Kurt Coleman has two touchdowns on fumble recoveries tonight.

The Eagles lead the Jets 17-7 at halftime.  Kurt Coleman leads the way with a pair of fumble recoveries for touchdowns, and now leads all Eagles with two preseason touchdowns.  Coleman’s first came on a Joe McKnight fumble at the end of the first quarter.  The rookie safety took it 64 yards to the house.

Late in the first half, John Conner fumbled at the end of a 7-yard run and Coleman scooped it up and dove into the end zone to put the Eagles up 17-7.  In between the two Coleman touchdowns, the Jets scored one of their own after Mike Kafka threw an interception to Emanuel Cook early in the second quarter, which was returned to the Eagles’ 15-yardline.  Five plays later, Mark Brunell found Jeff Cumberland for a two-yard touchdown pass.

Michael Vick’s night was relatively short.  The backup quarterback played only one quarter and went 3-for-5 for 56 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.  Vick also ran twice for 11 yards.

Kurt Coleman has the only touchdown of the game on a 64-yard fumble return.

The Eagles lead the Jets 10-0 at the end of the first quarter after scoring on the last play of the opening frame.  Kurt Coleman recovered a Joe McKnight fumble and raced 64 yards to the end zone to score the first touchdown of the game.  The Eagles opened the game with a 7 play, 46-yard drive that culminated in a 29-yard field goal by David Akers.

Philadelphia opened the game with a 40-yard kick return by J.J. Arrington to the 43-yardline.  On the first play from scrimmage, Michael Vick hit Riley Cooper for a 27-yard gain.  The drive eventually stalled out at the Jets’ 11-yardline, and Akers connected on the field goal.

The starting lineups have been announced for both the Eagles and Jets.

Of note, Macho Harris gets the start at free safety over Quintin Demps – which could indicate that Demps is in trouble for a roster spot, as we discussed on ITI Weekly thsi week. Demps was previously listed above Harris and the Birds may not keep five safeties. Keep a close eye on Harris and Demps tonight.

It also looks like Mike Bell won’t see any action, with Mallett and Buckley making the starts. Also expect the starting offensive lineman to play most of the game, with only two players deeper on the depth chart remaining (Jeraill McCuller and Funiki Tupou).

Philadelphia:
QB: Michael Vick
RB: Martell Mallett
FB: Eldra Buckley
WR: Riley Cooper
WR: Kelly Washington
TE: Clay Harbor
LT: Austin Howarde
LG: Max Jean-Gilles
C: A.Q. Shipley
RG: Dallas Reynolds
RT: King Dunlap

LDE: Daniel Te’o Nesheim
LDT: Jeff Owens
RDT: Antonio Dixon
RDE: Darryl Tapp
WLB: Keenan Clayton
MLB: Omar Gaither
SLB: Moise Fokou
LCB: Joselio Hanson
RCB: Trevard Lindley
SS: Kurt Coleman
FS: Macho Harris

New York:
QB: Mark Brunell
RB: Joe McKnight
FB: John Conner
TE: Matthew Mulligan
WR: Santonio Holmes
WR: David Clowney
LT: Wayne Hunter
LG: Vladimir Ducasse
C: Robert Turner
RG: Matt Slausen
RT: Dan Gay

DE: Martin Tevaseu
NT: Matt Kroul
T: Ty Steinkuhler
OLB: Vernon Gholston
MLB: Lance Laury
WLB: Brashton Satele
OLB: Jamaal Westerman
CB: Marquice Cole
CB: Drew Coleman
S: James Ihedigbo
S: Eric Smith

Eagles backup quarterback Michael Vick is expected to play the first half tonight.

On the Jets side, Santonio Holmes is scheduled to play three quarters, since he will miss the first four games of the season with a suspension. New York head coach Rex Ryan is only playing 36 players in tonight’s game.

The Eagles come into the game at 2-1 in exhibitions this season, while the Jets are 1-2. Vick still searches for his first touchdown pass of the pre-season, as neither he nor starter Kevin Kolb have found the end zone through the air.

Each week we’ll be putting up a 30 minute show on Thursday morning. You are welcome to download the file by right clicking below and choosing Save Target As. If you prefer to listen here on the site, click the play button to the left of the link and the player will pop out for you. Enjoy, and leave a comment!

Weekly Show #3 – September 2, 2010

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The combo of Ernie Sims and Stewart Bradley received a lot of attention at camp.

Make no mistake, the Eagles linebackers this year are far better than last season.  The trio is probably as good as Philadelphia has had since Jeremiah Trotter was in his prime.  Perhaps most importantly, all three – Stewart Bradley, Ernie Sims and Akeem Jordan – can play every snap.

“Big.  It really is big.  And this gets back to us being healthy, for the most part, right now,” said defensive coordinator Sean McDermott.  “We got banged up in a game the other night.  But, for the most part, we’re healthy.”

That means McDermott can capitalize on the versatility of a unit that doesn’t really have a specialist against the run or pass.  “They look like they’re building that chemistry from being out on the field together, which is important.  There seems to be balance both in the run and the pass game,” McDermott said.

Overall the Eagles run defense, statistically, wasn’t bad last year – it ranked in the top third of the league.  However, look no farther than the last two games of the season, a pair of drubbings at the hands of the Cowboys, to see why the Eagles need a better performance against the run this year.

Dallas ran 67 times in those two games for a total of 377 yards, or 5.6 per carry.  It’s nearly impossible to win when allowing that kind of yardage on the ground, which also leads to lopsided time of possession.  The Cowboys held the ball for 79:57 in the two games, compared to the Eagles’ 40:03.

But this season, the Eagles hope their defense is bolstered against run-heavy offenses.  McDermott wants the interior to set the tone. “Well, you would hope so.  The core of your defense and the strength down the middle of your defense needs to be just that,” he said.

In Stewart Bradley, Ernie Sims and Akeem Jordan the Birds hope they’ve found what they were looking for at linebacker.  “They’re young and they’re fast,” said McDermott.  “They’re very tough, which I like in our linebackers and our overall defense.”

They’ll need to be all of those things and more, given the first team on the regular season schedule.  McDermott’s already aware of what Green Bay is capable of. “We’re keeping an eye on them,” he said. “Keeping an eye on all 59 points the other night.”

The Eagles beat the Chiefs 20-17 after Mike Kafka found Riley Cooper for an 18-yard touchdown pass with 23 seconds left in the fourth quarter of Friday’s preseason game.  Unfortunately for the Eagles, the true headlines did not involve the final score.

Defensive end Trent Cole left the game with a  sprained ankle and will undergo an MRI on Sunday morning, while star wide receiver DeSean Jackson strained his neck on the first play from scrimmage and did not return.  Reid said Jackson was held out for precautionary reasons.  Center Mike McGlynn also left the field with an undisclosed injury, but later returned.

Adding insult to injury, starting quarterback Kevin Kolb completed just 11-of-25 passes for 103 yards, no touchdowns and an interception.  Kolb’s interception to Keenan Lewis came in the third quarter, at which point Kolb was just 6-for-19 for 47 yards.  The first-year starter played one more drive, going 5-of-6 for 56 yards on a drive that resulted in a 27-year-old field goal by David Akers.

The silver lining for the Birds offense was a red zone touchdown on the first drive of the game.  After a Jamaal Charles fumble on the Chiefs first play from scrimmage was recovered by Trent Cole at the Kansas City 22-yardline, it took the Eagles just two plays to find the end zone.  LeSean McCoy put it in on an 18-yard run through a big hole opened up by left guard Todd Herremans and fullback Leonard Weaver.

The Eagles starting offense also featured an increased amount of work for Michael Vick.  The backup quarterback came into the game on the first red zone play, handing it off to McCoy for what turned into a touchdown.   Vick was 1-for-1 for nine yards and ran three times for 16 yards and took the helm for multiple third down plays.  Vick’s two third down conversions (both runs) were the only successful third down plays in the first three quarters.

At this point, it seems the Eagles haven’t answered any more questions on offense.  The offensive line remains shaky, while Kevin Kolb continues to be inconsistent.  Granted, the play calling will change significantly in the regular season, but only time will tell if that leads to better output from the Birds offense.

As the Eagles take on the Chiefs tonight in preseason game number three, there are still many areas in which the Birds need to improve before the start of the regular season.  Here are five things to pay special attention to in tonight’s preseason game.

Can Kevin Kolb and the first string offense score their first touchdown of the preseason?

1. Red Zone Offense – The Eagles first string still hasn’t scored a touchdown, despite moving the ball well until reaching the red zone. Philadelphia has made numerous small mistakes to cause issues inside the 20, and without much playing time to be had in the fourth preseason game, the first-stringers need to punch it in tonight to build some confidence before the first preseason game. The offensive line and Kevin Kolb’s ability to hold onto the ball a little longer and make better decisions are keys in this area.

2. Offensive Line – Todd Herremans is in the starting lineup tonight for the first time this preseason. His ability to stay on the field and take the wear and tear on his previously injured foot will be something to watch. Nick Cole is listed as the top center, returning from his knee injury and the Birds hope that makes a difference as well. At right guard, Stacy Andrews has struggled and Max Jean-Gilles is pushing him for the starting spot. Keep an eye on those two and see who gets more snaps with the first string.

3. Brent Celek – Coming into the season, Celek was discussed as a Pro Bowl level tight end. His numbers last year warranted that high praise (971 yards and eight touchdowns), but he hasn’t done a whole lot in this preseason. He also had a memorable drop in the red zone against Jacksonville, and Celek’s a big target who can make Kolb’s life easier in the red zone. Either way, Celek should have a fine season – but you’d like to see him get it going now.

4. Brandon Graham – He’s expected to start at defensive end, so it’s a big opportunity for Graham to show his stuff and try to hold onto the top spot going into the regular season. Graham has drawn a lot of attention during camp, and could be a key to the Eagles improving on defense this year.

5. Defensive Secondary – Let’s be honest here. The Chiefs wide receivers aren’t very good. So if they’re doing much damage against the Eagles’ secondary, that’s a bad sign. In particular, keep an eye on Joselio Hanson and Dimitri Patterson at the nickel corner spot. Hanson’s the starter, but he could potentially be unseated before the season opener. Watch Nate Allen as well, as the rookie free safety will be an important part of the Eagles starting unit. Opponents love to pick on rookie safeties, so Allen could get a lot of attention this year.

To get a better idea of what’s going on with the Chiefs, I spoke with Patrick Allen of Arrowhead Addict. To see the other side of our conversation and what I had to say about the Eagles, you can check out Patrick’s article. Be sure to visit ITI this evening as well, when I’ll give you five things to watch closely during tonight’s game. Preseason or not, the Eagles need to build some confidence in the offensive red zone, so this will be an important exhibition game. The Chiefs have a few things to improve as well, as Patrick and I discussed.

Ryan: Is Matt Cassel the answer? He was 25th last year in QB rating, only completed 55% of his passes and had an even 16 TD’s and 16 INT’s. In a pass-heavy league with a lot of talented QB’s, those numbers won’t cut it. Was it the lack of targets, or is he not going to make it as a starter?

Patrick: The jury is still out on Matt Cassel. Is he ever going to be a Peyton Manning? Probably not. Cassel is never going to be a gunslinger but he has some physical assets that could make him in to a Chad Pennington type of player. If he can play smart and is surrounded by talented players, I think he can do well.

The thing to remember about Cassel is that he is essentially a 3rd year player. This is a guy who hadn’t started a game since high school when he took the field for Tom Brady. He had little to no on field NFL experience and yet he adapted and played brilliantly at times. He struggled in Kansas City last year but truthfully, he was in a very volatile situation. He started the year off throwing to Dwayne Bowe, Mark Bradley and Bobby Wade, who were just terrible all year long.

This is a big season for Cassel. He has an improved line, improved receivers and a very good running game supporting him. There is no excuse for him not to improve his numbers this season. If he doesn’t, the Chiefs will likely start looking for another QB to lead their young team. Cassel’s contract was front loaded in the first two years so if they decide to cut ties with him after this season, they won’t take too big of a hit.

Personally, I think Cassel will succeed. He very hard and is surrounded by some talented players.

Ryan: What are people in Kansas City saying about Dexter McCluster? And is he a running back, a wide receiver, or is he going to be moved all around? That’s something Eagles fans are familiar with seeing in a running back after many years of Brian Westbrook, who was great as a receiver.

Patrick: McCluster is a receiver but the Chiefs are going to move him all over. The bulk of the carries are going to Jones and Charles and while Dexter might get 4 or 5 hand-offs a game, most of his work is likely to come out of the slot.

Chiefs fans may be more excited about McCluster than any other rookie. Hardly does a day go by where there isn’t a story about him making some kind of amazing play at practice. The Chiefs will likely do all they can do get McCluster the ball in space and let him go to work. Think of a Darren Sproles/Wes Welker hybrid here.

Ryan: Both Philadelphia and Kansas City have rookies starting at Free Safety. Eagles players and coaches are raving about Nate Allen. What are the reports on Eric Berry?

Patrick: Berry will move around but he is actually listed as the team’s strong safety. Berry, like McCluster, is such a valuable weapon that I think the Chiefs will move him to where ever they think he can make an impact. I look for him to go from strong to free safety and play up and back depending on the situation.

Berry appears to be as advertised. He is smart and athletic and always seems to be around the ball. He has made a few nice tackles so far in the preseason both on special teams and in the defense. He is likely to suffer some mistakes like all rookies but he has a legit shot at Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Ryan: What positional battles are you guys watching the most against Philadelphia?

Patrick: The biggest position battle the Chiefs have going is at middle linebacker. Demorrio Williams and Corey Mays (last year’s starters) are battling Derrick Johnson and Jovan Belcher for the starting roles. Mays and Williams had a lot of tackles last year but neither had any interceptions or forced fumbles. Johnson is inconsistent but has the ability to make the big play and Belcher is an undrafted free agent who has come a long way and is probably the best tackler on the team. Johnson and Belcher will get the start this week so I think most fans are hoping they make an impact. Chiefs fans saw what it is like to have Williams and Mays starting last year and the results were not good.

Ryan: The Chiefs have only won 10 games in the last 3 years. Is there any reason to expect more than a slight improvement over last year’s 4-12 record?

Patrick: I think that inexperience will be the Chiefs worst enemy this year. They are far and away a more talented team but most of their infusion of talent has come through the draft and not through free agency. Because of this I expect an up and down season where at one moment the team looks great and the next they look terrible. Still, that would be an upgrade over last year where they just looked terrible.

These Chiefs are faster and more athletic. With an easier schedule I think they can reasonable win in the neighborhood of 6-8 games but I think they are still a year away from being a serious playoff contender. These are early observations though so I am hoping my opinion changes.

Ryan: OK, it’s way early for this question, but I’m curious. If they win 6 or fewer games, is Todd Haley’s job safe? It may only be year number two, but this is just his second year as a head coach at any level, so is there a little extra pressure on him?

Patrick: I think 6 win will probably keep Haley his job as long as the team is more competitive. If the team wins 6 games and loses a few heart breakers, I think he will be safe. Pioli hired Haley and is probably going to give him at least 3 years to right the ship.

That being said, if the team, god forbid, takes a step backwards this season or only wins 4 games, it will be hard for Pioli to justify keeping Haley around.

Ryan: Our thanks to Patrick for answering a few questions. Check back this evening for a quick pre-game read and learn five things to watch on the Eagles side.

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Each week we’ll be putting up a 30 minute show on Thursday morning. You are welcome to download the file by right clicking below and choosing Save Target As. If you prefer to listen here on the site, click the play button to the left of the link and the player will pop out for you. Enjoy, and leave a comment!

Weekly Show #2

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When the Eagles signed right guard Stacy Andrews to a six-year contract worth 38.9 million dollars in 2009, they weren’t planning on making him a backup.  Fast forward 18 months and the 6’7, 342 pound guard isn’t guaranteed a starting spot. That may not come as a surprised based on his performance, but considering the praise the Eagles coaching staff has given him up until now, it might cause an onlooker to raise an eyebrow.

Throughout camp, Reid has said that Andrews has improved and needed to continue to improve, but has never let on that anybody else might start in his spot.  Given the insertion of Todd Herremans back into the lineup and the availability of Max Jean-Gilles, Reid was asked about the possibility of Jean-Gilles taking the spot and didn’t categorically deny it.

“I’ve mentioned this before, as long as [Andrews] continues to improve, he’ll be that guy, and he’s been doing that every day,” said head coach Andy Reid.  Now sure, that wasn’t exactly a scathing dressing down by Reid, but given that a potential competition has never been discussed officially at right guard, it’s certainly a step towards that possibility.

If you really break it down, Reid put a condition on Andrews holding onto the starting spot, which means there is some competition there. Earlier in camp, Reid discussed some of Andrews’ strengths and weaknesses. “Stacy is a tremendous run blocker and he’s putting a lot of emphasis in his pass game, trying to make sure that he keeps his hands in there tight and everything’s working for him,” said Reid. “And I’m telling you that he works his tail off and that will help him get better at those things, and he continues to be very good at the things that he does well.

While there’s enough blame to go around, the Eagles offensive line as a whole has struggled – particularly on the interior.  With Herremans back in the fold and starting center Jamaal Jackson seeing light at the end of the injury tunnel, there could suddenly be a line of guards applying pressure to Andrews.

Nick Cole has been pressed into duty as a center since Jackson’s knee injury last year, but has always performed at a higher level as a guard.  If Jackson is able to return early in the season, there’s a possibility of Cole switching back.  Throw in Jean-Gilles, and Andrews must know he needs to improve.

The effort though, is certainly not lacking.  Andrews has been putting in extra work on the side with offensive line coach Juan Castillo for quite some time. “The thing that Juan preaches over and over is that we are going to keep doing it over and over and over until it becomes natural and that helps out a lot, “ Andrews said. “Since I came here, Juan has been out there working me, working me, working me and still to this day we come out here early and sometimes after practice we stay late.”

In some ways, it appears that Castillo has made the development of Andrews his personal project.  He’s got just under two and a half weeks to finish the job before the Eagles open their regular season against the Packers.

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Eagles right defensive end Trent Cole likes what he sees from rookie Brandon Graham. (Photo: Ryan Messick)

Observers of the NFL often discuss offensive players that can give defensive coordinators nightmares.  The Eagles may have a defensive duo that can do the same to offensive coordinators in Trent Cole and Brandon Graham.
The two defensive ends are skilled pass rushers, making it tougher to just double Cole and feel good about a protection scheme.

“They are going to have to put two or three on him, so what are they going to do with me? That’s what I want to know,” said Graham. “I’m just going to go out there and go hard like I know I can.”  Graham is never one to lack confidence, and why should he?  The former Wolverine racked up 28 sacks in his college career, including 10 last year.  By comparison, Trent Cole notched 18 sacks at Cincinnati and 8.5 in his final season as a Bearcat.

Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott feels that the ability to line up Graham across from Cole should free up his two-time Pro Bowler.  “It will be to his benefit, absolutely, and to our benefit defensively. So, I’m sure he’s anxious and likes what he sees at the other side from Brandon, [Juqua Parker], and from Te’o-Nesheim as well,” said McDermott.

While Juqua Parker is still listed as the starter across from Cole, Graham seems to be the better pass rusher and all of the talk is about what the Michigan product can do at the next level.  “I see greatness. I see us having a great time this season, flying around the ball, making plays, sacks, celebrating after sacks. I see it all; I can picture it right now,” Cole said.

Parker did rack up eight sacks last year, but some of his production has to be attributed to playing across from a player the caliber of Cole.  Parker had only started two games in his six year career prior to 2006 and has since started 34 times in three seasons.  The undrafted Oklahoma State product certainly doesn’t have the pedigree of Graham, who some expect to compete for the defensive rookie of the year award.

Trent Cole is impressed as he compares Graham’s first training camp to his own five years ago.  “Just looking back, I’ve seen film of myself from years ago. I see Brandon, that guy who likes to get after it, nonstop motor on him, and wants to get after it,” Cole said. “He’s hungry. That’s one thing I like about him and my teammates in general, that hunger they have. I share that hunger with him.”

Part of Graham’s appetite is fed by his quest to improve each day, a process that Cole has been helpful in. “There’s just a small conversation, he always helps, just from me gaining confidence and feeling better about being here and knowing everything, and just knowing that he’s got my back,” said Graham.

The Eagles hope that proves to be the beautiful thing about having two premier pass rushing defensive ends.  You double one and you leave the other one-on-one.  So, in that sense, they’ve both got each others’ back.

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