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.

PROVO — Looking fast, healthy and comfortable, wide receiver McKay Jacobson ran a variety of routes, and caught an array of passes from former BYU teammate Max Hall, during BYU’s pro day in late March.

“It was really good to throw with him,” Jacobson recalled this week. “It had been a couple of years since we’d played together. I was happy that he was there.”

The NFL scouts looking on that day apparently took notice.

Not long after pro day, former vice president of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, Gil Brandt, who serves as a draft analyst for the NFL.com, made a bold assessment.

“Jacobson has the chance to be a very good pro player,” Brandt wrote.

Those words buoyed Jacobson, who caught 113 passes for 1,836 yards and nine touchdowns during his Cougar career.

“It’s definitely good to get some good feedback,” he said. “I knew (Brandt) was with the Cowboys for many years. It was a very cool thing to read that and feel like my hard work would pay off and that I would get an opportunity.”

The former BYU wideout will soon embark on his NFL career and try to prove Brandt right. Jacobson signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles over the weekend, and will depart for the City of Brotherly Love on May 11 for rookie camp.

“I’m definitely ready for the next chapter in my life. I feel grateful that I get to play with such a great organization like Philadelphia,” he said. “For me, like all of the new guys, you’re fighting for position for playing time and making the active roster. You have to be very competitive. It’s everybody’s livelihood now. At the end of the day, it’s football and I’ve been doing it my whole life. It’s the next level. I’m just grateful for the opportunity.”

The Eagles weren’t the only team interested in Jacobson’s services.

“My agent told me he was in contact with a few teams. It came down to the (New York) Jets or Philadelphia,” he said. “I did some background research on some teams and thought about teams I wanted to go for if I got the chance. I felt really good about Philadelphia and decided to go with them.”

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

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cleveland Browns and NFL fans, who do you say the league’s teams should pick in the first round of the draft on April 26?

Through April 22, via polls, we’re asking you every day to make first-round picks for each of two teams. The polls go up on cleveland.com at approximate 12-hour intervals, around 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. each day. We list 10 prospects for you to pick from in each poll. On April 23-24, you’ll be asked to make the picks for each of three teams (at approximate eight-hour intervals) both days, completing the 32-pick first round.

Here’s who the fans have selected so far:

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

3: Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, Southern Cal

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, CB, Louisiana State

6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

8. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

9. Carolina Panthers: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

11. Kansas City Chiefs: David DeCastro, guard, Stanford

12. Seattle Seahawks: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

13. Arizona Cardinals: Melvin Ingram, defensive end, South Carolina

14. Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, strong safety, Alabama

The 15th pick in the first round of the draft belongs to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles finished the 2011 season with an 8-8 record.

The Eagles’ primary needs include outside linebacker, safety, depth on the offensive and defensive lines and a backup quarterback.

Continue to check The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com for Browns and NFL coverage.

Philadelphia Eagles on the clock: Who should they draft with the 15th pick in the first round?

The Philadelphia Eagles brought the 2011 season to a merciful end on Jan. 1. In truth, there wasn’t much reason for Eagles fans like myself to pay attention, since the finale meant nothing to both Philadelphia and the Washington Redskins. But for those of us who did pay attention, the last game was quite reflective of the entire season – since the Birds looked better than they really were at the very end.

The final score reads that the Eagles throttled the Redskins by 34-10 in relatively easy fashion. But Philadelphia got 21 of those points in the fourth quarter and didn’t do enough to pull away in the first three – a formula that sounds sadly familiar.

The initial three quarters clearly had the Eagles as the better team, although they were only up by 13-7. Each team forfeited chances to do more, just like they did in the entire 2011 season as a whole. In fact, when the fourth quarter started the Redskins actually got within 13-10 – and it certainly would have been fitting if the Birds had one more blown lead left in them.

For a team that blew fourth quarter leads through the first three months of the season, it is bitterly ironic that Philadelphia learned to win more in the fourth quarter of the season. And it is bitterly ironic that the Eagles scored 21 points in their final 15 minutes of the year, when endings like that would have made much more of a difference months ago.

It also would have made a difference if Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson didn’t wait until now to connect on 62-yard touchdown passes, or if Brent Celek broke out before December. But none of that happened, leaving the Eagles to taunt us in December even worse than they did in September, October and November.

Of course, this finale did come against a Redskins team that went from 3-1 to 5-11, in a slide that began and ended with losses to the Eagles. The previous three wins for Philadelphia happened to come against a 6-10 Miami Dolphins club, and two 8-8 teams in the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys that shot themselves out of the playoffs. In addition, Philadelphia didn’t even bother to let LeSean McCoy suit up against Washington.

All told, there are various factors that make it hard to really take a lot out of these last four victories. Going to 8-8 over a last place Redskins squad, and getting to 8-8 period over four non-playoff teams, doesn’t mean that these are the real Eagles and the 4-8 version was a fluke. They started slow and finished hot in their last game and in their season as a whole – and yet we still knew as little about them as we did four months ago.

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

Other stories by this contributor

NFL playoff picture a mixed bag of suspense in Week 17

Jets need a 2008 Eagles-style miracle

Coughlin only NFC East coach still playing for his job

Eagles, Redskins finale rare meaningless Week 17 game

Shanahan, Reid likely to survive disappointing 2011

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

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles are the hottest team not going to the playoffs.

Michael Vick threw three touchdown passes, including a 62-yarder to DeSean Jackson, and the Eagles beat the Washington Redskins 34-10 Sunday for their fourth straight win.

The Eagles (8-8) are hoping to carry the momentum from their strong finish into next season. But they can’t be satisfied after entering the year with Super Bowl aspirations.

It’s the first time since 2007 that Philadelphia didn’t qualify for postseason play and just the fourth time in coach Andy Reid’s 13 seasons. The Eagles set a franchise record for total yards with 6,386.

The Redskins (5-11) finished last in the NFC East for a franchise-worst fourth straight year. It was Mike Shanahan’s worst full season in 18 years as a coach.

One of four NFL games on the final day that had no playoff ramifications, this had the feel of a preseason game. There were thousands of empty seats at the always sold-out Linc, and there was far more interest in the Mummer’s Parade on Broad Street.

The Winter Classic alumni game between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers across the street at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday generated more excitement.

Playing without NFC leading rusher LeSean McCoy, the Eagles relied mainly on their passing attack. Vick threw for 335 yards, becoming the second player to have consecutive seasons with 3,000 yards passing and 500 yards rushing.

Rex Grossman had 256 yards passing, one TD and one interception, and Evan Royster had 113 yards rushing for Washington.

The Redskins were 3-1 and leading the NFC East when the teams met on Oct. 16. A 20-13 loss to Philadelphia started their six-game losing streak and knocked them out of the playoff picture.

The Eagles weren’t eliminated from playoff contention until last week, and finished with the best record in the division at 5-1. But they’re going home while the winner of the New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday night advances.

Vick’s 7-yard TD pass to Chad Hall in the second quarter gave Philadelphia a 10-0 lead after Derek Landri blocked Graham Gano’s 36-yard field-goal attempt.

Vick connected with Jackson to make it 20-10 in the fourth quarter. It could’ve been Jackson’s last game with the Eagles. The two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver played the final year of his rookie contract and never got the extension he wanted after holding out in training camp.

A 4-yard TD toss from Vick to Brent Celek made it 27-10.

Roy Helu turned a screen pass into a 47-yard TD to get Washington within 10-7 on the opening drive of the second half.

The Redskins turned the ball over on downs at the Eagles 35 in the final minute of the second quarter. They got the ball back when Brian Orakpo sacked Vick and forced a fumble. Perry Riley recovered at the 17, but the Redskins wasted the field position.

An unsportsmanlike penalty on Santana Moss for taking off his helmet and arguing a non-call for pass interference pushed the ball back, and the clock expired before Gano could attempt a field goal after Jabar Gaffney was tackled at the Eagles 7. Long snapper Nick Sundberg wasn’t on the field as players scurried to the line of scrimmage.

The Eagles (8-8) are hoping to carry the momentum from their strong finish into next season. But they can’t be satisfied after entering the year with Super Bowl aspirations.

It’s the first time since 2007 that Philadelphia didn’t qualify for postseason play and just the fourth time in coach Andy Reid’s 13 seasons. The Eagles set a franchise record for total yards with 6,386.

The Redskins (5-11) finished last in the NFC East for a franchise-worst fourth straight year. It was Mike Shanahan’s worst full season in 18 years as a coach.

One of four NFL games on the final day that had no playoff ramifications, this had the feel of a preseason game. There were thousands of empty seats at the always sold-out Linc, and there was far more interest in the Mummer’s Parade on Broad Street.

The Winter Classic alumni game between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers across the street at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday generated more excitement.

Playing without NFC leading rusher LeSean McCoy, the Eagles relied mainly on their passing attack. Vick threw for 335 yards, becoming the second player to have consecutive seasons with 3,000 yards passing and 500 yards rushing.

Rex Grossman had 256 yards passing, one TD and one interception, and Evan Royster had 113 yards rushing for Washington.

The Redskins were 3-1 and leading the NFC East when the teams met on Oct. 16. A 20-13 loss to Philadelphia started their six-game losing streak and knocked them out of the playoff picture.

The Eagles weren’t eliminated from playoff contention until last week, and finished with the best record in the division at 5-1. But they’re going home while the winner of the New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday night advances.

Vick’s 7-yard TD pass to Chad Hall in the second quarter gave Philadelphia a 10-0 lead after Derek Landri blocked Graham Gano’s 36-yard field-goal attempt.

Vick connected with Jackson to make it 20-10 in the fourth quarter. It could’ve been Jackson’s last game with the Eagles. The two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver played the final year of his rookie contract and never got the extension he wanted after holding out in training camp.

A 4-yard TD toss from Vick to Brent Celek made it 27-10.

Roy Helu turned a screen pass into a 47-yard TD to get Washington within 10-7 on the opening drive of the second half.

The Redskins turned the ball over on downs at the Eagles 35 in the final minute of the second quarter. They got the ball back when Brian Orakpo sacked Vick and forced a fumble. Perry Riley recovered at the 17, but the Redskins wasted the field position.

An unsportsmanlike penalty on Santana Moss for taking off his helmet and arguing a non-call for pass interference pushed the ball back, and the clock expired before Gano could attempt a field goal after Jabar Gaffney was tackled at the Eagles 7. Long snapper Nick Sundberg wasn’t on the field as players scurried to the line of scrimmage.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Coming out of a prolonged labor stoppage that forced the cancellation of all offseason activities, the Philadelphia Eagles nevertheless proceeded with their plan to rebuild the roster and forge ahead when the NFL Lockout finally ended in July.

During a hastily assembled training camp at Lehigh University, two particular catch-phrases quickly came to symbolize what the 2012 Eagles were supposed to be all about: “Dream Team” and “All In.”

What unfolded instead was a nightmare that left them all out of the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

The Eagles’ epic failure to live up to expectations is The Morning Call’s No. 3 regional sports story of the year.

After winning their opener with a blowout victory at St. Louis, the Eagles dropped their next four. Three of the losses came when the defense, under first-year coordinator Juan Castillo, failed to protect fourth-quarter leads.

Castillo and the defense would come under further fire after the Eagles failed in consecutive November games to protect fourth-quarter leads at home, against the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals, to fall to 3-6.

The 21-17 loss to Arizona served as the flashpoint of the season, not only because the Eagles squandered another lead, but because wide receiver DeSean Jackson was held out of the game for disciplinary reasons while so many of their other key players were injured.

Quarterback Michael Vick missed the next three games, two of them losses, with cracked ribs. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie also sat out the next three with an ankle sprain. King Dunlap, a valuable reserve offensive lineman and special teams player, suffered a concussion and missed three games as well.

Those next three games all but mathematically knocked the Eagles out of playoff contention. Although they haven’t lost since, they were officially eliminated shortly after taking the field against the Dallas Cowboys last Saturday, when the New York Giants wrapped up a victory over the New York Jets.

For the Eagles (7-8), the first three-game winning streak of the season thus means very little because they took too long to put everything together.

Nine new starters, including six on defense, and 24 players overall who weren’t on the team last season are among the current 53-man roster. What’s more, the Eagles have new offensive and defensive line coaches, who have introduced radical alterations to the team’s previous methods.

Their offense and special teams have faltered to the tune of an NFL-high 36 turnovers and the league’s second-worst turnover margin (minus-12).

Quarterback Michael Vick, so brilliant in becoming the league’s comeback player of the year in 2010, has been a fragile interception machine who wasn’t available for, or has been unable to, finish four of the Eagles eight losses.

As a result, a potential record-breaking season by running back LeSean McCoy (1,309 rushing yards, 20 total TDs, 48 runs of 10 yards or more, franchise-best 4.8 yards per career rush) has turned bittersweet.

Coming Thursday: The No. 2 Regional Sports Story of the Year.

nick.fierro@mcall.com

610-778-2243

By Pat Johnston

– Newsdesk contributor

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Dec 26, 2011 – Earlier today, Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy talked about his ankle injury which he sustained against the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 24. McCoy spoke as if his 2011 season is over.

Eagles head coach Andy Reid struck a different tone during a press conference today. He called a report that said McCoy won’t play “false” (via Eagles Twitter). Reid also said:

Reid: Shady has a “slight” ankle sprain but should be fine for Sunday #Eagles (via Jonathan Tamari’s Twitter)

McCoy is only 123 rushing yards away from the team record set by Wilbert Montgomery (1,512) in 1979.

Reid went further regarding his starters’ availability for the Eagles final game of the season against the Washington Redskins:

“@EaglesInsider: AR: Starters WILL play against the Redskins, we’re in this thing to play our best football.” #Eagles #NFL (via Eagles Twitter)

For more Philadelphia Eagles coverage, visit our team page or our blog Bleeding Green Nation.

Read More: LeSean McCoy (RB – PHI), Philadelphia Eagles

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Dec 26, 2011 – The Washington Redskins (5-10) finish their season this Sunday, Jan. 1, when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles (7-8) at Lincoln Financial Field. Kickoff is set for 1 PM Eastern on FOX.

In the first meeting between the teams during the 2011 season, Philadelphia prevailed, 20-13. That defeat sent the Redskins’ season spinning out of control, as it was the first of six straight for Washington. Rex Grossman threw four interceptions, prompting coach Mike Shanahan to pull him in favor of John Beck, who went on to start Washington’s next three games before Shanahan elected to go with Grossman again.

The Redskins lost their most recent game on Saturday, 33-26, against the Minnesota Vikings, ending Minnesota’s six-game losing streak. They had no answer for backup quarterback Joe Webb, who threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. The defeat wasted solid performances from Grossman (26-of-41 passing, 284 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) and running back Evan Royster (19 carries, 132 yards).

Meanwhile, the Eagles cruised to a 20-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium. Dallas quarterback Tony Romo injured his right hand on Dallas’ first drive of the game, forcing Stephen McGee to fill in. Only a touchdown pass from McGee to Miles Austin with seven seconds remaining in the game, and the blocked punt that led to Dallas gaining possession, prevented the Eagles from pitching a shutout. Philly has won three straight games and will look to end its season on a high note following a 1-4 start.

For more on the Redskins, please visit Hogs Haven, SB Nation’s Redskins blog. For the perspective from the other side, please visit SB Nation Philly and Bleeding Green Nation, SB Nation’s Eagles blog.

Read More: Rex Grossman (QB – WAS), Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles, Jan 1, 2012 1:00 PM EST

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The loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday is now behind the Dallas Cowboys and now it is time to look ahead to the New York Giants. The Eagles loss means nothing in the grand scheme of things but the Giants game will mean everything.

The most important thing for the Cowboys, and this is especially true of the Eagles loss, is to come into the Giants’ matchup at 100-percent. That means that losing to the Eagles, because they rested Tony Romo and Felix Jones, was exactly the right decision. Dallas also has to hope that defensive players, like cornerback Mike Jenkins and linebackers Sean Lee and DeMarcus Ware are also ready to go.

Tony Romo

Tony Romo injured his hand on this second pass attempt of the Eagles’ game when he knocked it against the helmet of a rushing Jason Babin. It was really the closest that Babin, the NFL sack leader, got to a Dallas quarterback in the game, which says great things about that maligned offensive line.

X-rays were negative and the hand bruised and swelled. It is thought to be broken vessels in the hand but it should be healed and ready to go for the big Giants’ game. The hope is that there is no soreness in the hand. Romo has not thrown an interception since Week 12 against Miami and he has eight touchdown passes since that game.

Felix Jones

Felix Jones had back-to-back 100-yard games heading into the Eagles matchup. However, early in the week he showed up on the injury report with a tight hamstring. When this started is unknown, but once Romo left the game and Dallas learned the Giants won, they pulled Jones out to allow him to rest his leg. There should be no worries here as Jones averaged 6-yards a carry before leaving the game.

Mike Jenkins

Mike Jenkins has been battling injuries all season but Dallas needs him in the lineup against the Giants. With the playmakers that New York has, and Eli Manning able to throw the ball all over the field, the Cowboys secondary needs all the help it can get.

DeMarcus Ware

You can’t get Ware out of the lineup. Even after Dallas learned that the Giants won, and the Eagles game meant nothing, he remained in the game and finished with two more sacks, moving his total to 18 on the season. He has been dealing with a neck injury but has not missed a game. He needs two more sacks to tie his own personal best.

Sean Lee

Sean Lee injured his hand in the first game with Philadelphia. He missed one week and has been playing with a cast ever since. In this game, he injured his hamstring. He says he could have come back into the game but didn’t because of the Giants win. He finished with five tackles before leaving the game. He says he will be ready for the Giants.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

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The
Dallas Cowboys
have complete control of their path to another NFC East title, and they might be even closer by kickoff.

The
Philadelphia Eagles
‘ playoff fate could be determined then, too.

The Cowboys may have a chance to clinch the division crown when they host the surging Eagles on Saturday.

Dallas (8-6) leads the second-place
New York Giants
by one game and is two in front of the third-place Eagles (6-8) heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.

Only one of those teams will reach the playoffs, and the Cowboys could clinch that spot Saturday with a win combined with
a Giants’ loss to the
New York Jets
earlier in the day.

That matchup also has serious implications for Philadelphia, which also needs a Jets victory to remain alive in the division.

For the Eagles to repeat as East champions, they must beat the Cowboys and Washington at home on Jan. 1. They need the Giants
to lose to the Jets and then beat Dallas in their last game.

That would leave all three teams at 8-8, and Philadelphia would own the tiebreaker based on a superior divisional record.

“I’m a big Jets fan this week,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said. “You control what you control. You have to play the game whether
that team wins or loses.”

The Eagles’ playoff hopes remained alive after a 45-19 romp over the Jets on Sunday, their second straight victory.

“It feels good that we are still alive,” said tight end
Brent Celek
, who had a career-high 156 yards and one touchdown. “That is all you can ask for at this point. We just have to play together
as a team and go up there, fight and beat Dallas.”

The Cowboys should be eager for revenge after losing 34-7 at Philadelphia in Week 8. That was just their second loss in the
last six meetings in the series since the Eagles kept them out of the playoffs with a 44-6 win in Week 17 of 2008.

“We’ve got to get the wins. We’ve got to get in,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “Best way to do it is win this thing.”

Dallas regained some momentum by beating Tampa Bay 31-15 last Saturday after blowing fourth-quarter leads in consecutive games.

“We just can’t let up,” receiver
Dez Bryant
said. “We know where we want to go and it don’t matter who comes in here, we’re going to keep the same intensity and just
play hard and hopefully we can win out. … We just got to keep focusing and keep playing hard.”

Tony Romo
is doing his part to get Dallas into the postseason, completing 69.9 percent of his passes for 869 yards with eight touchdowns,
no interceptions and a 121.4 passer rating over the last three games.

Romo has thrown 18 touchdown passes and just two picks in the past seven contests since struggling with a season-low 66.7
rating against the Eagles. He finished with 203 yards on 18-of-35 passing with one touchdown and one INT in that defeat.

Romo has 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while going 5-4 as a starter against Philadelphia.

The onus may again be on Romo and the passing game since Dallas is dealing with a rash of injuries to its backfield, with

Felix Jones
‘ hamstring tightness the latest issue.

Jones is listed as questionable after running for more than 100 yards each of the past two weeks. He may be joining rookie
running backs
DeMarco Murray
and
Phillip Tanner
on the sidelines, leaving the Cowboys with 12-year veteran
Sammy Morris
and practice squad member
Chauncey Washington
.

Morris made his season debut with 12 carries for 53 yards against the Buccaneers, and is expected to start if Jones can’t
play.

“Sammy is the most logical choice … and we have another young back on our practice roster (Washington), so he’ll get a chance
to do some of that too,” coach Jason Garrett said.

Dallas’ defense is looking to build on its best performance of the season, holding Tampa Bay to 190 total yards.

The unit is likely to be tested much more thoroughly by
LeSean McCoy
, who ran for 102 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries last week.

He’s scored eight TDs in the past four games, giving him 20 total scores – an Eagles single-season record. Two of those came
when McCoy ran for a career-high 185 yards in the October rout of the Cowboys.

“It tells you I’m a pretty good back and I have an outstanding offensive line,” said McCoy, who had 149 yards on 16 carries
in a 30-27 win at Dallas on Dec. 12, 2010. “It’s definitely a team thing.”

Michael Vick
also starred against the Cowboys earlier this season, completing 21 of 28 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns while running
seven times for 50 yards.

“It feels good to still have a chance to even be considered in the playoff race,” said Vick, who threw for 274 yards with
one touchdown while adding another score on the ground last week.

“We’ve been through a lot, but we’re resilient.”