Philadelphia Eagles

no fluke, the Dallas Cowboys picked up right where they left off with a 34-14 blowout win over the Philadelphia Eagles Saturday night. In a flag-filled contest (actually setting a playoff record for most penalty yards), only Dallas overcame their mistakes. Philly never stood a chance. 

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 I love the Jets for the straight-up win.

(11-5) Philadelphia Eagles at (11-5) Dallas Cowboys
8:00PM ET NBC

Surrounded by a rapidly-developing core of young talent, Donovan McNabb has his Eagles back in the playoffs anxious to to capture that elusive Super Bowl win. DeSean Jackson is the most explosive receiver in the league, but he also returns punts, making him a game-planning headache for opposing coaches. Brent Celek hasn't been mentioned enough as one of the best tight ends in the NFC while LeSean McCoy has filled in admirably for Brain Westbrook at running back. Losing to the Cowboys twice this year has Andy Reid's Eagles on edge.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Wild-Card Saturday"

from pummeling their playoff opponent won't hurt Green Bay.

(11-5) Dallas Cowboys 24
(11-5) Philadelphia Eagles 0

Even though I thought the Cowboys would win, there was no one who could have seen this coming. With the number two seed and a bye to play for, the Eagles came out and were dominated by a vicious Cowboys defense and a hard-nosed running game. The worry for Philly fans comes from the Eagles' complete inability to generate offense without hitting a big play. They have problems sustaining drives and running the ball, which are paramount in the playoffs. This win may have saved Wade Philips' job but Jerry Jones doesn't want them to stop here. A win over the Eagles this weekend would give them the hat-trick over their division rivals, something of which Jones can be proud.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 17"

Cardinals may have more to play for, but I like the Packers.

(11-4) Philadelphia Eagles at (10-5) Dallas Cowboys

Easily the best game of the weekend, there's no drama missing from this match-up. Not only are the Cowboys and Eagles division rivals, but the division championship is on the line in their afternoon meeting. Beyond that, Philly lambasted Dallas at the end of last season, knocking them out of the playoff hunt. If Dallas wins they have a chance a the 2 seed, but they need a load of help. Philly has the inside track on that slot, needing only a win to take a week off. Don't miss this one. I'm mixed, but I'll take Dallas.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 17"

w that.

 
1st rule of the Indianapolis Colts: Don't make Peyton Manning upset.

(11-4) Philadelphia Eagles 30
(8-7) Denver Broncos 27

My how the once mighty have fallen. From 6-0 to 8-7, the Denver Broncos are on the outside of the playoff picture.Take that Kyle Orton. The Eagles on the other hand are primed for the number two seed and a bye thanks to Minnesota's head-scratching loss Monday night. Their explosive offense led by Donovan McNabb coupled with an aggressive defense makes them the hottest team in the NFC in my opinion. A looming showdown with the Cowboys has the NFC East title in the balance.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 16"

I think they keep it going. Colts in a close one.

(8-6) Denver Broncos at (10-4) Philadelphia Eagles

This match-up is the most significant of the weekend in terms of the post-season picture. A Denver win would secure their berth, but a loss may knock them out completely. Though who expects them to be anything more than a wildcard round out? In the NFC, the Eagles still have a shot at the number two seed if the Vikings falter. With their countless injuries, Philly sure could use that bye week. I love the Eagles over the offensively challenged Broncos.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 16"

ilip Rivers is once again putting on an MVP-type performance that no one will notice. 

(9-4) Philadelphia Eagles 45
(7-6) New York Giants 38 

Apparently defense was optional on Sunday night. I didn't get that memo from the league. Maybe it went into my spam folder. The Eagles made big play after big play, thanks to an electric DeSean Jackson. New York racked up over 500 yards of offense and still lost! What up with that G-Men? Tom Coughlin's face is still red. Though even he'd admit that Andy Reid / Jackson jump-bump was pretty cool though.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 14"

Let’s get some Opening Drive in your diet!

Washington Redskins (3-7) at Philadelphia Eagles (6-4)

I don’t even know why this is even on my list of games to watch this week. Oh wait, Jim Zorn’s job is on the line. (If he hasn’t lost it already.) If the ‘Skins get embarrassed by a division rival, Zorn is gone for sure. On the Philly sidelines, they still have a chance to catch the Cowboys for the NFC East crown, so expect Andy Reid to come out McNabb’s blazing. I don’t expect it will be close for long.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: week 12"

Well, it wasn't a barrage of Jay Cutler interceptions that led to Chicago's loss to Philadelphia at Soldier Field Sunday night. Instead of tossing red zone picks, Cutler played smart and checked down to his receivers, setting up four Robbie Gould field goals. Thing about field goals is, a touchdown's better than two of them. That simple math led to the demise of Lovie Smith's team and the deflation of their playoff hopes as they fall to 4-6.

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The Chicago Bears are losers of four of their last five contests. Their three primetime games this season have all resulted in losses, two of which were especially rich in turnovers. So why am I not convinced the Bears will lay an egg when they play the Eagles this Sunday night? Easy: they're playing at home.

Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Preview: Eagles at Bears"

g him) is to hit the snot out of the other QB.  

(6-3) San Diego Chargers 31
(5-4) Philadelphia Eagles 23 

This was a bad week for the top of the NFC East. (But good for the Giants.) Philly stumbled but kept pace with the Cowboys. San Diego picked up another game on the Broncos, setting up a showdown this weekend. Donovan McNabb threw for 450 yards and LOST and Brian Westbrook suffered another concussion. Sit him down. 

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 10"

back to the playoffs and dropping to 4-5 won’t do his job security any favors. 

(5-3) Philadelphia Eagles at (5-3) San Diego Chargers 

In another 3:15 start, Philly goes west to take on the surging Chargers. This is one of those games I’d stay away from in Vegas. Both offenses make their living off the big play. McNabb has DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy while Philip Rivers relies on Vincent Jackson, Malcolm Floyd and Darren Sproles. The Eagles’ defense will prove to be the difference if their blitzes can get to Rivers on a regular basis. If he doesn’t have time to get downfield the Chargers offense will grind to a halt. 

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 10"

That’s how you run a 2-minute offense.

(6-2) Dallas Cowboys 20
(5-3) Philadelphia Eagles 16

There’s no way I saw this coming. The Cowboys played well enough to escape Philly with a win and first place in the NFC East. Tony Romo’s one pass to Miles Austin went for 49 yards and the last score the Cowboys needed. One thing still puzzles me though, why was everyone surprise when Roy Williams got out of line and said something worth of a douchebag? He was doing that in Detroit FOR YEARS. Did no one notice because no one was watching the Lions? To me, he was worse than T.O. Seriously. Anyways, Donovan McNabb had an off night, with some ugly ground balls and Andy Reid mismaaged his time-outs. The Eagles till can't make a 3rd and 1. Still, they have enough playmakers to snag a wildcard sport.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 9"

That’s how you run a 2-minute offense.

(6-2) Dallas Cowboys 20
(5-3) Philadelphia Eagles 16

There’s no way I saw this coming. The Cowboys played well enough to escape Philly with a win and first place in the NFC East. Tony Romo’s one pass to Miles Austin went for 49 yards and the last score the Cowboys needed. One thing still puzzles me though, why was everyone surprise when Roy Williams got out of line and said something worth of a douchebag? He was doing that in Detroit FOR YEARS. Did no one notice because no one was watching the Lions? To me, he was worse than T.O. Seriously. Anyways, Donovan McNabb had an off night, with some ugly ground balls and Andy Reid mismaaged his time-outs. The Eagles till can't make a 3rd and 1. Still, they have enough playmakers to snag a wildcard sport.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 9"

lin will have his team ready to play in front of their home crowd.

(5-2) Dallas Cowboys at (5-2) Philadelphia Eagles

Remember a few weeks ago when I said the Cowboys were finished if they don’t start winning? Well, they started. Now in week nine they’re playing for sole possession of first place in the NFC East on Sunday Night Football. Tony Romo has been the improved quarterback Cowboy fans thought he would be, even without a healthy connection with receiver Roy Williams. Romo’s mistake free play has brought the ‘Boys back to life, but now they head to Philly to take on the rival Eagles. Donovan McNabb has only thrown one interception this season (but he did miss a few games, so that has to matter). With each team’s ability to rush the passer, establishing the rush and the short pass will be paramount. Even if Brian Westbrook misses the game to recover from his concussion two week ago, LeSean McCoy can pick up the slack.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 9"

(5-2) Philadelphia Eagles 40
(5-3) New York Giants 17

Um… so the Giants kinda suck right now. I can’t really explain it. After starting 5-0 they have dropped their last three, albeit to formidable opponents. This loss is obviously the worst, getting a forty-burger dropped on them by a division opponent who slides into first place with the win. The Eagles have rebounded nicely after that loss to “the team from Oakland that shall not be named” with big play after big play on offense. Must be nice to have that many weapons.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 8"

quo;t? (Besides Donovan McNabb… that one time.)  

(5-2) New York Giants at (4-2) Philadelphia Eagles 

After failing against the Saints and Cardinals, the Giants’ once mighty hold (as much as it could have been a few week s in) on the NFC East is slowly slipping away. Eli Manning hasn’t played his best football lately and the only players Philly fans treat worse than their own quarterbacks are division rival quarterbacks. (I said it.) Tough stage for Eli, but he’s a Manning. They find a way. Meanwhile the Eagles and Cowboys are both 4-2 and salivating for a G-men loss.  Despite beating the “not ready for primetime” Redskins, the Eagles were sloppy and out of sync on Monday night. They need to bring it to take out the Giants and lay claim to first place. 

Continue reading "Joe’s NFL Opening Drive: Week 8"

Coupled with the Niners’ loss, the Cards have sole possession of first place. 

(4-2) Philadelphia Eagles 27
(2-5) Washington Redskins 17 

It wasn’t as close as the score would have you believe. The Redskins offense is inept at best even with a recently retired Sherm Lewis at the helm and Jason Campbell is getting close to being benched for Todd Collins just to get a spark into the offense. Sorry Jim Zorn. The Eagles get by the ‘Skins with a sloppy win, but a win nonetheless. Donovan McNabb wasn’t at his best, but it was good enough to take advantage of multiple Redskin turnovers. They need to clean up their offense if they want to make a playoff run. 

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My fake money’s on the Giants. 

(3-2) Philadelphia Eagles at (2-4) Washington Redskins 

GM Vinny Cerrato has come out and said Jim Zorn won’t be fired during this season. However, Sherm Lewis will be calling his first plays since 2004 on Monday Night Football in a division match-up. That doesn’t give me much hope for this game or any other game this season. Philly needs to roll over the ‘Skins to get the taste of their Oakland loss out of their mouths. 

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Maybe Kurt Warner isn’t done yet. 

(2-4) Oakland Raiders 13
(3-2) Philadelphia Eagles 9 

Who saw this coming? The Eagles had been lighting up the scoreboard all season while the Raiders were struggling to just complete passes. Everyone is complaining about Andy Reid failing to commit to the run. Hello McFly! Reid hasn’t committed to running the ball in the nine years since he’s had Donovan McNabb! This is how Reid rolls: through the air.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 6"

 

With some downright horrendous match-ups this weekend, this edition of the Opening Drive is shorter than usual. Just writing about Cleveland versus Buffalo would put me to sleep. Let’s get things going with the most anticipated games of week four! 

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fense won’t let Tennessee run rampant like Houston’s did.

Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)

Philly will sit Donovan McNabb for a second straight week, and maybe even receiver DeSean Jackson. Michael Vick will make his much bally-hooed regular season debut, but don’t expect fireworks. With their bye week next, the Eagles may try to get two weeks of rest for players for the price of only one game. Against the lowly Chiefs, that might be a good idea. Then again, it is the NFL.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 3"

ght in Bean-town if the Pats want to win this division.

(2-0) New Orleans Saints 48
(1-1) Philadelphia Eagles 22

Kevin Kolb passed for 391 yards in his first start and LOST. That’s what happens when you get in a shoot-out with Drew Brees. He’s going to win that battle. Is there a better quarterback right now? The Saints should scare the jock straps off most teams.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 2"

could be over early.

Do you REALLY want to make Brady angry?

New Orleans Saints (1-0) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-0)

Now we’ll see if Drew Brees can rack up the same stats against a good defense as he did versus the Lions. Philly’s D is hard-hitting and aggressive, but their blitzes could leave openings for the big play. If Kevin Kolb ends up starting this one in place of Donovan McNabb, I don’t know if the Eagles can match points with the Saints.  

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They're a 7-win team at best.

Philadelphia Eagles 38, Carolina Panthers 10

Philly’s defense looked downright scary on Sunday. Donovan McNabb went down with a fractured rib, opening the door for Kevin Kolb to start their next game against the Saints. In what could be a high-scoring affair, it could be a rude awakening for Kolb. Vick won’t be able to play until week three, so the Eagles signed veteran Jeff Garcia on Monday as an insurance policy. The only question is: which of these four quarterbacks is the odd man out when Vick is back and McNabb is healthy?

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 1"

problems and an offense that doesn’t look to put up more than 13 – 17 points a game.

Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers

After making it to the NFC title game, the Eagles have reloaded in their quest for a Lombardi trophy. Drafting receiver Jeremy Maclin and running back LeSean McCoy add two more weapons for Donovan McNabb and the offense. Factor in Michael Vick’s signing, and Philly has the most explosive offense in the league. This year will be key in McNabb returning to the Eagles next season.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 1"

I was listening to ESPN radio when one of the guys, Steve Mason, spoke about a video on the internet that had him rollin'.  I was pretty interested in finding the video and when I did I was shocked, but I had to laugh also.  The tv show Family Guy did its portrayal of Michael Vick and his crime in a short clip from the show.  I am going to stop talking and just show the video:

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Unfortunately, the coupling of Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles may be synonymous with nails on a chalkboard.  

After hearing about Vick’s signing with the Philadelphia Eagles

Continue reading "Michael Vick and The Eagles make a bad pair."

Three wide receivers who will give you the most return value in 09'.

Note: All rankings are based on following stats
10 receiving yards= 1 point
All td's= 6 points

3. DeSean Jackson

Continue reading "3 fantasy football wide receiver sleepers"

e Final Drive, I look back at Sunday’s Conference Championship games.

Arizona Cardinals 32, Philadelphia Eagles 25

Is everyone done picking against the Cardinals now? They’ve only rattled off three consecutive victories against teams that were supposed to pummel them. I stopped downplaying their success after their smackdown of Carolina, which was then substantiated by an outstanding effort against the favored Eagles. Arizona’s defense continued its impressive post-season run by forcing three Philly turnovers and turning them into scores. While the Eagles were settling for two field goals early, the Cardinals had already scored two touchdowns, forcing Andy Reid to move away from his running game. Donovan McNabb shouldered the offense for another week as the Cardinal defense did an excellent job of taking Brian Westbrook out of the equation. McNabb ended up with 375 yards and three touchdowns, but did have two turnovers (1 fumble, 1 INT) on his record as well. Westbrook’s lack of playoff production finally caught up with the Eagles, and they were subsequently eliminated in another NFC title game. Andy Reid will be back as head coach next season, but McNabb’s future has not been officially confirmed. If he’s not back, it would be one of the worst personnel moves in NFL history. He kept the Eagles in the playoff hunt as the regular season ended, and when January rolled around he performed admirably without any help from a running game. He is a top-tier NFL quarterback, hands-down. On Sunday though, Arizona had one of their own. Kurt Warner proved his value to the Cardinals with a 21 for 28, 279 yards, and four touchdown performance on Sunday. He should also be thanking Larry Fitzgerald, who caught three of those touchdowns within his nine reception afternoon. Fitzgerald embarrassed the Eagle secondary, catching all three touchdowns in the first two quarters. Ken Wisenhunt’s squad was pushed to their limits by Philly, even losing the lead with about ten minutes left in the contest. In spite of the pressure, the Cardinals mounted a 14-play, 72-yard drive that sucked up almost eight minutes of clock and ended up in the end zone. It was the best the Cardinals looked all season, and it came at the perfect moment. Now it is time to see if their storybook season has a perfect ending.

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He's as explosive as they come, and his prime has arrived.

#16-Brian Westbrook-RB, Philadelphia Eagles

#17-Brandon Marshall-WR, Denver Broncos

#18-Steve Smith-WR, Carolina Panthers

#19-Michael Turner-RB, Atlanta Falcons

Continue reading "The NFL's Top 100 Players"

Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals, Fox, 3:00 PM (ET)

Are Cardinal fans appropriately freaked out yet? Your former “trash heap of the NFL” franchise has won two playoff games they had no chance of winning against two of the better squads in the NFC and now they’re HOSTING the NFC Championship! Kurt Warner is a victory away from returning to the Super Bowl and what could be a Hall of Fame seal of approval. As well as Warner has performed in this post-season, the reason the Cardinals are fighting for the NFC title is the shocking improvement of their defense. They have shut down two of the best running attacks in the league in Carolina and Atlanta, and have forced nine turnovers in those two outings. This Sunday they get a rematch with a physical Eagle defensive unit that will hope to put major pressure on Warner and his offensive line. Eagle corner Asante Samuel will have his hands full with receiver Larry Fitzgerald for most of the afternoon with a lot of help over-the-top from a safety. That is, if Fitzgerald’s teammate Anquan Boldin misses his second straight game. The injured wide-out has been suffering from a sore hamstring since his touchdown reception against the Falcons. If he is able to play even a few snaps, that will allow Fitzgerald to get open down the field and make the freak athletic plays we’ve seen from him in the playoffs. If he has another explosive day, it will be hard for the Eagles to keep up. Philly’s offense must take it to the Cardinals early, and their running game must be the focal point. Brian Westbrook needs to have a better day than he did against the Giants, where he couldn’t eclipse 50 all-purpose yards. McNabb can’t commit the costly turnovers that got him benched the week before Thanksgiving game, or he will miss a golden opportunity to win his first Super Bowl. Reid’s Eagles can’t trust the outcome of their Thanksgiving Day thrashing of the Cardinals either, since Arizona was playing on four days of rest and traveling to the East coast. Ken Wisenhunt has his team fired up for a charge to Tampa, and another stand-out game by Warner could get them there.

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Just don’t tell Warner that.

Philadelphia Eagles 23, New York Giants 11

So… the Eagles look pretty scary. They managed to hold the defending champ Giants to only three field goals (Pro- Bowl kicker Carney missed two others that were going to be next to impossible in that wind) and a safety. Eli Manning looked incredibly pedestrian, throwing two interceptions and barely completing half of his attempts. Tom Coughlin got away from the run, choosing to take bruiser Brandon Jacobs out of the game every time he was hitting his stride. Jacobs averaged 4.8 yards on his 19 carries, a solid number against Philly’s blitzing defense. Neither defense recorded a sack of the opposing quarterback, but they were both forced into bad throws. Donovan McNabb was the only one to find redemption, throwing a touchdown early in the fourth quarter that gave his Eagles the two-score lead. McNabb has rallied without a true number one wide receiver, and pulled out this victory with next to no production from Brian Westbrook. McNabb and Coach Andy Reid will be around a while, so Eagle fans should accept it as the positive it is. Manning was missing his number one target in Plaxico Burress and it showed as the Giants were unable to stretch the field or find the big plays. This has led to the rumor that Plaxico may not be done in New York, which is quite a turnaround from only a month or two ago. If they can’t acquire another target for Manning, they might not have a choice.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Divisional Round"

another high scoring affair from these teams, so don’t blink or you could miss a touchdown.

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants, Fox, Sunday 1:00 PM (ET)

After splitting their regular season series, these two NFC East rivals meet one more time with a spot in the NFC Championship game on the line. Eli Manning and the Giants have used their bye week to heal up, so ground-pounder Brandon Jacobs will play on Sunday. When Jacobs isn’t in Tom Coughlin’s line-up, the running game noticeably suffers, so his healthy return is more than welcomed by Manning. The Giants will undoubtedly run the ball at the Eagles early, trying to soften the Eagles up heading in the latter portion of the contest and keeping the defense from continuing the success that led to ranking third in the NFL with 48 sacks. Donovan McNabb will be under a comparable pass rush that ranked 6th in the league with 42 sacks, so Brian Westbrook and the underneath and screen passing routes will be factor large in Philly’s success. Andy Reid and McNabb have already earned their job security, but you can rest assured they’re still chomping at the bit to prove themselves.  This is a grudge match of the best variety, where the winner moves on the at the expense of a division rival. That’s playoff football at its finest.

Continue reading "Joey A's Opening Drive: Divisional Round"

If they plan to win, Flacco will need to make plays, not just avoid the big mistakes.  

Philadelphia Eagles 26, Minnesota Vikings 14

Too bad Minnesota, too bad. (Sorry, that’s th

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Wild Card Weekend"

um like he did all season, the Dolphins have a real chance to keep their Cinderella season alive.

Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1) at Minnesota Vikings (10-6)

Donovan McNabb’s tumultuous 2008 season has a chance for a happy ending if he can lift his team to a victory on wild-card weekend over his former offensive coordinator Brad Childress, now the Vikings head coach. Childress’s squad has gone through two quarterback changes this season, as Tarvaris Jackson was replaced by Gus Frerotte early in the season, only to return to the starting line-up late as Frerotte struggled. Jackson hasn’t been called on to do much offensively besides hand it off to Adrian Peterson coming out of the backfield. Minnesota’s defense will need to capitalize off of any turnovers the Eagles offense may commit, or they won’t be able to match Philly’s point output. Philadelphia’s blitzing defense will attempt to confuse and pressure the young quarterback, so the running game will be needed in order to keep Jackson upright. For the Eagles, Brian Westbrook is the offense. When he’s healthy, the Eagles win. Andy Reid may have finally learned to hand the ball off with more regularity, and it has been paying dividends in the form of Eagle victories. A solid rushing attack keeps McNabb from making too many mistakes and having to win the game on his own. If the Eagles are going to continue on in the post-season, it’s going to be thanks to Westbrook.

Continue reading "Joey A's Opening Drive: Wild Card Weekend"

e Jackson’s best friend if he can establish himself against Atlanta’s defensive unit.

Philadelphia Eagles (8-5-1) at Washington Redskins (7-7)

While the Eagles are flying high and hoping for a trip to the postseason, the Redskins are down in the dumps after giving the Bengals their second win of the season. The ‘Skins are ripe for the pickin’, but nobody backs Zorn into a corner. (Did that joke even land?) McNabb may be auditioning for the rest of the NFL in these last few games, since there’s a strong possibility he will ask to be traded or released at season’s end after everything that’s happened. They’re still a long shot, but Eagles fans may have something to cheer for yet.

Continue reading "Joey A's Opening Drive: Week 16"

has a shot at a wild card spot since Dallas lost, but they didn’t do themselves any favors.

Philadelphia Eagles 20, New York Giants 14

The Giants’ schedule in the second half of the season was too rough to go undefeated, but I’m sure they’d prefer not to lose to a surging division rival. Eli Manning was under fifty percent in completion percentage while the Giants converted only 3 of 11 third downs. The Eagles physically asserted themselves by rushing 41 times for 144 yards, going 12 for 18 on third down, and winning the time of possession battle with 35 minutes. Philly needs to win out and get some help, but their post-season hopes aren’t dashed yet.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week 14"

That needs to end too.

Philadelphia Eagles 48, Arizona Cardinals 20

Well, NFL Network’s nighttime broadcast was supposed to be the best game of the day. It was, but it was still over at halftime. Arizona actually got within two scores early in the fourth, but an Anquan Boldin fumble deep in their own territory closed the door on any comeback. Donovan McNabb responded well to last week’s benching with a 252-yards and 4 touchdown performance, fueling more speculation on his future in Philadelphia. In my opinion, nothing has changed. Philly will still miss the playoffs and McNabb probably won’t be back next year. Arizona has lost consecutive games against NFC East opponents, and has yet to prove they belong in the NFC elite conversation. Kurt Warner did not help his MVP-cause, throwing three interceptions.

Continue reading "Joey A's Thanksgiving Day Recap"

on looks to be a stable presence in their huddle for the foreseeable future.

Baltimore Ravens 36, Philadelphia Eagles 7

The real story coming out of this blowout loss was the benching of All-Pro Eagles QB Donovan McNabb at halftime. McNabb did not play especially well, going 8 for 18 with 2 interceptions. Even with those struggles, the Eagles were only behind 10-7 at the break. Kevin Kolb started the second half and failed to put any points on the board, throwing two interceptions of his own, including one in the end zone that was returned 108 yards for a touchdown by Ed Reed. Whether it was Kolb’s inefficiency or the Ravens’ smothering defense or a mixture of the two that led to the offensive woes, Coach Andy Reid has already named McNabb the starter for Thursday night’s game against the Cardinals. It will be the last gasp for Philly, if they haven’t suffocated already.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week Twelve"

Don’t tell Parcells that though, he still expects to make the playoffs.

Philadelphia Eagles (5-4-1) at Baltimore Ravens (6-4)

So if the Eagles could only manage a tie with the one-win Bengals, how are they supposed to hang with an AFC North resident that owns six victories? This season has been very troubling to Eagles fans, as everyone wanted to believe they were poised for a return to greatness. Injuries to Brian Westbrook and Shaun Andrews have caused problems, but the Eagles just aren’t playing well regardless. When they don’t make the playoffs at 8-8 or 9-7, things could get messier than eating a Philly Cheesesteak.

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Twelve Preview"

hopes to return to a consistent starting job somewhere in the NFL. 

New York Giants (7-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)

This is a shocker. An NFC East division game without the Cowboys? What’s going on? Blame New York (and a Dallas bye week). The Giants are the best team in the NFC, and it is high time we referred to them as such. Their pass rush is insanely productive, even after losing defensive end Michael Strahan to retirement and DE Osi Umenyiora to a season-ending injury. Eli Manning is a top-three quarterback in the NFL, and their ground game ranks second in the league. With everything clicking for the Giants, a third division win would almost secure them the NFC East title after only nine games.

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Ten Preview"

Atlanta Falcons (4-2) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-3)

It’s looking to be a regular madhouse in Philadelphia this weekend. Game three of the World Series is on Saturday, followed by Falcons v. Eagles Sunday afternoon and game four Sunday night. Thankfully, Philadelphia sports fans have enough emotion to go around. Though if their teams go 0-3 for the weekend, there could be a riot. They’ll have a little more hope for the Eagles, as Brian Westbrook is probable for Sunday’s action. The bad news is the Pro Bowl guard Shaun Andrews had surgery on his back Tuesday, and won’t be expected to return for six weeks. With that timeframe in mind, Andrews would barely be back in time for the playoffs, if the Eagles make it that far. Donovan McNabb doesn’t have any room to maneuver, as any mistake in the next few games could cost them a trip to the postseason. The pressure is on, and Coach Andy Reid has to be ready to bear the brunt, so he can keep the spotlight off his star QB.

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Eight Preview"

Philadelphia Eagles (2-3) at San Francisco 49ers (2-3)

This is a must-win for two teams that were trendy picks to make an appearance in the post-season. Philadelphia will almost certainly be on the outside looking in come January if they lose, as their divisional flat-mates all have very winnable games for the weekend. Brian Westbrook is out for another week with broken ribs, so the Eagles will have problems rushing against Mike Nolan’s stout defense. Donovan McNabb, despite his claims of being “embarrassed” by his play must pick up his team to prevent falling into a 2-4 hole in the toughest division in football. The 49ers started strong, winning two of three, but have since dropped two straight. Luckily, the first place Cardinals are only 3-2 and face a tough Dallas team, so this is an opportunity for San Francisco to jump back into first place. J.T. O’Sullivan needs to make the Eagles pay for their aggressive blitzes early, or the most sacked quarterback in the league will have another painful afternoon.

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Six Preview"

or it’ll be another season of disappointment for Charger faithful.

Washington Redskins 23, Philadelphia Eagles 17

After week one of the NFL season, everyone had already condemned Jim Zorn to a 6-10 record. Now people are racing to justify calling them the best team in the NFL. (Sorry ‘Skins, but that distinction still belongs to the Giants.) Four straight wins against quality opponents is a good reason for the excitement in Washington, and as a plus they’ll play their remaining division games at home. Jason Campbell and the offense still haven’t turned the ball over, and Clinton Portis is pummeling opposing defenses. Philadelphia has had no such luck, dropping three straight. Granted, they’ve played against good teams, but a playoff caliber squad has to find a way to win. With Brian Westbrook’s status in question with broken ribs, Philly’s rushing game may not get back on track anytime soon. Donovan McNabb may have to shift into an even higher gear if his Eagles are to play in January.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week 5"

bsp;undefeated teams trying to stay on track against solid opponents

Washington Redskins (3-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)  

This game is crucial for the stumbling Eagles. Three playoff teams are going to come out the NFC East and the Giants and Cowboys are almost a lock. It’ll be up to Philadelphia and Washington to fight it out in these divisional contests to see who will take that second wildcard slot come January. Donovan McNabb and crew are coming off a tough loss at Chicago, but should be getting back tight end L.J. Smith off the injury list. Brian Westbrook is still a game-time decision so Correll Buckhalter may have to continue picking up the slack on the ground. Washington should be feeling great after they beat Dallas in Texas last Sunday. Jason Campbell is finding deep threat Santana Moss with increasing regularity, which can only help out Clinton Portis and the running game. Coach Jim Zorn must keep his team on target if they want to rise to 2-1 against their division.  

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Five Preview"

g plagued by some of the same problems we’ve seen all season, Chicago held on to beat a solid Philadelphia Eagles ballclub. It was a game filled with great plays and absolutely mind-numbing ones. Luckily, The Bears left Solider Field with a much-needed win. It was a tale of two halves on both sides of the ball for Chicago, but luckily it was in an order that allowed for the victory.

Continue reading "Bears Overcome Four Turnovers To Defeat the Eagles"

Get ready Chicago, here’s your chance to see what a real team looks like, along with the rest of the nation. This game should honestly scare Bear fans to death. Their 1-2 team is facing a third loss in the face, which could put them behind Minnesota and tied with Detroit, depending on how this weekend’s schedule plays out. That will place them just above the bottom rung of NFL teams.

Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Preview: Eagles at Bears"

Brian Westbrook left this game in the first quarter and Donovan McNabb was sacked three times and even went to the locker room to be examined. The Eagles obviously lost…right? Sorry Steelers fans. Pittsburgh got dominated in this contest reminiscent of college football's inter-state rivalry games.

Continue reading "Eagles beat the Steelers in the Pennsylvania Bowl"

or them to stretch the field early to set up their ground game late.

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) at Philadelphia Eagles (1-1)

Your guess is as good as mine in this one. Two of the best teams in the NFL square off in this inter-state rivalry. Ben Roethlisberger has not had to make many plays this season, but that will change on Sunday. The Eagles are going to score; the Steelers just have to match them. Donovan McNabb has never looked better after two terrific outings. Rookie wide-out Desean Jackson better remember where the goal-line is this week after his bone-headed play in Dallas. Touchdowns come at a premium against the Steelers defense.

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Three Preview"