	SD
N.Y. Jets (-3) at Oakland	NYJ	OAK
Baltimore (-5) at St. Louis	BAL	BAL
Atlanta at Tampa Bay (-2)	ATL	TB
Arizona (-3.5) at Seattle	ARI	ARI
Green Bay (-4) at Chicago	GB	GB
Pittsburgh (-10.5) at Indianapolis	PIT	PIT
Washington at Dallas (-6.5)	WAS	DAL

Phillies and Eagles Notes

2011-09-24T09:47:00.001-04:00

This team is supposed to win the World Series?

The Phillies have cruised through the 2011 season on the strength of excellent pitching and just enough offense, at times, to win ballgames. They are, or at least were, on pace to break the franchise record for regular season wins. But yet, I feel less confident than ever about them with the playoffs fast approaching. They have dropped a season-high 6 straight since clinching the NL East, averaging 2 runs scored in those games and getting shut out twice. Chase Utley has been flat out awful lately, now hitting an unthinkable .257, and Shane Victorino, one of the team’s only offensive standouts this season, has seen his average plummet from .314 just a month ago to .279 now. The pitching hasn’t been as dominant, though it hasn't necessarily been poor. And to add to it all, the most consistent offensive contributor, Hunter Pence, is battling an injury.

I understand that when you clinch you end up having to rest some guys and play some subs, but this has been nothing short of embarrassing recently. I don’t buy the idea that a team can just “turn it on” come playoff time, but that’s what the Phils will have to do. Some might say, how can you complain about a team that’s going to win 100 games? Because, for this team, it’s not about regular season wins. It’s about winning 11 games in the postseason, and this doesn’t look like a team that is a surefire favorite to do it like we thought all season. Hopefully they prove me wrong, but I need to see more than I’ve been seeing recently.

Get Your Programs Ready

Those who are lucky enough to be at the Linc for Sunday’s home opener against the Giants will need to make use of their game programs to try and identify the men in blue and red. The Giants added yet another name to their injured reserve list after WR Domenik Hixon suffered a torn ACL against the Rams Monday night. This means that Eli Manning’s weapons, after Hakeem Nicks, are even more limited, as Mario Manningham is recovering from a concussion, Steve Smith is on the other sideline, and Kevin Boss has relocated to the west coast. Even I could design the Eagles defensive gameplan – put Nnamdi on Nicks with safety help, stack the box, and force Eli and his cast of no-names to beat you. The Eagles shifted Jamar Chaney to the middle (a great move in my opinion, I had no idea why they moved him outside in the first place) in order to shore up the run defense, which will be necessary to handle the tandem of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. If they can contain the run, they should have no problem stopping the Giants passing attack.

On the other side of the ball, Mike Vick, who is expected to play after experiencing no concussion symptoms this week, should have a field day. The only part of the Giants defense that could cause problems, in my opinion, is the line, but if the Eagles can provide adequate protection for Vick, I think he will tear apart the Giants secondary. I fully expect the Eagles to win this game by two scores, which is rare in this rivalry, but the matchup really favors the Birds with the Giants ailing and the Eagles in their home opener, ticked off after giving a game away last week in Atlanta.

Antrel Rolle thinks he can take Desean; Osi won’t get his revenge on “Lady Gaga”

The war of words between these teams continued when Giants safety Antrel Rolle stated on a radio show that he has “handled Desean Jackson one-on-one before,” and that he doesn’t see why he couldn’t do it again. Jeremy Maclin responded by saying that Rolle must be scared or insecure to make such comments. I think the talk is kind of silly, but Antrel, did you not watch the tape of the last safety that had words for Desean?

Not the best move. Of course, the trash talk between these teams started in the offseason when Lesean McCoy called Giants DE Osi Umenyiora overrated and soft on Twitter in the midst of Osi’s contract dispute. Osi responded by saying that he didn’t know who McCoy was, then calling him a woman, Lady Gaga, a nobody and a chihuahua. In my opinion, it was a weak move on Shady’s part to call the guy out like that (on Twitter of all places), but Osi didn’t sound much better with his response. He might want to learn who McCoy is so he can actually stop him instead of allowing the 7.5 yards per carry that McCoy racked up against the G-men in two games last year. Unfortunately, Osi will miss Sunday’s game with a knee injury, and won’t have the chance to make Lesean eat his words. I’m sure the rest of the D will be plenty fired up to shut down and shut up the Eagles, but unfortunately, fired up only gets you so far.

An interesting sports weekend ahead in the City of Brotherly Love, for sure.

Official 2011 NFL Season Preview

2011-09-07T07:04:00.003-04:00

Here you have it. The much-anticipated C&H annual NFL Season Preview. We have put together an Eagles preview, game-by-game predictions, and predictions for the rest of the NFL. Enjoy.

The R. Scott Version

The Eagles certainly made off season splashes by acquiring a slew of Pro Bowl talent. Most fans know that adding guys like Asomugha, Rodgers-Cromartie, Jason Babin, Vince Young and Ronnie Brown make this team a lot better. Still, do the Eagles have what it takes to win a Super Bowl? Expectations are high for this team, but there are 31 other teams going for the same prize. Here are my predictions for the Eagles season.

The offense: The Eagles offense saw some minor acquisitions with respect to "offensive weapons" (Ronnie Brown and Steve Smith are notable), but a ton of changes for the offensive line. I've always thought the game was won in the trenches with the o-line and d-line being key to a team's success. Just looks at some of the great o-lines in the past few years. The Patriots, Steelers, Ravens, Packers and Colts have had tremendous lines for most of the past decade and it's shown in the win column. The projected starters for the Eagles 2011 o-line go like this: Peters, Mathis, Keice, Watkins, and Herremans. These names don't exactly sound like Saturday, Ogden, or Mankins, but new offensive line coach Howard Mudd must have some idea what he's doing naming his starting line. Mudd and the Eagles also recently acquired Kyle DeVan from Indianapolis to bolster the guard positions if Watkins and Mathis miss the mark.
The rest of the offense will, of course, revolve around number 7 and his new-found millions of dollars. Vick is the centerpiece of this offense and will use his arm and his feet to beat defenses and make some games look like they should be played in a Madden video game.

Key offensive player: Now, last year, I was a bit off the mark when I predicted two key players. I predicted Jeremy Maclin to have a sensational year and boy was I right. Maclin tore it up last year. Unfortunately, I predicted a breakout performance from Ernie Sims on defense. That prediction didn't quite pan out. For this year, I'm not looking at a breakout player, but rather a role player who I think can elevate this team if used effectively. I love the pickup of backup running back Ronnie Brown. McCoy takes a lot of big hits and Brown will be important to spell Shady in the backfield. Brown has soft hands and can be used as effective weapon in the screen game and on the goal line as well. Look for Brown to be an effective runner and playmaker to alleviate some of the pressure from number 25.

The defense: Some huge acquisitions were made in the off season to boost the secondary and defensive line. The signing of Asomugha was huge, as we acquired a top-3 corner for the next several years. The Kevin Kolb trade seemed like a steal. Trading a QB with a few starts under his belt for a top defensive back and a second round pick in a spot that has produced picks like Nate Allen or Kolb himself before is huge, especially with the way the team has drafted in recent history. Still, the one weak spot on the D will be the linebackers. Losing Stewart Bradley to free agency will hurt. It looks like Super Bowl winner and future Head and Shoulders spokesman Clay Matthews' little brother, Casey, will be the starting middle linebacker Week 1. Not many are worried about young Casey's role and fact is, maybe with the D line and secondary that the Eagles possess, the linebackers will be just fine.

Key defensive player: Too bad Ernie Sims isn't on the team anymore. I would have picked him again. Instead, I'm looking to the secondary to predict a key impact player this year. And no, not looking at corners. I like Nate Allen's chances this year. I feel that quarterbacks getting shut down by Asomugha, DRC or Samuel will look for slot receivers or tight ends. This gives Allen an opportunity for picks. With our corners, this may allow defensive coordinator Juan Castillo to use Allen as a blitzing back, a la Brian Dawkins back in the day.

The Season

I predict the Eagles to go 10-6 with the breakdown as follows:

Week 1 at St. Louis - W
Week 2 at Atlanta - L
Week 3 vs. NYG - W
Week 4 vs. SF - W
Week 5 at Buffalo - W
Week 6 at Washington - L
Week 7 - Bye
Week 8 vs. Dallas - W
Week 9 vs. Chicago - L
Week 10 vs. Arizona - W
Week 11 at NYG - L
Week 12 vs. New England - L
Week 13 at Seattle - W
Week 14 at Miami - W
Week 15 vs. NYJ - LWeek 16 at Dallas - W
Week 17 vs. Washington - W

Yes, that's right 10-6. Barely the 15-1 "crown them already" juggernaut that everyone may think. The thing about this team is that it still takes time to jell. They will have bad games. They will have great games. I have them winning two huge divisional games to dramatically win the division and make the playoffs to end the season. (Honestly, I think the NFC East will be a bit lacking this year). That's gotta say something.

Rest of NFL

NFC Division Winners and Wild Cards
NFC East - Eagles
NFC North - Green Bay
NFC South - Tampa Bay
NFC West - St. Louis
Wild Cards - Detroit, New Orleans

AFC Division Winners and Wild Cards
AFC East - New England
AFC North - Pittsburgh
AFC South - Houston
AFC West - San Diego
Wild Cards - NY Jets, Kansas City

Yes, I know, bold picks, but I like two dark horse teams (Tampa Bay and Kansas City).

NFC Conference Champion: Tampa Bay
AFC Conference Champion: San Diego

Super Bowl Winner: San Diego

I know, I know. Bold. Last year I predicted Patriots against Packers in a rematch of Drew Bledsoe-Brett Favre proportions. That didn't happen, but I still was right with Aaron Rodgers hoisting the Lombardi trophy at the end of the year so you have to give me credit.

I think that last year was a bit predictable. Almost too predictable. I like some teams that showed promise last year to rise up (Tampa Bay, Detroit, Kansas City) and some of the standbys (Green Bay, New Orleans, New England, San Diego) to stick around. That also means that I've said goodbye to perennial contenders like Indianapolis, Atlanta, Dallas, NY Giants, and Baltimore. All those teams, I left out of the playoff picture. My Super Bowl pick might not sound like the most exciting contest on paper but I think that San Diego is almost due to make a very serious playoff push, and they are ultimately my pick to win it all.

________________________________________________

The Zach P. Version

This has been one wild offseason for the Eagles, probably the most active they’ve ever had. First they were the odds-on favorites to win the Super Bowl, and a week later they were a 9-7 team (according to ESPN personalities and sports talk show callers, of course). They have some question marks, but let’s be honest, there is a ton of talent on this team. We as Philly fans seem to gravitate toward and exaggerate the negatives when things go wrong, but I see a lot of promise for the 2011 squad.

The offense: Since new backup QB Vince Young used the phrase “Dream Team” in his introductory press conference, it’s all we’ve been hearing from the media. You’d think Joe Banner and Howie Roseman put a huge flag outside the Novacare Complex with the words “Home of the Dream Team” in bold lettering. In all reality, no one really thinks this is the dream team, but the offense is still incredibly stacked. The only exception is the line, and that could be a big exception if they aren’t able to protect the new franchise quarterback. Expect to see a lot of Brent Celek and Lesean McCoy in pass protection in the early going. All that being said, this is shaping up to be one of the most exciting Eagles offenses we’ve ever seen, and that includes last season.

Key offensive player: Desean Jackson is the flash, but his wideout counterpart, Jeremy Maclin, might be just as valuable. While Jackson provides a constant deep threat and a weapon on special teams, Maclin is a sure-handed receiver who can do just about anything...run deep routes, go across the middle, run after the catch, block, you name it. Maclin led Eagles wideouts in receptions last season, and while Desean is stretching the field, expect Maclin to be tearing up opposing defenses on the opposite side. He appears to be healthy and ready for the season after an illness nagged him throughout camp. I expect big things from the youngster (he’s younger than me and is a 3rd year NFL veteran – depressing).

The defense: The theme went from excitement over the Eagles defensive additions (Asomugha, DRC, Babin, Jenkins) to concern over a young, inexperienced linebacking corps. I think the team will struggle, as they always seem to do, against good running teams. The good news is that when teams have to pass, they’re going to have a tough time. The linebackers don’t concern me as much as they do a lot of other people, as they are surrounded by loads of talent on the other defensive units. It all depends on the success of the defensive line; if they can generate pressure and plug gaps in the running game, everything will fall into place for the rest of the defense. If not, it could be a long year.

Key defensive player: R. Scott’s 2010 pick for key defensive player, Ernie Sims, has since left the team to pursue a career as a commercial actor. You can see some of his work in this Burger King Commercial (he’s the one that isn’t talking):

The good news is that his departure paves the way for my 2011 pick, Jamar Chaney, to flourish. As I alluded to earlier, everyone is concerned about the linebackers, but I think Chaney is a stud in the making. Last year’s 7th round pick filled in at middle linebacker last season and did a very nice job, especially for a rookie, registering 33 total tackles in the three games he started. This year he slides to outside linebacker, a position he can play well with his excellent speed (he ran a 4.54 at the combine, the fastest for any linebacker in 2010), but could also slide inside if rookie Casey Matthews struggles. I’m looking for some more big time playmaking from Chaney in 2011.

The Season

Week 1 at St. Louis - W
Week 2 at Atlanta - L
Week 3 vs. NYG - W
Week 4 vs. SF - W
Week 5 at Buffalo - W
Week 6 at Washington - L
Week 7 - Bye
Week 8 vs. Dallas - W
Week 9 vs. Chicago - W
Week 10 vs. Arizona - W
Week 11 at NYG - L
Week 12 vs. New England - L
Week 13 at Seattle - W
Week 14 at Miami - W
Week 15 vs. NYJ - W
Week 16 at Dallas - L
Week 17 vs. Washington - W

I have the Birds at 11-5 this year. Week 6 at Washington is the annual “lay an egg against a much less talented team” game. I think the Giants streak has to come to an end at some point, and I’m thinking it happens Week 11 at the New Meadowlands. I think the Eagles may be sluggish out of the gate, but fortunately their schedule is pretty soft in the early going, and I’m predicting that they get rolling in time for a very tough stretch run.

Rest of NFL

NFC Division Winners and Wild Cards
NFC East - Eagles
NFC North - Green Bay
NFC South - New Orleans
NFC West - St. Louis
Wild Card - Atlanta, Dallas

AFC Division Winners and Wild Cards
AFC East - New England
AFC North - Pittsburgh
AFC South - Houston
AFC West - San Diego
Wild Cards - N.Y. Jets, Baltimore

Not too many surprises. Detroit could challenge for a playoff spot this year with the defense they have assembled, but only if Matthew Stafford can stay healthy. Also, I think the Peyton Manning uncertainty surrounding his neck injury could keep the Colts out of the playoffs for the first time in what seems like forever.

NFC Conference Champion: New Orleans
AFC Conference Champion: New England

Super Bowl Winner: New England

This year, R. Scott is going bold while I’m going fairly plain vanilla. Last year I tried picking Favre’s Vikings to win the NFC, and look how that ended up, so this year I’m going with tried-and-true consistency in Belichick and Brady. I wish I could pick the Eagles to win the Super Bowl, or even make it out of the NFC, but I have them bowing out in the NFC Championship Game to Brees and the Saints. I have to see more from the defense and some consistency from the offensive line, and even then, there are just a lot of really good teams in the NFC this year.

We'll be checking back in February to see how we did. Hopefully we're both wrong, and it's the men in midnight green hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl XLVI. Also, hopefully you made it to the end of this post without falling asleep.

Eagles Final Roster: Position Grades

2011-09-05T08:44:00.010-04:00

As expected, the final round of cuts brought some surprises as the Eagles trimmed down to 53 players this weekend. In this article we break down the final squad, position-by-position, to give our assessment of how they look going into the first game against St. Louis.

QB: The Eagles made Michael Vick their 100 million dollar man recently, cementing him as their quarterback of the future. Vick showed a lot of promise in 2010, but still has to show that he can do it consistently in 2011. Vince Young is a solid insurance policy in case Vick's scrambling ways (or lack of protection) land him on the trainer's table.

Grade: B+

RB/FB: The Eagles really upgraded this position during the offseason, bringing in veteran Ronnie Brown as a quality backup for Lesean McCoy. Brown can pound it between the tackles, and is a weapon in both the passing and wildcat games. Dion Lewis, who was drafted in the 5th round out of Pitt, has also looked great in the preseason, running for tough yards and giving defenders fits trying to bring him down.

Grade: A-

WR/TE: One of the most stacked groups, if not the most stacked, on this team. Desean Jackson is a Pro Bowl-caliber speedster on the outside, and Jeremy Maclin has shown that he has number 1-type talent as well. It's not just about the starting wideouts, though. Jason Avant is a tough, dependable slot receiver with great hands. Riley Cooper is a big target that could see more throws in the red zone. And oh yeah, Steve Smith is a former 1,000-yard receiver with the Giants. Don't forget the tight ends, as Brent Celek was just shy of 1,000 yards two years ago, and young Clay Harbor has looked very impressive.

Grade: A

OL: And then you have the line. With all of the weapons on this offensive unit, it's the offensive line that could make them or break them this year. Only one player, left tackle Jason Peters, returns from 2010 at the same position. The center and right guard are both rookies, the left guard is a journeyman, and the right tackle is playing the position for the first time in years. Howard Mudd, who was brought in as one of the best O-line coaches in the game, better know what he's doing with all this mixing and matching, or that nice, shiny $100 million asset is going to end up on the operating table. I'm hoping for the best, but it would be silly not to be concerned about this group.

Grade: C

DL: Defensive line was a key area of need in the offseason, and the Eagles addressed it. Jason Babin was added to bolster their pass rush, as was defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins. Coach Jim Washburn, regarded as the best in the business, was also hired to improve this unit and brings an aggressive, attacking style to the front four. And, of course, there's All Pro Trent Cole anchoring the right end spot. They are deep at both end and tackle, and should pile up the sacks this year. The question: can they stop the run, or will teams take advantage of that aggressiveness? Only time will tell.

Grade: B+

LB: Linebacker and offensive line have consistently been the two big question marks all offseason. The Eagles did not address the position in free agency, but did draft three linebackers, though all were in the fourth round or later. One of those picks, Casey Matthews, will start in the middle on opening day. There's little question about Matthews' smarts and football IQ, but does he have the tools to be the physical playmaker the Eagles need? That's a big question for the team right now. Also, the Birds are very young at this position, with Moise Fokou the elder statesman at 26 years of age. This unit has a lot to prove in 2011.

Grade: C-

DB: Another big position of need, and the Eagles attacked it full force. They not only traded for former Pro Bowler Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, but signed the prize of the free agent market, Nnamdi Asomugha. Along with Asante Samuel, they have arguably the best trio of corners in the NFL, along with some up-and-coming youngsters to round out the group. At safety, like linebacker, there's a lot of youth. Nate Allen showed promise last year, but has been slowed by the knee injury he suffered in 2010. Jarrad Page has been a nice addition, and the team loves rookie Jaiquawn Jarrett. The safeties aren't a standout bunch, but the corners on this team will make their job a lot easier.

Grade: A-

ST: Talk about going young - the Eagles did not re-sign veterans David Akers or Sav Rocca this offseason, instead going with rookies Alex Henery and Chas Henry at kicker and punter. Henery is one of the best kicking prospects in years, and the Eagles definitely thought highly of the former Nebraska standout, using a fourth-round pick to get him. Hopefully the rookie jitters don't affect this group too much, as both have shown they can play at a high level in college, but are yet unproven in the NFL. In the return game, rookie Dion Lewis has a chance to play a major role for a unit that was pretty awful last year outside of a certain punt return by Desean Jackson. Of course, the Eagles want to put their star receiver at risk as little as possible, so expect Lewis to get a lot of touches in not only the punt return game, but on kick returns as well.

Grade: B

Predicting the Eagles' 53-Man Roster

2011-09-01T07:13:00.002-04:00

It's that time of year. The NFL season is just a week away from opening, and the offseason is finally coming to an end. Throughout training camp and the preseason, we've seen a ton of new faces that the Eagles have brought in by way of the draft and free agency, which has made for an interesting and exciting couple of months. However, reality is about to set un as all teams must trim their rosters to 53 players by Sunday at 4pm. The Eagles currently have 80 players on the roster, so that means a whole lot of cuts in the next three days. It also means that tonight's preseason game against the Jets is the final chance for players that are on the bubble to show why they should make the final squad. The starters (except rookie Danny Watkins, who asked to play so he can get some more work in) will not play at all tonight, as the coaches want to get a solid idea of what they have on the second and third teams before making their roster decisions.

Below, you'll see the Eagles roster separated into four groups: stone cold locks, probable, on the bubble, and doubtful. This is where I see each player on the roster going into the Jets game. I have also made my predictions for the final 53, assuming all locks and probables make the team and all doubtfuls are cut. Of course, this doesn't include the 8-man practice squad that teams are allowed to carry.

Stone Cold Lock

I have 32 players from the Eagles roster that I believe are stone cold locks to make the team. These are the team's main playmakers and guys who have played in a starting role throughout the preseason. There's not a lot of surprises on this list, except maybe center Jason Kelce. Not many 6th-round draft picks are locks as a rookie, but the coaches clearly love Kelce, and even if he doesn't start, the amount of first-team reps he has received thus far in the preseason suggests that he is a lock to be on the Week 1 roster.

QB: Mike Kafka, Michael Vick, Vince Young. Easy as 1-2-3.
RB: Ronnie Brown, LeSean McCoy. A little thunder and lightning?
FB: Owen Schmitt. Doubt the Eagles will carry two fullbacks.
WR: Jason Avant, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin. Steve Smith would be on this list too, if not for the fact that he hasn't actually played in a game yet and there is the small possibility of a setback with his knee.
TE: Brent Celek. Only sure thing at tight end.
OL: Jason Kelce, Evan Mathis, Danny Watkins, Todd Herremans, Jason Peters. It looks like this will be the starting five come Week 1. Kelce has been one of the biggest surprises of the offseason.
DE: Jason Babin, Trent Cole. A lot of competition here, but these two are on the team. Cole was the team's best defensive player (sorry Asante) before the Nnamdi signing, and Babin is making big money with his new deal.
DT: Cullen Jenkins, Mike Patterson. Great to see Mike back in the fold.
LB: Casey Matthews, Jamar Chaney, Moise Fokou. One group we will be keeping our eyes on.
CB: Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Asante Samuel. Looks like Asante isn't going anywhere. The Big 3 are your only locks at CB.
S: Jaiquawn Jarrett, Jarrad Page, Nate Allen, Kurt Coleman. Good competition going on at safety between Page and Allen, but both are definitely on the squad. Jarrett will compete with Coleman as well.
ST: Alex Henery, Chas Henry, Jon Dorenbos. There's only one of each (K, P, LS), so they're all locks.

Probable

These guys aren't locks, but it would be surprising if they didn't make the team. The coaching staff usually makes a couple cuts each year that no one saw coming, so there will probably be one or two guys from this list that don't make it, but expect to see the majority of them on the squad come Monday. I have 13 players in this bucket.

RB: Dion Lewis. Lewis has looked impressive so far. Three headed monster Part 2?
WR: Riley Cooper, Steve Smith. Riley's potential to be the go-to guy at the goal line could cement his spot as the 5th wide receiver.
TE: Clay Harbor. Harbor looked good last year, and I think he's pretty set at number 2.
OL: Jamaal Jackson, Mike McGlynn. The Eagles would be foolish to let go of Jackson, even if they do want to give Kelce a shot as the starter. McGlynn played a lot last season and is a valuable backup.
DE: Darryl Tapp. Tapp fit in nicely as a rotation player last year.
DT: Antonio Dixon. Dixon is the team's best run stopper at DT. The only reason he's not a lock is the fact that he hasn't practiced much this preseason with an injury.
LB: Keenan Clayton, Akeem Jordan. Juan Castillo likes Jordan a lot, and he is a good special teams player. Jordan is versatile, with starting experience.
CB: Joselio Hanson, Brandon Hughes, Curtis Marsh. Hanson may very well be off the team, whether by trade or cut, simply because he is making $4 million-plus as a dime corner, but talent wise he is a lock if the team decides salary isn't an issue. If he is moved, Hughes and Marsh are pretty much locks.

On the Bubble

This is where it gets interesting. With 47 players either probable or locks, that leaves just 6 spots for these 25 guys, meaning they will really have to show the coaching staff something against the Jets tonight to make the final roster. The Eagles' roster stacking this offseason means a lot of good players slid down the depth chart, and a lot of good players are going to get cut (of course, some will end up on the practice squad). It also means some other teams around the league will be ready to pounce once the Eagles make their final decisions.

RB: Eldra Buckley. Buckley has earned a spot in recent years as a special teams maven, but with the additions of Brown and Lewis his job is in jeopardy.
FB: Stanley Havili. Haven't heard much about Havili this offseason. My guess is he ends up on the practice squad; hard to justify carrying two fullbacks.
WR: Chad Hall, Johnnie Lee Higgins, Sinorice Moss. Steve Smith's addition slid all these guys down the depth chart. Only one of these guys is making the team in all likelihood, and tonight's Jets game may very well determine it.
TE: Cornelius Ingram, Donald Lee. We don't know if the Eagles will go with two or three tight ends, but they definitely won't have four. Ingram has looked good this preseason, but his injury history may make it tough for him to surpass the veteran Lee.
OL: Reggie Wells, King Dunlap, Ryan Harris, Austin Howard, Winston Justice. There are a ton of linemen on this team right now. Harris and Justice are currently sidelined with injuries, which could put at least one of them in jeopardy. Howard has a lot to prove. Dunlap and Wells have starting experience, but neither has been stood out.
DE: Juqua Parker, Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, Brandon Graham, Phillip Hunt. It would be hard to imagine last year's first round pick, Brandon Graham, getting cut, but the combination of ACL and microfracture surgery in the past year is a worry. Parker, a long-time Eagle veteran, is in jeopardy simply because there are cheaper options on the roster that could provide similar production. Philip Hunt might fit in that category. The good news for these guys is that with Jim Washburn's aggressive style, rotation will be key, and they will likely keep a lot of D-ends.
DT: Derek Landri, Trevor Laws, Anthony Hargrove. Trevor Laws has been hurt by the fact that he hasn't played much this preseason, as well as the addition of Cullen Jenkins. Hargrove is a great story, and is a nice rotation player, but will really need to fight to make the roster.
LB: Greg Lloyd, Brian Rolle, Rashad Jeanty. At least one should make the squad as a special teams player, but two is unlikely.
CB: Trevard Lindley. Was built up as a potential future starter last season when he was drafted, but there's now a logjam at corner, and the Eagles really like their rookies.
S: Jamar Adams, Colt Anderson. Another battle where one guy standing out on special teams might be the difference.

Doubtful

Unfortunately for these guys, I think their time as an Eagle comes to an end by Sunday at 4pm. Even a strong showing against the Jets will likely not be enough, as the roster is jam packed at this point. But who knows, there are always a few surprises. I have 10 guys who fall into this group.

RB: Graig Cooper
WR: Rod Harper
OL: Julian Vandervelde, Dallas Reynolds, Fenuki Tupou, A.Q. Shipley
DE: Chris Wilson
DT: Cedric Thornton
CB: Jorrick Calvin
S: Marlin Jackson

Not many surprises here. One of these linemen may make it if the injuries to Justice and Harris turn out to be long-term. Calvin was a nice special teams player in 2010, but cornerback is just too jam-packed. Marlin Jackson was supposed to be our starter at safety last season, but at this point you figure it's just a matter of time before he suffers another major injury.

So who makes the cut?

In the end, assuming these groupings are correct (and I'm sure some of them are not), it comes down to that group of players on the bubble as far as who may or may not get cut. My predictions are:

In: Higgins, Lee, Wells, Dunlap, Justice, Graham, Hargrove, Rolle
Out: Buckley, Havili, Hall, Moss, Ingram, Harris, Howard, Parker, Te'o-Nesheim, Hunt, Landri, Laws, Lloyd, Jeanty, Lindley, Adams, Anderson

This is really tough, as a lot of guys are going to get cut who probably belong on a 53-man roster somewhere in the NFL…just not with the Eagles. That's a good thing in the sense that it means your roster is very talented, but can come back to haunt you if another team strikes gold with one of the Eagles' cuts. The coaching staff has some tough decisions in front of them this weekend.

We'll check back on Monday to see how accurate these predictions actually were.