The Philadelphia Eagles are looking to rebound from a disappointing season that saw them stumble out of the gates, then miss the NFL playoffs despite high expectations heading in.

They begin trying to atone for the mess that was their 2011 season when they kick off their 2012 campaign on the road, Sunday, September 9 against the Cleveland Browns.

The Eagles, who lost four of their first five games and finished 8-8 last season, are on Monday Night Football twice in 2012 — November 5 at the New Orleans Saints and November 26 at home against the Carolina Panthers.

Here’s a look at the Eagles’ entire 2012 schedule, beginning with their four preseason games in August and winding up with their final regular-season game, against the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants:

Philadelphia Eagles 2012 Preseason Schedule

Thursday, August 9: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, August 20: at New England Patriots, 8 p.m.

Friday, August 24: at Cleveland Browns, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 30: vs. New York Jets, TBD

Philadelphia Eagles 2012 Regular Season Schedule

Sunday, September 9: at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.

Sunday, September 16: vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m.

Sunday, September 23: at Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 p.m.

Sunday, September 30: vs. New York Giants, 8:20 p.m.

Sunday, October 7: at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m.

Sunday, October 14: vs. Detroit Lions, 1 p.m.

Sunday, October 28: vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m.

Monday, November 5: at New Orleans Saints, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, November 11: vs. Dallas Cowboys, 4:15 p.m.

Sunday, November 18: at Washington Redskins, 1 p.m.

Monday, November 26: vs. Carolina Panthers, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, December 2: at Dallas Cowboys, 8:20 p.m.

Sunday, December 9: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m.

Thursday, December 13: vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 8:20 p.m.

Sunday, December 23: vs. Washington Redskins, 1 p.m.

Sunday, December 30: at New York Giants, 1 p.m.

Sources:

NFL standings

Eagles announce 2012 schedule

—

Adam Sparks has followed the Philadelphia Eagles since Randall Cunningham was scrambling around Veterans Stadium, and he has written about the team as a freelancer since 2010.

For NFL fans, there is no offseason. If we aren’t firmly ensconced in the analysis of week to week games in the fall and winter, we’re constantly striving to figure out how our teams can get better, who can be signed to fill the holes that left last season ring-less, or how to maintain success. And then of course, even though we know what teams we’ll be facing in the coming season, the announcement of the NFL schedule triggers the immediate scrutiny of the rugged roads our teams will go down in the quest for a Super Bowl title.

For Philadelphia Eagles fans, the release of the 2012 schedule will trigger arguments — some with negative undertones, some with blind enthusiasm. We love to debate football in Philly. Sadly for us, the debates usually surround the reasons why we’re left without a parade down Broad Street. Eagles fans will dig to the deepest recesses of failure if they think an answer to why we haven’t tasted Super Bowl glory could be unearthed. This year is no different. Here are three quick thoughts about the 2012 Philadelphia Eagles’ schedule, and a copy for your office cork board:

PRIME TIME PLAYERS

The Eagles are one of eight teams that will play five prime time games in 2012. Three are at home, which will delight the Birds’ tailgating faithful, but more than likely dismay the majority of employers in the Philadelphia area. The Eagles see division rival and the reigning Super Bowl champion New York Giants on a Sunday night in Week 4. They host Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers on a Monday night in late November (26) and the Cincinnati Bengals on a rare Thursday tilt, December 13. The Carolina and Cincinnati games are part of three prime time games the Eagles will play in an 18-day span. Sandwiched in the middle of those games is a Sunday night showdown against the Dallas Cowboys in Texas. The Birds will also visit the Big Easy on Monday night, November 5, to see the New Orleans Saints.

TEAMS GETTING PLENTY OF REST BEFORE SEEING THE BIRDS

There is an uncommon anomaly in the Eagles schedule that has them playing four games against teams that are coming off their bye week. One of those games will be against the Atlanta Falcons at home, and the Eagles will also be coming off the bye. Andy Reid is 13-0 after the bye week, just about the only results in Reid’s coaching tenure that no Eagle fan can shake a stick at. The Eagles also play the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins when they’ll have a couple weeks to prepare. Perhaps even more disturbing is that the New York Giants will have ten days to prepare for their Week 4 meeting with the Birds on a Sunday night in Philly. And worse still, the Cowboys will have ten days to prepare coming off their Thanksgiving game before facing the Eagles at home the next Sunday night. The Eagles will be coming off a short week, having played the Carolina Panthers at home the previous Monday.

THE WHOLE THING IS A CRAPSHOOT

If the Eagles 2011 season taught us anything, it’s that the NFL is an ever-changing beast. There are new teams rising to power, and powerful teams looking long in the tooth. Reading down the Eagles schedule and seeing a string of names like Giants, Steelers, Lions, Falcons, Saints and Cowboys in consecutive order certainly looks daunting, but until each individual week comes, it’s hard to discern just what you’re facing. The Giants were 9-7 last year and got hot at the right time. Who knows what they are this year. The Steelers defense is aging and not the “curtain” it used to be. The Lions game could be a track meet. The Falcons are off the bye. The Saints could be in total disarray after “Bounty-gate.” And if you can’t get up for the Cowboys, you don’t deserve to be wearing green. Nevertheless, let the scrutiny begin.

Philadelphia Eagles Regular-Season Schedule (All times Eastern)

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, at Cleveland Browns, 1:00 PM FOX

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 PM CBS

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, at Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 PM FOX

Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, New York Giants, 8:20 PM NBC

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 PM FOX

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, Detroit Lions, 1:00 PM FOX

Week 7: BYE

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 PM FOX

Week 9: Monday, Nov. 5, at New Orleans Saints, 8:30 PM ESPN

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, Dallas Cowboys, 4:15 PM FOX

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, at Washington Redskins, 1:00 PM FOX

Week 12: Monday, Nov. 26, Carolina Panthers, 8:30 PM ESPN

Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, at Dallas Cowboys, 8:20 PM NBC

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:00 PM FOX

Week 15: Thursday, Dec. 13, Cincinnati Bengals, 8:20 PM NFL NETWORK

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, Washington Redskins, 1:00 PM FOX

Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, at New York Giants, 1:00 PM FOX

Pete Lieber is a freelance writer and Philadelphia sports enthusiast. He’s already put Ws and Ls next to every game on the list above, and he plans to change those prognostications 15 times before Week 1.

SOURCE:

NFL.com

espn.com

The dream is over for the Philadelphia Eagles. In the end, the self-dubbed dream team turned into a nightmare. Despite a late rally toward the end of the season, the playoff hopes for the Philadelphia Eagles were officially dashed shortly after the team kicked off on Christmas Eve against the Dallas Cowboys. With the New York Giants beating the New York Jets, the Eagles playoff hopes were over. Even though there is still another game in the season, the questions will soon turn to what this team has to do next. As an Eagles fan, the team only has itself to blame for missing out on the postseason.

The Eagles should have rolled through the NFC East in 2011. Both the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants were inconsistent teams that had no business finishing in front of the Eagles. Unfortunately, the Eagles turned out to be something worse than inconsistent. They turned out to be disappointing. Every NFL team can point to a couple of games and say that they should have won those. But not many can say that about more than a half dozen contests. But the Eagles can make that plan. I can think of any number of blown fourth quarter leads and say that if the Eagles had done something different, they’d be playing a meaningful game in Week 17.

When fans look back on the 2011 campaign, they will look at the Eagles as a team that failed to close leads. The Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, and Arizona Cardinals all erased fourth quarter deficits due to inexplicable mistakes by the Eagles. As bad as some of the other losses were, these five games were particularly painful to watch for Eagles fans. I was left scratching my head and thinking about how each loss could have happened. At the end of the day, you can’t blow five games like this and make the playoffs. In a season full of disappointing, these five game will be the ones that stand out the most.

Eagles fans will recover. We have done so more than five decades now. But to me, this is one of the most aggravating seasons I ever remember. If I had to guess, the Eagles will retain Andy Reid and sell fans on the idea that this was a two year plan. Of course, Eagles fans won’t bite since we’ve been hearing about different plans for a long time now. But we will still support our team and we will still believe next year will be different. Hopefully, a strong finish by the Eagles will inspire them for next season.

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

The Philadelphia Eagles don’t have much to brag about this season except for LeSean McCoy. In fact, the one thing left for Eagles fans like myself to root for is for McCoy to win the rushing title – even though Philadelphia sometimes forgets that he can run the ball. His closest competition is Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars – who is used to wasting away big seasons by now.

Both of the leading rushers in the NFL are on teams that are nowhere near close in the playoff chase. For Jones-Drew, that was further made clear on Dec. 15 as the Jaguars were slaughtered by the likely playoff-bound Atlanta Falcons by 41-14. While Jones-Drew rushed for 117 yards to increase his season total to 1334 – which is 162 yards ahead of McCoy – it was to no avail like everything else he’s done in 2011.

This is a common occurrence for Jones-Drew thanks to being on a horrid Jaguars franchise. Despite rushing for over 1000 yards three straight years, none of those campaigns ended with a playoff spot. The only time he got into the postseason was in 2007-08 in his second season, before he broke out as one of the NFL’s elite running backs.

McCoy’s second year ended with a playoff berth as well, but the Eagles have fallen apart in year three. Given the uncertain future of Andy Reid, Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson in Philadelphia, we can’t say for sure how soon the Birds will rally back – if they do. If they don’t figure something out, McCoy could be one of the few bankable stars left carrying a struggling franchise, just like Jones-Drew is doing in Jacksonville.

Given that the Jaguars hardly have the resources or the fan base that the Eagles do, McCoy should presumably be in better shape. However, the time is nearing for him to sign a big new contract, and he needs to consider if the Eagles are in a right enough direction to justify sticking around. Otherwise he’ll be stuck with a declining team that often forgets to let him carry the ball, and he’ll have to waste away his prime in losing seasons.

Jones-Drew is the obvious cautionary tale for McCoy, as his yards and big plays are all for nothing for a 4-10 club. Yet he is all that the Jaguars have to go on, so he is stuck as their foundation. McCoy should be the foundation of the Eagles, if only Reid would take some of the reigns and work load away from Vick.

But if McCoy ever gets that responsibility, the hope is that whatever rushing titles and highlight reel plays he has won’t be wasted in any more five-win years. As Jones-Drew proves, such a unfortunate scenario can become a nasty habit.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident who has followed the Eagles since he was eight years old.

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The NFL power rankings after Week 12 had to stay a little similar by default. For my Philadelphia Eagles, they stayed at No. 19 in my power rankings by default if only because few teams in their tier won either. The Eagles are still the best 4-7 team in the NFL, if only because the San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins and more are 4-7 as well.

But the best that Philadelphia can do for the rest of the year is try to cling to the top 20 of the polls. There are 17 teams left with a winning record who are trying to do more, as the playoff chase now has a bit more separation.

The Green Bay Packers have separated themselves the entire season, as they stayed No. 1 and unbeaten on Thanksgiving while the No. 2 San Francisco 49ers fell to the Baltimore Ravens. Despite still having a 9-2 record, the 49ers had to drop a few spots in the power rankings behind more impressive teams from Week 12, like the New England Patriots and the Ravens.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders charged into the top 10 – although that used to be commonplace for them once upon a time. The Houston Texas remain at No. 7 in spite of having no quarterbacks left, yet their 8-3 record still has to put them high up until their injuries cost them some wins. Thanks to the top five teams, the New Orleans Saints had to stay in place at No. 6 despite blowing out the New York Giants on Nov. 28.

The Giants continued to take a tumble that might only get worse since they face the Packers next. In addition, NFC playoff contenders like the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions went down while the Atlanta Falcons inched upwards.

But the Eagles are not an NFC playoff contender anymore, no matter where they end up in the NFL power rankings now. From now on, wherever they end up will be as an afterthought in the bottom tier while the Packers, Patriots, Steelers, Ravens and more take a stranglehold on the top.

There are 15 teams with a losing record who are just playing out the string for draft position, while the Packers are just increasing their lead at No. 1 and a bunch of 9-2, 8-3 and 7-4 clubs fight to be ranked as Green Bay’s top challenger – with a few 6-5 teams trying to sneak up on them. Here is the current order of those teams in the power rankings after Week 12.

1. Green Bay Packers: 11-0

2. New England Patriots: 8-3

3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-3

4. Baltimore Ravens: 8-3

5. San Francisco 49ers: 9-2

6. New Orleans Saints: 8-3

7. Houston Texans: 8-3

8. Dallas Cowboys: 7-4

9. Oakland Raiders: 7-4

10. Chicago Bears: 7-4

11. Atlanta Falcons: 7-4

12. Detroit Lions: 7-4

13. Cincinnati Bengals: 7-4

14. New York Giants: 6-5

15. Denver Broncos: 6-5

16. New York Jets: 6-5

17. Tennessee Titans: 6-5

18. Buffalo Bills: 5-6

19. Philadelphia Eagles: 4-7

20. San Diego Chargers: 4-7

21. Kansas City Chiefs: 4-7

22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-7

23. Cleveland Browns: 4-7

24. Washington Redskins: 4-7

25. Arizona Cardinals: 4-7

26. Miami Dolphins: 3-8

27. Seattle Seahawks: 4-7

28. Carolina Panthers: 3-8

29. Jacksonville Jaguars: 3-8

30. Minnesota Vikings: 2-9

31. St. Louis Rams: 2-9

32. Indianapolis Colts: 0-11

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident who has followed the Eagles since he was eight years old.

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The question I had before Monday night’s game was, which version of the Philadelphia Eagles would we see against the Chicago Bears? And which version is the real version?

Because we’d seen Philly stick it to Dallas 34-7 the week before. And we’d also seen the Eagles cough up three fourth-quarter leads during a four-game losing streak earlier in the season.

So at 3-4 and coming off back-to-back victories, which Eagles team was going to show up on Monday Night Football?

Turned out, it was the same one that gave away fourth-quarter leads to the Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers.

Add to that list the Chicago Bears, who came back from a 24-20 fourth-quarter deficit with a touchdown and a field goal to win 30-24 and drop the Eagles to 3-5.

Led by quarterback Jay Cutler(notes) and running back Matt Forte(notes), Chicago improved to 5-3.

Credit Cutler and the Bears, sure. They were resilient, scoring the game’s final 13 points after trailing 24-17 with less than 6 minutes left in the third quarter.

But what stands out even more, to me, is the fact that Philadelphia let another one get away. The Eagles’ season, so full of promise before it began, is in real danger of becoming a complete bust. And if that happens, all we’ll really remember is how much this talented group underachieved, and how many victories they let slip away in the final 15 minutes of games.

That last part is the hardest to swallow. It’s not as though the Eagles are getting blown out, or aren’t showing up, or aren’t measuring up. They’re taking leads. They’re getting themselves in position to win games.

They just can’t hold on and seal the deal.

Monday’s loss to Chicago was the fourth in which Philadelphia held the lead heading into the final quarter. Here’s what happened in the other three:

Week 4: up 23-17 heading into the fourth; lost 24-23 to the 49ers.

Week 3: up 16-14 heading into the fourth; lost 29-16 to the Giants.

Week 2: up 31-21 heading into the fourth; lost 35-31 to the Falcons.

The worst part is, the Eagles didn’t score a single point in any of those fourth quarters.

And on Monday, with a chance to notch their third consecutive victory and really put themselves in position to turn around that rough start, the Eagles did it again.

Unfortunately, I think it’s safe to say we saw the real version of the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night.

Sources:

Eagles still have plenty to prove

Philadelphia Eagles Roster

Philadelphia Eagles Statistics

Cutler rallies Bears past Eagles in fourth

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

The Philadelphia Eagles have been defined this season by blowing leads big and small. After bad fourth quarters against the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants, plus a 20-point blown lead to the San Francisco 49ers, Eagles fans like myself were convinced that no lead was safe.

However, Philadelphia’s last two victories have been made possible because the Birds got a big early lead. And because they got these double digits leads over the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys, it allowed them to play a smarter game and not have to shoot themselves in the foot.

Perhaps they learned their lesson when the 49ers made their furious rally on Oct. 2 – which makes it relieving that they did learn a lesson from that. Even when the Eagles were up by 23-3, they failed to make adequate use of LeSean McCoy(notes) and kept riding Michael Vick(notes) to diminishing returns while the defense collapsed.

But in these last two wins over the Redskins and Cowboys, Philadelphia has actually realized the wisdom of feeding McCoy the ball over and over. He has an almost unheard 58 combined carries in these two victories – although it is easier to run the ball when a team doesn’t have to make a gigantic rally.

The Cowboys learned that lesson on Oct. 30, as they never got a chance to test the Eagles’ questionable run defense after falling behind so quickly. Given how Dallas rookie DeMarco Murray(notes) rushed for 253 yards against the St. Louis Rams on Oct. 23, it was quite a break to not deal with him as often. Of course, we don’t know how things would have been if the Cowboys stuck with the run – especially since doing that paid off for the 49ers and Frank Gore(notes) when they made their comeback.

But by jumping ahead right out of the gate, the Eagles took both the Redskins and Cowboys off of their game and got to play a smarter version of their own game. Still, the Redskins almost came back even when they changed quarterbacks, so it doesn’t mean that Philadelphia has completely perfected this formula.

Yet since the Eagles have gotten off to early leads several times this season and only held on to a few of them, it is encouraging that they might be learning from their mistakes. It also makes it all the more upsetting that they couldn’t hold on in those three painful games against the Falcons, Giants and 49ers – otherwise this season might not still be so fragile.

We know quite well that Philadelphia can jump all over an opponent early on, even if keeping it up is a different matter. We don’t quite know yet if the Eagles can keep this up if they get into a close first half, as they have only made one rally against the Rams on Opening Day.

The Birds have found a good formula to get them back on track and give them a shot to save their season. But to actually save it, they will need a few more different ways to win that don’t hinge on getting a 20-0 lead out of the gate.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident who has followed the Eagles since he was eight years old.

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Week 8 in fantasy football saw Philadelphia Eagles RB LeSean McCoy(notes) lead his team to a blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys, St. Louis Rams RB Steven Jackson have a big game to surprise the New Orleans Saints, and Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson collecting a touchdown on the ground and in the air against the Carolina Panthers. Now entering Week 9 and the fifth week of teams on bye, finding key players to start on free agency will be crucial to account for unavailable players. Regardless of where you’re currently situated in the season standings, here’s a look at some players that are likely available on the waiver wire and can be streamed and played for Week 9 action.

Dallas Cowboys WR Laurent Robinson as a member of the St. Louis Rams
Wikimedia Commons

The following players are all owned in under 25% of Yahoo! fantasy football leagues as of October 31, 2011.

Quarterback

Tarvaris Jackson(notes), Seattle Seahawks (@ Dallas Cowboys, 7% owned)

With few quarterbacks available in over 75% of Yahoo! leagues to choose from, Jackson is the best of the rest on the list. Coming into Week 8′s game in the second quarter to replace Charlie Whitehurst(notes), Jackson went on to finish with a career-high 323 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals. With decent receiving options in Doug Baldwin(notes), Sidney Rice(notes), and Ben Obomanu(notes), Jackson could do well against a Cowboys defense that allowed Michael Vick(notes) to throw for 279 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Honorable mentions: Indianapolis Colts’ Curtis Painter(notes) (vs. Atlanta Falcons, 11% owned), Miami Dolphins’ Matt Moore(notes) (@ Kansas City Chiefs, 3% owned)

Running back

Javon Ringer(notes), Tennessee Titans (vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 9% owned)

With Chris Johnson struggling immensely this season, Ringer went on to have his best game in the NFL against the porous Colts run defense. While Johnson will most likely never lose his starting spot this season, Ringer has proven himself to be in a split role with the struggling Pro-Bowl running back. With a chance at possibly proving his worth and expanding his role against the Bengals, Ringer could be a solid flex position fill-in during Week 9.

Honorable mentions: New England Patriots’ Kevin Faulk(notes) (vs. New York Giants, 2% owned), Indianapolis Colts’ Donald Brown(notes) (vs. Atlanta Falcons, 4% owned)

Wide receiver

Laurent Robinson(notes), Dallas Cowboys (vs. Seattle Seahawks, 2% owned)

Despite being part of a losing effort to the Philadelphia Eagles last weekend, Robinson was one of the few bright spots for the Cowboys during Week 8. Catching five passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, Robinson is the fourth option in the passing game behind Jason Witten(notes), Miles Austin(notes), and Dez Bryant(notes). While the Seahawks do not provide the best matchup for Robinson, his top five performance among wide receivers cannot be ignored and could continue to put up good numbers if the Cowboys continue to employ many three-wide sets.

Honorable mentions: Arizona Cardinals’ Early Doucet(notes) (vs. St. Louis Rams, 24% owned), San Francisco 49ers’ Braylon Edwards(notes) (@ Washington Redskins, 21% owned)

Tight end

Benjamin Watson(notes), Cleveland Browns (@ Houston Texans, 20% owned)

The Browns’ leading receiver in a loss to the 49ers, Watson has been the most consistent receiving option on the team. Despite the presence of Evan Moore(notes), Watson has averaged about 40 yards a game. Fully recovered from a concussion against the Seahawks, Watson is a reliable source of yards at the tight end position, yet fails to be much of a force in the red zone.

Honorable mentions: Houston Texans’ Joel Dreessen(notes) (vs. Cleveland Browns, 3% owned), Philadelphia Eagles’ Brent Celek(notes) (vs. Chicago Bears, 12% owned)

Kicker

Mike Nugent(notes), Cincinnati Bengals (@ Tennessee Titans, 15% owned)

Including the 10 points he scored against the Seahawks during Week 8, Nugent has now gone 15-for-16 on field goals for the year. Receiving plenty of scoring opportunities thanks to the surprisingly effective Bengals offense, Nugent’s big leg puts him in an opportunity to consistently score for fantasy teams. Up against a good Titans defense, the Bengals will likely stop short of the end zone several times during the game, giving Nugent opportunities to perform in Week 9.

Honorable mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers’ Shaun Suisham(notes) (vs. Baltimore Ravens, 15% owned), Cleveland Browns’ Phil Dawson(notes) (@ Houston Texans, 2% owned)

Team defense

Kansas City Chiefs team defense (vs. Miami Dolphins, 21% owned)

At home against the winless Dolphins, the Chiefs are in a good position to win their fifth straight game against Miami. After shutting down the Oakland Raiders during Week 7, the Chiefs stopped the San Diego Chargers on Monday night by sacking Philip Rivers(notes) three times and forcing two interceptions. With Moore looking poor in the Dolphins’ most recent loss, the Chiefs defense is once again in line for a big showing.

Honorable mentions: Oakland Raiders team defense (vs. Denver Broncos, 18% owned), Atlanta Falcons team defense (@ Indianapolis Colts, 21% owned)

Sources:

Tarvaris Jackson News and Notes, Yahoo! Sports

Dallas at Philadelphia Box Score, Yahoo! Sports

Laurent Robinson Profile, Yahoo! Sports

Mike Nugent Profile, Yahoo! Sports

San Diego at Kansas City Box Score, Yahoo! Sports

More from this contributor:

Top 10 Scoring IDP Players from NFL Week 8: Fan’s Reaction

Most Surprising Fantasy Players Out of Week 8: Fan’s Opinion

Top Five San Francisco 49ers Fantasy Scorers from Week 6 and Their Week 8 Projections: A Fan’s Opinion

Three Up, Three Down: Three IDPs to Watch and Forget for Week 8

Five Waiver Wire IDP Pickups for Week 8: Fan’s Opinion

Austin Chang is a lifelong football fan, San Francisco 49ers supporter, and fantasy football player since 2005.

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

The Philadelphia Eagles may not be the most storied franchise in the NFL – especially with no Super Bowl titles. But Eagles fans like myself have been raised on some legendary championship stories over the years and have seen some historic moments of our own in our lifetime.

Here are the top five best moments in Philadelphia football history – even though a few are from a bygone era.

Dec. 19, 1948: Eagles win it all in the snow

Before the “Ice Bowl” in Green Bay, Philadelphia got a blizzard of snow during the 1948 NFL title game with the Chicago Cardinals. But the snow couldn’t stop the Eagles from their first ever championship, while the Cardinals didn’t do too much better in a 7-0 shutout loss.

Dec. 18, 1949: Eagles win it all in the mud

One would think that playing the 1949 NFL title game in Los Angeles would result in better conditions. Yet rain drenched L.A. and left the Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams to play in the mud. However, Philadelphia once again failed to give up a single point while the offense got just enough points to hold on – only this time the win was by 14-0.

Dec. 26, 1960: Eagles win their last title over Packers

Back in 1960, it wasn’t out of place for the Eagles to win championships, as this was their third in 13 years. What’s more, this was a 17-13 victory over the Green Bay Packers right before they became the most unbeatable dynasty of the decade. But not only was this Philadelphia team the only one to defeat Vince Lombardi in the postseason, it was the last one to win a title period.

Jan. 11, 1981: Eagles get defining win of the Cowboys rivalry

After 1960, it took 20 years for Philadelphia to become an NFL power again. Fittingly, they had to complete their rise against the arch-rival Dallas Cowboys in the NFC championship game. Yet after Wilbert Montgomery’s opening touchdown rush, Philadelphia would never let up in a 20-7 win that clinched its first Super Bowl berth.

The only thing that would have made it better was a Super Bowl win over the Oakland Raiders afterwards, but that was more elusive.

Jan. 23, 2005: Reid, McNabb finally break through to Super Bowl

The next NFC title was long overdue in more ways than one. After three straight conference championship losses and two straight at home, all of Philadelphia was on edge when the Atlanta Falcons – and Michael Vick(notes), of all people – came to town for NFC title game No. 4. However, there would be no collapse this time as the Birds took a 27-10 triumph that finally put Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb(notes) in the Super Bowl.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t topped as the defining win of the McNabb era – and it may not be topped as the defining win of the Reid era either.

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

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick said on Friday he has recovered from a mild concussion and will play in their home opener against the New York Giants this weekend.

Vick sustained a concussion in the third quarter of the Eagles loss to the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday when he was spun into his own offensive lineman.

“There’s no reason to think that I won’t play on Sunday,” Vick told reporters. “After having two good practices, basically I’ll be able to go out there and I’m very excited about the opportunity to go out and play against the New York Giants.”

Vick underwent a series of test and was cleared by an independent neurologist to return to practice on Thursday, according to a report on the Eagles website.

Vick, who signed a $100 million six-year deal with the Eagles last month, is still listed as questionable on the team’s official injury report despite passing all his concussion tests.

“I feel good. I feel great and ready to play, nothing feels different,” said Vick. “So I feel like I’ve worked myself back into good condition and playing shape and I’m ready to go.”

The Giants have said they will come hard after Vick if he is under center on Sunday but the threats did not impress the Eagles quarterback.

“They want me out of the game because they don’t want me in the game,” said Vick. “I mean, having to deal with me for 60 minutes, I understand the magnitude of that.

“So it’s fun, it’s a game and that’s why I’m here. And I play the way I play for a reason and we’re going to have fun. I look forward to the challenge.”

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback
Michael Vick has no concussion symptoms, three days after
suffering a neck and head injury, and may be able to play
against the New York Giants this weekend.

Vick participated in the Eagles’ non-contact walkthrough
today, coach Andy Reid said. Team trainer Rick Burkholder said
Vick is “progressing” and his only symptoms after the injury
are soreness in his neck and jaw.

Vick must pass concussion tests, including one from an
independent neurologist, before he’s cleared to play, according
to National Football League protocol. The testing likely will
take place over the next several days, Burkholder said. The
Eagles host the Giants on Sept. 25.

“He’s right where we expected him to be,” Burkholder said
in a news conference. “Everything is progressing and we’re not
going to push him ahead. Michael will continue to do the process
and he’s doing fine.”

Vince Young or Mike Kafka will start against the Giants if
Vick isn’t able to play. Young was inactive the first two weeks
because of a hamstring injury.

“I’m going to get them all ready,” Reid said at the news
conference. “We’ll go with the one who’s the healthiest. That’s
the way I’m looking at it.”

Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said yesterday the team
has been preparing for Vick or a backup at quarterback.

“Vick is a one-of-a-kind quarterback,” Kiwanuka said.
“It’s prepare for a regular football team or prepare for Vick.
As long as you have preparation for Vick, you can go back to
playing what you could consider a regular quarterback.”

Injury Against Falcons

Vick was injured during the third quarter of last week’s
35-31 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, when he was spun by Falcons
safety William Moore and slammed face-first into the chest of
Eagles lineman Todd Herremans. Vick’s head snapped back and he
bit his tongue because he wasn’t wearing a mouthpiece.

Vick was kept out of the game after failing a baseline
concussion test. The Eagles turned to Kafka, a third-string
quarterback making his NFL debut, and gave up 14 points in the
fourth quarter to blow a 31-21 lead.

The Eagles had an 8-2 record in games Vick started and
finished last season. Philadelphia was 2-4 when Vick didn’t play
or left with an injury, as he did in a Week 4 loss to Washington
when he sustained cartilage damage in his ribs.

“As long as Michael continues through his process, he’ll
have a chance to get himself right for this game,” Reid said.

Vick took over as the Eagles’ starter last season, just
over a year being released from a 23-month sentence for helping
run a dogfighting ring. He was voted the NFL’s Comeback Player
of the Year and last month signed a six-year contract that may
be worth up to $100 million.

Eagles Comeback

The Eagles and Giants played one of last season’s most
memorable games, with Philadelphia winning 38-31 on Dec. 19.

The Eagles scored 28 fourth-quarter points to erase a 31-10
deficit and won on DeSean Jackson’s 65-yard punt return for a
touchdown on the final play. Vick threw two touchdown passes and
ran for another score in the fourth quarter.

“I think that if Michael Vick can play, he will play,”
Giants coach Tom Coughlin said on a conference call yesterday.

The Eagles have won six straight games against New York
dating back to 2008.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Erik Matuszewski in New York at
matuszewski@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Michael Sillup at msillup@bloomberg.net

Read More: Michael Vick (QB – PHI), Vince Young (QB – PHI), LeSean McCoy (RB – PHI), Mike Kafka (QB – PHI), Philadelphia Eagles

Michael Vick was diagnosed with a concussion on Sunday night, and may have an uphill to be clear in time for the Philadelphia Eagles home-opener this week. Vick took a beating in the pocket on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, and was finally knocked out the game as his head slammed into his own lineman just after he released a pass. Vick was spitting blood, and Andy Reid later revealed the Eagles’ dynamic quarterback had been diagnosed with a concussion.

It’s always bothered me to see concussions deemed slight, mild or labeled with other terms downplaying their significance. In that regard, we have no idea how “severe” Vick’s concussion is, but just looking at how he acted and what he looked like following the hit that knocked him out of the game, it became clear something was wrong. Vick was reportedly moving around slowly in the locker room, still suffering the effects of the concussion.

So where does he go from here? It’s not as simple as a doctor shining a light in his eyes and giving him a thumbs up. There are stringent rules in place when it comes to concussion testing, and rightfully so. Each fall, every player is put through a baseline test, then measured against that test to determine when they’re over the concussion. Vick will have to go through this process, which will be ongoing throughout the week, and must pass before being medically cleared to play.

Considering the circumstances, he may not play in the Eagles’ home opener. It’s not the end of the world, though. In fact, it’s a good thing. A concussion is a dangerous thing, and the long-lasting affects aren’t worth a rush to return to action.

If Vick can’t go, Mike Kafka, who actually looked competent in limited action, will likely start for the Eagles. Vince Young is still nursing a hamstring injury, and Kafka is, essentially, the only option. But with an offense full of weapons and a capable running back in LeSean McCoy, Kafka may be fine as a stop-gap.

For more on this game, check out our Eagles blog Bleeding Green Nation. To catch up on NFL Week 2′s action, visit our StoryStream.

PHILADELPHIA — It’s different in the Georgia Dome.

The Philadelphia Eagles posted a remarkably decisive 31-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field on Oct. 17, 2010.

The Birds held quarterback Matt Ryan to less than 6 yards per pass attempt (23-for-42, 250 yards) while intercepting him once and did an even better job of containing bruising running back Michael Turner. The 247-pound 29-year-old struggled to get 45 yards on 15 carries; he finished the season with 1,371 yards.

Given that Atlanta went on finish 13-3 and earn the No. 1 seed for the NFC playoffs, the case could be made that it was the Eagle defense’s best showing of the year.

But Eagle defenders say it will be different in Atlanta.

“They were what, 8-1 at home last season?” said rookie middle linebacker Casey Matthews, getting his stats slightly wrong (it was 7-2 including playoffs) but the gist right.

And the Eagles discounted the Falcons’ poor performance in a 30-12 opening loss at Chicago’s Soldier Field, where Ryan threw for 319 yards but no touchdowns and Turner had 100 yards on just 10 carries.

“Preparing for Matt Ryan in Atlanta is totally different than in Chicago,” defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins said. “He’s a lot more comfortable at home, and he’s able to manage the game a lot better. We have to get them out of their comfort zone.”

Safety Kurt Coleman put it even more simply.

“We have to make (Ryan) feel not at home,” Coleman said. “That’d be nice.”

The best way to do so, by general consensus, consists of hitting Ryan and shutting down Turner.

“The biggest part going into the game is to shut down the run,” Jenkins said.

Turner was virtually an afterthought in last year’s Eagles win. But Eagles coach Andy Reid declined an opportunity to look back at 2010’s success in shutting Turner down.

“That was last year and this is this year and we’ve got to do it,” Reid said. “I mean, it’s nothing that we can talk about right now until the game is over, or compare. We’ve got to get better in that area and do a good job there.”

The Eagles run defense sputtered against St. Louis in the opener.

Allowing just 154 yards was fine, but the Rams averaged almost 6 yards a carry and starter Steven Jackson tore off a 48-yard touchdown run on the Rams’ first play before leaving with an injury.

“It was a nice run … on the first play, but the hole was pretty big. I might’ve been able to fit through that hole,” Reid said.

Turner may prove more durable and more effective against the Eagles’ wide-gap defensive line and less experienced linebackers.

“He’s definitely tough to handle,” Matthews said. “He’s one of the leading running backs in the league. He has big legs and he knows how to use them.”

Jenkins agreed.

“It’s hard to play against (Turner),” he said. “He is a tough back to get down. We really have to pursue and gang-tackle him.”

Coleman hopes that Jenkins and Matthews and their units can slow Turner down before he has to.

“I’m not afraid to take a hit from Turner but I hope the D-line and linebackers get all the chances before I do,” he said with a laugh.

Reid liked what he saw from his run defense as the opening game wore on.

“As you saw, as the game went on, they tightened things up and the seams, that’s what we’re looking at, the lanes for runners to run through, were tightened up and it progressively got better as the game went on,” he said. “I thought in general the defense improved as it went on. I thought, obviously we started off slow, with the first run, and then the next time they came back and tried that same run it was a 2-yard gain as opposed to a long one, touchdown.”

Stopping Turner makes Ryan have to try and win the game by himself with more limited weapons.

“The run sets up their passes with a lot of play-action,” Coleman said. “They’ll work a lot of passes to (11-time Pro Bowler) Tony Gonzalez off play-action. But if we can stop the run, we’ll hurt Ryan’s ability to manage the game.”

Reid said Ryan was effective at checking off and hitting the right receiver when the Bears blitzed him and said it will be important for the Eagles to get pressure from their front four.

Jenkins said the Eagles’ defensive line rotation (the Eagles played eight defensive linemen against the Rams) will help create pressure.

“It’s difficult for an offensive lineman to deal with our rotation,” he said. “It’s more you have to prepare for.”

And that means more Birds swooping in on Ryan.

“The best defense is to hit him,” Coleman agreed. “He’s such a smart quarterback. We have to get to him, especially at home. He’s so much more comfortable at home.”

The Eagles’ job is to make Ryan, and Turner and the Falcons feel unwelcome in their own house.

• NOTES: Reid said the only players who did not practice Wednesday were cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (ankle), defensive end Darryl Tapp (pectoral strain) and quarterback Vince Young (hamstring). All are day-to-day, he said. … Reid on whether tackle Winston Justice would start at right tackle when he returns from injury: “Listen, I’m not very good at predicting the future so I just take it as it goes.” … Matthews on his first game: “We (the linebackers) were a little slow to start but we got better in the second half … we can always play better.”

Brad Wilson covers the Eagles for The Express-Times of Easton, Pa. He can be reached at 800-360-3601 or bwilson@express-times.com.