The Philadelphia Eagles face the Chicago Bears on November 7. For fantasy football owners with players on the Eagles, there is good reason to believe that those players will have big weeks again. The Eagles have a lot of momentum going for them right now. Playing at home on a Monday night should ensure that they keep the good numbers rolling. Even though they are playing a good team like the Chicago Bears, the Eagles will do good things for fantasy owners. Here are five Eagles to start in Week Nine.

1. Jason Babin(notes)

No one is happier about the return of Trent Cole(notes) than Jason Babin. As soon as Cole returned, Babin returned to his ways of getting sacks. He got to Tony Rom twice on October 30. Jay Cutler(notes) has absorbed a lot of sacks so far in 2011. He should be victim of a few more in Week Nine. I expect Babin to secure a couple of sacks in this game.

2. LeSean McCoy(notes)

McCoy is looking like an MVP. He has 10 touchdowns and leads the NFL in average rushing yards per game. He is clearly the focal point of the Philadelphia offense. McCoy has gotten a lot of touches in the last couple of games. That should continue with a big game against the Bears.

3. Brent Celek(notes)

Against the Dallas Cowboys on October 30, Celek had seven catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. He has scored in each of the last two games and will be a frequent part of the passing game again. Celek is easily one of the better tight ends in the game and he is hitting his stride at the perfect time. He will get plenty of looks in this game.

4. Asante Samuel(notes)

Jay Cutler throws interceptions. He has gotten better in 2011 but he still makes bad throws when he faces pressure. It is going to be up to Samuel to get his hands on the ball. This is what he does best. So far, he has only gotten one interception this season. If he doesn’t break out of this game now, he might never do it.

5. Michael Vick(notes)

Vick has ditched the turnovers and regained his touch. He has been an accurate passer in recent weeks and is getting impressive numbers. With his rushing and passing totals, Vick should be a sure starter each week. He also thrives in prime time. Don’t’ be surprised if Vick has a 300 yard day throwing the football as well as multiple touchdowns.

* – Mark Paul is a regular fantasy football player and fan of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The question now is, which version of the Philadelphia Eagles is the real one?

I’d like to think it’s the one we saw this past weekend, the Eagles team that rolled to a 34-7 win over fellow NFC East foe Dallas.

But it’s still too soon to tell. Even though Philadelphia has won two in a row to improve to 3-4, we’re not that far removed from a four-game losing streak.

Cornerback Asante Samuel(notes) told reporters after Sunday’s game that “the Eagles are back,” and if the Philadelphia we saw against the Cowboys is the real one, then the Eagles are, indeed, back.

Running back LeSean McCoy(notes) is looking elite; quarterback Michael Vick(notes) is sharp; the defense shored up; and best of all, the Eagles took a lead and held onto it long enough to earn the “W,” something that had proven extremely difficult during that losing skid.

Next up is the Chicago Bears on Monday, and that game could tell us a lot about Philadelphia. I can only assume Andy Reid will keep McCoy heavily involved in the offensive game plan, after McCoy had just nine carries in Week 4 and only 11 in Week 5—both losses—but delivered big-time performances in each of the past two games while getting 28 and 30 carries, respectively. Against Dallas, he rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns.

The nice thing about this Eagles team is that opposing defenses can’t really afford to overload against McCoy, because receivers DeSean Jackson(notes) and Jeremy Maclin(notes) command too much respect in the passing game. And, of course, there’s the problem of having to account for Vick’s running abilities.

All of those things were on display against the Cowboys, and it was nice to finally see things clicking.

Now, we just have to wait and see whether that was the real version of the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles.

—

More Philadelphia Eagles:

Eagles roll over Cowboys

LeSean McCoy has been a bright spot for Philadelphia

Source:

Philadelphia Eagles schedule

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

PHILADELPHIA – Whatever the Philadelphia Eagles do when coach Andy Reid gives them a week off works perfectly.

Under Reid, the Eagles are 12-0 following a bye. They’re looking to extend that winning streak when they host the Dallas Cowboys (3-3) on Sunday night. It’s another must-win for the Eagles (2-4), who can’t afford to lose any more after a poor start.

Given Reid’s success after a bye, the Eagles might want to petition the NFL to have two weeks off like they did in 1993.

“I get asked that every year, and I don’t think there’s any secret,” Reid said Wednesday. “You just do what you do. We’re going to practice just like we did last week and the week before that, and so on. So I don’t know if there’s any secret to it.”

Linebacker Jamar Chaney thinks it’s more than just a fluke.

“The great coaches make adjustments,” he said. “Halfway through the season, you have to make adjustments and that’s one thing you do at halftime when you go in and on the sideline. And pretty much whenever you have your bye, you’re going to make adjustments, go ahead and scout your team and see what they’re doing good and what they’re doing wrong and come back and make those corrections. And I think he’s been doing a good job of that.”

Reid and the rest of the coaching staff already made some adjustments that helped the Eagles beat the Redskins 20-13 in Week 5.

On offence, Reid abandoned his pass-first philosophy for one game at least. LeSean McCoy had a career-best 28 carries and the Eagles had more rushing attempts (38) than passes (32).

The biggest change came on defence where the Eagles altered their wide-nine scheme against the Redskins. Opponents had an easy time running the ball when Philadelphia put its ends way outside in the wide-nine. Defensive co-ordinator Juan Castillo, in his first year at the position after switching from the offensive line, closed the gaps, moved the linebackers closer to the line of scrimmage and brought safety Kurt Coleman up to create an eight-man front. The results were excellent.

“The more time you have with each other, the more you can feel each other out and stuff like that,” defensive tackle Mike Patterson said. “So that’s what it came down to, team chemistry. That’s how I feel at least. You know, when guys are trying to do what we do, we have to gel together. I think everybody’s starting to learn how each other are playing.”

The defending NFC East champions are sitting in last place, two games behind the New York Giants. It’s a long way from where the Eagles expected to be at this point. The team entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations after a wild, summer spending spree brought several big-name players to Philadelphia.

But a four-game losing streak followed a season-opening win at St. Louis. The win at Washington saved the season temporarily. Losing to the Cowboys would put the Eagles in a seemingly insurmountable position, and could signal the beginning of major changes.

The team isn’t ready for that.

“The outcome is going to affect both teams tremendously,” quarterback Michael Vick said. “We just want to go out and put our best foot forward, get another win and keep moving.”

Notes: DE Trent Cole and LT Jason Peters both practised and are expected to start after missing the last two games. … This will be the first time the projected starting offensive line will play together in the regular season. … Reid downplayed comments made by CB Asante Samuel regarding being on the trading block last week. “Asante and I talk,” Reid said. “I’m not worried about that at all. He loves to play the game and we’re going to move forward. I don’t have any comments past this, and I know he doesn’t, so we’re moving on here.”

What was all that “Dream Team” talk about?
(Rob Carr – Getty Images)
Nah, that’s not the real Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys team. Nope! There’s no chance that both teams could be this underwhelming right now. No way in the world that the “Dream Team” Philadelphia Eagles are 1-3 and America’s team is 2-2.

I do not believe that Jason Garrett was throwing the ball like he was down 24 plus points when he was up 24 in the third quarter. I refuse to believe that the ‘Boys lost to a mediocre Giants team and only have victories over the overhyped “Kwame Brown” Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers. I believe the Cowboys are 4-0, Tony Romo is balling, Dez Bryant is the sun and Darrelle Revis is a candle. I also believe that when they play the Patriots in two weeks they’ll be 5-0.

No way in hell….the Philadelphia Eagles are 1-3. They are the “Dream Team” with Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Nndamdi Asomugha, Asante Samuel, Jason Babin and more. The Eagles are demolishing teams like the SEC dominates Big Ten schools in bowl games, like ‘72 Dolphins and like Jackie Christie dominates her husband. I refuse to believe that the Eagles gave up a lead and lost to Alex “Pick 6” Smith. Really? You expect me to believe the Eagles have lost three straight? That they lost to the Falcons, struggled with Tavaris Jackson, fell to the New York Football (when we feel like it) Giants, and “Pick 6” Smith?

1-3 and 2-2? Sound like a false starts to me. More like several false starts in a row by a jittery backup rookie left tackle facing DeMarcus Ware. Do you know how hard it is to convert a 3rd and 20 with the equivalent of a replacement player for a left tackle? The reality is while this may “seem” like a false bad start for both teams, it is in fact a reality. It’s also a reality that one of these teams will not make the playoffs. They’ve both put themselves far behind the eight-ball. I see the Eagles taking a page out of the Miami Heat’s handbook and learning from their slow start and going deep into the playoffs. I see the Cowboys making like the Boston Red Sox and collapsing in the last month of the season. And if I’m wrong about my predictions, easy…I just won’t believe it.

Madden 12 will be released tomorrow less than two weeks prior to the start of the real NFL season and in the same week that many Madden gamers will be heading back to school. No doubt many of you will be playing online and given how high so many of their ratings are, expect a lot of people online to be using the Eagles.

We’ll start with the QBs and WRs where Michael Vick is one of the top rated QBs in the game at 93. DeSean Jackson is a 91 and recently won an online vote that made him the fastest player in the game with a 100 speed rating. Jeremy Maclin is an 86 and Steve Smith is an 84.

LeSean McCoy is an 88 while Ronnie Brown is an 84. The cornerbacks will be as good in Madden as they will likely be in real life. Nnamdi Asomugha is one of the highest rated players in the game at 98, Asante Samuel is a 94 and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is an 85.

As for other notable Eagles – Trent Cole – 93, Todd Herremans – 90, Jason Peters – 89, Brent Celek – 83, Jason Babin – 90, Cullen Jenkins – 89.

PHILADELPHIA — Jamaal Jackson stood calmly at his locker, his level head never more refreshing than when talking about the subject of his suddenly tentative job as starting center for the Philadelphia Eagles.

He’s spent the last six seasons atop the depth chart, though he missed almost all of last year after a triceps injury in the opener shelved him until training camp this summer, when rookie draft pick Jason Kelce emerged as a contender. Kelce is now running with the first team as the Eagles head toward their final preseason game.

“I just come to work every day and try to make my strengths stronger and work on my weaknesses,” Jackson said Saturday. “That’s all I can do. I mean, you can call it a competition [with Kelce] if you want. I don’t. If he needs help, I’ll help him. But competition? There is no competition.

“Whoever’s in there, they’re the starter, point-blank. I’m just out here working. Whoever the coaches feel can get the job done they’ll put that person in there. So right now, that’s not me.”

Whatever he chooses to call it, Jackson is well aware of the consequences of losing out to someone else. When he first emerged as the starter over incumbent Hank Fraley in 2005, Fraley wasn’t even with the team by opening day, having been shipped to Cleveland in a trade.

Could history repeat if the Eagles choose Kelce?

“It might,” Jackson said. “Nobody knows the future. But right now we’ll just continue to come to work every day and make sure that right tackle situation is sorted out.”

Jackson was poking fun there at teammate Todd Herremans, who had just been switched from left guard on the same day — a move that could have placed other veterans such as Winston Justice and King Dunlap on the roster bubble.

When projecting the Eagles’ final 53-man roster, which has to be presented to the NFL no later than 6 p.m. Sept. 3, those are just some of the names at the top of a very intriguing veteran list that also includes defensive end Juqua Parker, defensive tackle Trevor Laws and cornerback Joselio Hanson. Hanson’s name has surfaced in a bunch of recent trade rumors

Hanson, a proven backup who’s been with the Eagles since 2006, has heard them and know the kind of numbers crunch the staff is facing at his position with the additions in the offseason of veterans Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and rookie Curtis Marsh.

When you take into account that Asante Samuel and promising second-year player Trevard Lindley aren’t going away anytime soon (barring a trade of Samuel), it means Hanson suddenly is very expendable.

“I would love to stay here,” Hanson said. “But sometimes you can’t keep everybody in certain situations. … Staying here, I’d feel comfortable. Leaving would be tough.”

Hanson knows that even if he’s cut, he’d find another job immediately because of the impression he’s made with the ever widening coaching tree of Andy Reid. That won’t make it any easier if he has to go.

So with those scenarios in mind, here’s one projection of the final 53, or should we say the first 53, since all NFL rosters are in a state of flux from opening day.

Quarterbacks (3): Michael Vick, Vince Young, Mike Kafka

Running backs (3): LeSean McCoy, Ronnie Brown, Dion Lewis

Fullback (1): Owen Schmitt

Tight ends (3): Brent Celek, Donald Lee, Clay Harbor

Wide receivers (6): Jeremy Maclin, DeSean Jackson, Jason Avant, Riley Cooper, Steve Smith, Sinorice Moss

Offensive line (9): Kelce, Evan Mathis, Danny Watkins, Jason Peters, Herremans, Dunlap, Justice, Mike McGlynn, Ryan Harris

And what’s not to like about them? Everyone is signed — well, except wide receiver DeSean Jackson — but that should be taken care of in the next several days. The Eagles signed free agent cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha, both Pro Bowlers, to go with another Pro Bowler, Asante Samuel, and attracted other free agents like backup quarterback Vince Young, wide receiver Johnny Lee Higgins, running back Ronnie Brown and defensive tackles Cullen Jenkins and Derek Landri.

All the ingredients are there, right? Well, maybe.

But there’s a few areas that we should all keep an eye on once the real games start. One is defensive tackle, now with Mike Patterson (AVM condition) and Antoine Dixon going down with injuries.

Another is the linebacking corps, which is young and may feature an undersized (6-1, 231) rookie in the middle in Casey Matthews. And another is at free safety where second-year pro Nate Allen is coming off an injury.

What does this mean for the Eagles? It means we can look for opposing teams to try to run the ball down the Birds’ throats this season.

Head coach Andy Reid says he envisions having Samuel, Rodgers-Cromartie and Asomugha in the game at the same time because everybody uses three- and four-receiver packages most of the time. That’s true, but it also leaves the Eagles vulnerable to the run because Samuel and Rodgers-Cromartie won’t be enshrined in Canton on the basis of their tackling.

A young middle linebacker may also leave the Eagles a little soft against the run. If the Eagles take out one of their three extraordinary cover corners to help defend the run, then it takes one of their three best players off the field.

Football in the northeast corridor in December and January also makes it conducive for smash mouth football, which again plays into opponents’ hands.

Offensive coordinators often like to get creative in trying to attack defenses. But simplicity and retro football might be the better way to go against the Eagles this season.

In his first public comments since the Philadelphia Eagles added two new pass defenders — former Cardinals cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie(notes) in a trade for quarterback Kevin Kolb(notes) and former Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha(notes) in a last-dash free agent push — established Philly cornerback Asante Samuel(notes) did not sound at all happy about the team’s new acquisitions.

“It’s probably 50-50,” he said when asked if he thought the Eagles still wanted him around. “So we’ll see how it goes.”

“If they’re tired of my big-play-making ability, maybe they’ll ship me out,” Samuel told the media after Monday practice. “Maybe they’ll keep me. I don’t know. Who knows?”

On the surface, it would seem that Samuel is overreacting to moves that make the Eagles’ defense better — they also added pass-rusher Jason Babin(notes) and defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins(notes) — but losing his status as the team’s number-one cornerback (Asomugha takes that role automatically by way of his status as the NFL’s best pass defender over the last decade) obviously rubs him the wrong way, and he has a point.

According to Football Outsiders’ advanced metrics, no cornerback bas been better in specific situations than Samuel — he’s ranked first in the NFL in Stop Rate against the pass in each of the last two seasons, and first in Yards per Play allowed in 2010. He also allowed just 1.9 yards after catch, fourth-best in the league. He also led the NFL with nine picks in 2009, and led the NFC with seven in just 11 games last season.

From the perspective of a player with the desire to be the point man at his position on a team, it would make sense that Samuel would be distressed.

“I want to be where I’m wanted,” Samuel continued. “If I’m wanted here, then here. If I’m not appreciated here, then life goes on, and I move on.”

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman says that Samuel hasn’t asked for a trade, and new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo said Monday that there’s a way to use three top cornerbacks in the same defensive system at the same time.

“Everybody’s trying to get three and really four good corners, the way people throw the football,” Castillo said. “We have three starters. We need three starters. That’s a great deal; we’re excited.”

Well, not everybody’s excited.

Other popular stories on Yahoo! Sports:
• Tiger Woods’ return is welcome for odd golf season
• Michael Jordan offers advice to Tiger Woods
• Baseball’s most lopsided midseason deals ever

Related: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Cullen Jenkins, Kevin Kolb, Jason Babin, Asante Samuel, Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles

Read More: Asante Samuel (CB – PHI), Nnamdi Asomugha (CB – PHI), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB – PHI), Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles CB Asante Samuel should be feeling good with several years remaining on his six-year contract he signed in 2008 but instead he’s not sure exactly what his future will be. This is of course after the Eagles signed CB Nnamdi Asomugha and traded for CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

We’ve already noted that trade rumors involving Samuel started popping up shortly after the Asomugha move. There is an air of uncertainty with him and he seemed to acknowledge that, according to Reuben Frank of CSN Philly.

“If they’re tired of my big playmaking ability, they’ll ship me out. If not, they’ll keep me here.”

When Samuel signed with Philadelphia, he said he just wanted to win a Super Bowl (as did Asomugha) so I imagine his preference would be in Philly but that’s far from decided.

We’ll see what the Eagles decide to do but once again they have a major trade chip just a few days after trading QB Kevin Kolb.

Check out Bleeding Green Nation to see what Eagles fans are saying about a possible Samuel trade.

By signing Nnamdi Asomugha and picking up Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie via trade, the Philadelphia Eagles rendered former Patriot Asante Samuel redundant as a starting cornerback.

It would make sense for the Eagles to trade Samuel, and reports are that teams have inquired about the Pro Bowl corner. He’ll cost them a $9.3 million salary cap hit, according to Sports City, which is a fortune for a third cornerback.

But if the Eagles can rework Samuel’s contract or find some other way to afford all three corners — without shortchanging themselves elsewhere — holding on to three first string-caliber corners isn’t such a bad idea.

As much as the knee-slapping former players on the pregame and halftime shows love to talk about the importance of running the football, the NFL is a passing league now, as is college and even high school football nowadays. Three yards and a cloud of dust doesn’t really exist anymore (partly because most of the turf is artificial and has tiny grains of recycled rubber rather than dust, but I digress).

NFL teams averaged 33.7 pass attempts per game compared to 27.2 rush attempts per game in 2010, the 27th straight year passes outnumbered rushes and the 18th straight year teams averaged more than 30 pass attempts per game. Teams haven’t averaged 30 rushes per game since 1988.

More passing means more three receiver sets, faster tight ends and quicker, more versatile running backs who can run pass routes and elude linebackers after the catch. In other words, offenses have already evolved to take advantage of the outdated concept that size and strength is the most important factor on defense. To counteract the effect, defenses have responded with faster linebackers, more 3-4 schemes and multiple defensive backs.

The Eagles, in other words, could exemplify the new era on steroids by deploying not only three cornerbacks, but three high-quality cornerbacks. It won’t overshadow their questions up front, but the next Chuck Bednarik isn’t going to magically arrive at Eagles camp at Lehigh University just because the Eagles create some extra cap space by trading Samuel.

Though it’s still very early, the projected starting quarterbacks in the NFC East in 2011 are Eli Manning, Tony Romo and John Beck. The Las Vegas over-under for Eagles interceptions if those three start and the Birds keep all three stud corners is roughly a bajillion. I’m taking the “over.”

Read More: Asante Samuel (CB – PHI), Nnamdi Asomugha (CB – PHI), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB – PHI), Philadelphia Eagles

Asante Samuel joined training camp for the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday. Samuel had been sitting out training camp for an excused personal issue. Of course, with the recent signings of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, rumors have swirled that Samuel is now on the Eagles’ trading block.

Samuel is still an Eagle for now, however, entering the fourth-year of a six-year contract worth $57 million. He may participate in Monday afternoon practice following a physical, in which case he would join Rodgers-Cromartie on the field while Asomugha sits.

Samuel has been outspoken, saying through his agent that he would like to stay in Philadelphia. In a increasingly pass-happy league it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a stacked secondary. Still, the team may have a difficult time justifying the salaries due to three elite corners.

For more news on Eagles’ training camp, as well as analysis on all of the Philadelphia’s big free agent signings, head over to Bleeding Green Nation.  

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel has reported to training camp at Lehigh University.

The veteran, who had been excused from practice for personal reasons, will likely join the team for this afternoon’s 2:45 practice. 

Samuel’s situation with the Eagles is the subject of intense speculation after the Eagles added Pro Bowl cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

The Eagles say they can keep all three cornerbacks but speculation that Samuel could be traded is rampant.

Samuel may address the press after the afternoon walkthrough.

Check out videos and photos from training camp so far. Are you planning to attend a practice while the Eagles are in Bethlehem? Post a comment or talk about it in our forum.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP)—Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson(notes)
missed the first day of training camp Thursday at Lehigh University, signaling
the start of a holdout.

Jackson, a two-time Pro Bowl player, is slated to make $565,000 in base
salary this season, the last on his four-year rookie deal. But he has expressed
discontent about his contract on his Twitter feed. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus,
did not respond to an email, and Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said the
team is going to “focus on the guys that are here.”

When asked how disappointed he was that Jackson did not report, Roseman
said, “We’re going to keep that internal, and all conversations with DeSean
we’re going to keep private.”

Jackson had 47 catches for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns last season, and
his 22.5 yard-per-catch average led the league. He also averaged 11.6 yards on
20 punt returns, the most memorable a 65-yard scoring return on the final play
of a come-from-behind 38-31 victory over the Giants on Dec. 19.

The win all but secured the NFC East title for Philadelphia, as New York was
left out of the postseason.

The Eagles also announced that offensive tackle Winston Justice(notes) and
defensive end Brandon Graham(notes) were placed on the Physically Unable to Perform
list while recovering from knee injuries, and that wide receiver Jeremy Maclin(notes)
and cornerback Asante Samuel(notes) had been excused from drills to attend to personal
matters.

Philadelphia also signed seventh-round draft pick Greg Lloyd(notes), a linebacker
from Connecticut. Their lone unsigned draftee is first-rounder Danny Watkins(notes), a
guard from Baylor. The Eagles also signed rookie free agent Gerald Jones, a wide
receiver from Tennessee.

But the theme of Day 1 at Lehigh was more about the players who were not
there: Jackson and Kevin Kolb(notes), the backup quarterback who was finally dealt to
Arizona in a long-awaited deal.

Jackson’s absence wasn’t much of a surprise, either. Especially not after
Michael Vick(notes) hinted this might be the case, when he first met the media in
Philadelphia on Tuesday.

“DeSean just has some things to think about,” Vick said at the time, “and
some decisions to make that only himself can make.”

Coach Andy Reid did not seem concerned over Jackson’s status during his
first news conference Wednesday, and simply ran through his Thursday morning
practice as a walkthrough. It was not open to the media or public.

Jackson was a key cog in the Eagles’ offensive resurgence last season, as
the team went 10-6 and formed a new identity around Vick.

“I’m just being realistic about the situation,” Vick said. “It’s all in
what DeSean wants.”

When asked how disappointed he was that Jackson did not report, Roseman said, “We’re going to keep that internal, and all conversations with DeSean we’re going to keep private.”

Jackson had 47 catches for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns last season, and his 22.5 yard-per-catch average led the league. He also averaged 11.6 yards on 20 punt returns, the most memorable a 65-yard scoring return on the final play of a come-from-behind 38-31 victory over the Giants on Dec. 19.

The win all but secured the NFC East title for Philadelphia, as New York was left out of the postseason.

The Eagles also announced that offensive tackle Winston Justice and defensive end Brandon Graham were placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list while recovering from knee injuries, and that wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and cornerback Asante Samuel had been excused from drills to attend to personal matters.

Philadelphia also signed seventh-round draft pick Greg Lloyd, a linebacker from Connecticut. Their lone unsigned draftee is first-rounder Danny Watkins, a guard from Baylor. The Eagles also signed rookie free agent Gerald Jones, a wide receiver from Tennessee.

But the theme of Day 1 at Lehigh was more about the players who were not there: Jackson and Kevin Kolb, the backup quarterback who was finally dealt to Arizona in a long-awaited deal.

Jackson’s absence wasn’t much of a surprise, either. Especially not after Michael Vick hinted this might be the case, when he first met the media in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

“DeSean just has some things to think about,” Vick said at the time, “and some decisions to make that only himself can make.”

Coach Andy Reid did not seem concerned over Jackson’s status during his first news conference Wednesday, and simply ran through his Thursday morning practice as a walkthrough. It was not open to the media or public.

Jackson was a key cog in the Eagles’ offensive resurgence last season, as the team went 10-6 and formed a new identity around Vick.

“I’m just being realistic about the situation,” Vick said. “It’s all in what DeSean wants.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.