Archive for October, 2011

First, I gotta ask–what the Hell are the Oakland Raiders thinking? It’s been widely reported the Raiders have traded for former All-Pro quarterback Carson Palmer, a move that makes sense for both teams given Andy Dalton’s emergence in Cincinatti and Jason Campbell’s season-ending injury. The Raiders have a legitimate shot to win the AFC West behind a strong run game and stellar defense, but not with Kyle Boller playing out the string at quarterback. Given Palmer’s refusal to take another snap in a Bengals’ uniform, the stars aligned for a deal. But acquiring Palmer for two first-round draft picks? I [...]

Finally, we have a little movement in this week’s rankings after two weeks of each team holding firm in their spots. What did we learn this weekend? The Redskins’ early season success came to a crashing thud, the Cowboys can’t get out of their own way, and the Giants are a flawed, but resilient football team. As for the Eagles, the jury is out–but they are still breathing. And at this point, I’ll take it. 1. New York Giants (4-2): I find it amazing that the Giants are undisputedly the best team in this division through six weeks. The Giants’ [...]

Fred Davis (TE/Redskins) – Davis is a stud at tight end. He’s physically imposing, and a much better option than Chris Cooley right now for the Redskins. He was frequently against the Eagles and both of Washington’s quarterbacks found him. The reason I chose him was because the Eagles finally realized what I said in my preview-–that great coaches in the NFL take away one aspect of their opponents game-–and for the Eagles yesterday, that was the Redskins’ run game. The after effect of that was that Davis was open, but the Eagles were still able to limit the Redskins’ [...]

I find something poetic about football. Maybe I’ve watched one too many NFL Films documentaries, but there really is a correlation between the rythmic patterns and intense meanings of a poem and a cruel game played by freakishly athletic and violent men. So in the spirit of this notion I present you a reading of Robert Frost. Frost wrote in his poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”: The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. Seems like a fitting [...]

I thought Donovan McNabb would bounce back this season. I really did. Give the guy some playmakers like Adrian Petersen and Percy Harvin, and boom–Mac5 has got his groove back. But through six games, it just hasn’t worked out. At all. And so, finally, it appears the Vikings have had enough. Trailing 39-10 in a good old fashioned ass-whooping against the Bears on Sunday Night Football, Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier finally pulled the plug on Donovan McNabb, inserting first-round pick Christian Ponder. McNabb finished the night completing 19 of 24 passes for 177 yards, but his offense never established [...]

We heard all week about the Eagles rallying around embattled head coach Andy Reid. After the Eagles finally snapped their four-game losing streak, running back LeSean McCoy showed his love for Reid by…punching him in the stomach. Something tells me Reid wouldn’t mind another eight blows to the stomach if it meant a win. Check out the video after the jump.

Some interesting tidbits of information from Philadelphiaeagles.com. Amaze coworkers and friends alike tomorrow night when you drink yourself to death while watching a mediocre football game at a dive bar, or at the water cooler tomorrow morning with some of these tasty morsels. Again, credit the Philadelphia Eagles for the following information. Reid’s Records … Andy Reid improved his record to 16-9 against the Redskins, including ten wins in their last 12 contests at FedEx field, outscoring Washington by an average of 13.2 points in those wins … In their last two games against the Redskins, the Eagles have outscored [...]

Well, kids. The last time I checked in with the depressing postseason prognosis there was only a seven percent chance of them making the playoffs. This week? 17 PERCENT, BABY! Hell, I’ll take it. Had the Giants lost today, the number would have jumped over 20 percent. But it’s still a step in the right direction. What’s more, the only opponents the Eagles face with records above .500 are the Giants, Redskins, and Patriots. Six of those 10 games are at Lincoln Financial Field. I’m not saying the Eagles will make the postseason. I’m not saying they will even beat [...]

Brent Celek has spent much of this season missing in action. Today was a different story. Celek scored his first touchdown of this season, but the real highlight was this phenomenal 21-yard catch.

Boom. I love it.

The Good: *It’s always good for an offense when its tight end is a legitimate receiving threat. Celek didn’t have a monster day, but he made his touches count. Celek was on the receiving end of a well-designed tight end slip screen that went for a touchdown. He also made a brilliant, juggling grab later in the game. *The Eagles gained 192 yards on the ground, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. *It was well-documented this week that only five teams have made the playoffs after starting a season 1-4. Well, good news. The Eagles’ chances to make the postseason have [...]

Nothing is easy. After building a commanding 20-0 lead in the first half, the Eagles again faltered late, but made just enough plays to escape Washington with a win that temporarily saves their season. Michael Vick completed 18 of 31 passes for 231 yards, and rushed for another 54 to pace the Eagles’ offense. It was the performance of emerging star LeSean McCoy, however, that made the difference for a desperate Philadelphia team. McCoy finished the day with 28 carries for 126 yards and a touchdown. And it was his critical yardage late in the game that helped seal the [...]