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Eagles keep Reid due to his ‘intangibles’

kalizexk — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:35:37 +0000

Updated Jan 3, 2012 5:15 PM ET

PHILADELPHIA

Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said Tuesday Andy Reid would remain the team’s head coach in 2012.

The Eagles finished 8-8 on the season and missed the playoffs, but Reid had to lead Philadelphia on a four-game winning streak to avoid a losing record.

“It’s been a very, very unusual season,” Lurie said. “This season was without question the most disappointing season since I’ve owned the team.

“This is not only unacceptable, it is very disappointing.”

But Lurie said “the intangibles” Reid brings to the organization and his ability to bounce back following a poor season led him to stick with Reid for a 14th season.

“The team jelled and clearly came together,” Lurie said, referring to the team’s four-game win streak at season’s end.

Reid, who is currently the NFL’s longest tenured head coach, has amassed a 126-81-1 record since joining Philadelphia in 1999. The Eagles have won six NFC East titles during Reid’s time at the helm. The Eagles went to the Super Bowl once under Reid in 2004-2005, losing to the New England Patriots 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX.

He has two seasons left on his current contract at $4 million per season.

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Lurie giving Andy Reid one more chance

Vamiamine — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:43:19 +0000

There’s a point in “The Princess Bride” where Vizzini says the word “inconceivable” too many times for Inigo’s taste, and Inigo looks at him sideways and says, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

I bring this up because Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie used the word “unacceptable” several times in today’s news conference, and that’s one of those words that sports people use without thinking about what it really means. If something is “unacceptable” (as Lurie insists the Eagles’ 8-8 season was) yet elicits no consequences, then that makes it, by definition, “acceptable.” Lurie spent the first 15 minutes of his address to the Philadelphia media talking about his anger and frustration, called the first half of the season “dismal” and “terrible” and said he took little solace in the Eagles’ 4-0 finish because it came against teams that weren’t “that competitive.”

But in the end, he announced that he would bring head coach Andy Reid back for a 14th season. And he announced that any coaching staff changes — including any decisions on embattled first-year defensive coordinator Juan Castillo — would be up to Reid. And while the idea that something “unacceptable” has happened but that no one is to be held accountable for it likely isn’t sitting well with disenchanted Eagles fans today, as usual I think there’s some gray area here.

“Accountable” isn’t automatically the same thing as “fired.” As a result of the flop that was a 2011 season in which, Lurie said, “the difference between the expectation and the result was dramatic,” Andy Reid enters 2012 under greater pressure than he has felt at any time during his tenure as Eagles coach. I believe Reid will coach in 2012 under more pressure than any other coach in the entire league. Lurie made it clear with several of things he said that, unless the Eagles rebound, big-time, next season, the news conference he has next January isn’t going to be as friendly.

“If I didn’t think that next year would be substantially better,” Lurie said. “Then I would be up here announcing a coaching change.”

That says to me that, if next year is not substantially better, Lurie will in fact be up there announcing a coaching change. If I were Reid, that’s the way I’d be hearing it. And throughout Reid’s long and impressive tenure as Eagles coach, I doubt he’s ever faced this degree of ultimatum.

Lurie spoke of other teams in recent history that rebounded from disappointing seasons to win the Super Bowl, naming the New York Giants and the New Orleans Saints specifically. He spoke of Reid’s record of bouncing back from seasons in which the Eagles missed the playoffs, pointing out that it’s very good. He didn’t say he expected 2012 to continue that trend, but he didn’t have to. That much was clear. Lurie is an owner who’s much more upset about this season than he let on at any point while it was unfolding, but he’s also an owner who believes in a measured approach, who believes in continuity in positions of leadership, and who believes Reid is a good coach who knows what he’s doing and is capable of making next season a success where this one was not.

But Lurie also left little doubt that this can’t happen again. So from this point forward, every decision Reid makes is going to be scrutinized in ways it never has been before by the guy who matters most. Whatever mistakes Reid made in 2011, Lurie was able to view them through the prism of all the good work Reid did for him in the previous 12 years, with the knowledge that players have historically played hard for Reid and have wanted to play for the Eagles because of the coaching structure they have in place. But any mistakes Reid makes between now and this time next year will be viewed through the prism of Lurie’s present disappointment, and are likely to be judged much more harshly as a result.

Reid must now decide about Castillo and the rest of the coaching staff, then he must get to work on free agency and the draft. Then there will be minicamps and OTAs, the incubators the 2011 team lacked but which the 2012 Eagles must use to make sure they don’t sleepwalk their way through the first half of next season the way they did this one.

“It’s possible there was a miscalculation in terms of implementing big scheme changes in a lockout situation,” Lurie said.

That could mean the Eagles stay the course, scheme-wise, in the belief that they are moving in the right direction but just took too long to start moving. It could mean that they make big scheme changes again this offseason in the belief that they will have the time this year to implement them. That sounds as though it’s up to Reid. But whichever way he goes, it’s got to work, or he’s going to be gone. He may not have to win next year’s Super Bowl to keep his job in 2013, but it’s very clear after listening to Lurie today that he’s got to make a pretty serious run at it to make up for the damage this season caused. Those are the consequences of 8-8: That Reid finds himself, at long last, facing a make-or-break season.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Time to Break Up Eagles

gocaVopay — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:28:00 +0000

The Philadelphia Eagles began the 2011 NFL season as the clear-cut favorite to win the NFC East. The season ended with the Eagles packing their bags and heading home after the regular season ended. What went wrong? Murphy’s Law was alive and well in Philadelphia but much of the carnage was avoidable.

Michael Vick needs to bring his “A’ Game the rest of the season.
Photo by: SRA Moses Ross Wikimedia Commons

Is it easier to fire the big man Andy Reid or is it easier to gut this team and rebuild from scratch? There will be serious carryover issues in 2012 and the problems must get addressed now to prepare for next year. Not all is bad with the Eagles and the team has positives to build on.

Bad Chemistry

The Eagles assembled one of the most talented teams in the NFL but they forgot about one important aspect of building a team: Chemistry. Adding Nnamdi Asomugha was a huge coup for Andy Reid and the Eagles front office but it also led to some serious chemistry issues in the secondary, starting with Assante Samuel questioning the move in training camp.

Eagles in Trouble at Quartback Position for Years?

One Eagles front office move that will handcuff the team for years was the signing of Michael Vick to a long-term contract. Vick is going to get injured every season and every time he goes down the Eagles and their fans will suffer. Until the Eagles rid themselves of Vick and get a legitimate quarterback they will never seriously contend in the NFC East.

Then the Eagles added a competent backup in Vince Young but they forgot this is the same guy who led to Jeff Fisher calling it quits after a long tenure with the Titans. Young’s antics in Tennessee led to more than a few gray hairs for Fisher, who took 2011 off to recuperate.

Vince Young compounded the Eagles front office woes by declaring the Philadelphia Eagles a “Dream Team.” The name became a derogatory term later in the season when the team went on a losing streak and eliminated themselves from serious contention to make the NFL Playoffs.

Jason Babin and LeSean McCoy Positives Going Forward

The Eagles did have some bright spots in 2011. LeSean McCoy showed the NFL he is worthy of consideration as a top five NFL back and when Andy Reid allowed him to take over games he did in a big way. McCoy’s running style and never quit attitude led to several key wins for the Eagles but he did break down at the end of the season.

Jason Babin gave the Eagles defense one positive through a dismal first half of the season. Babin gave the Eagles a legitimate pass rush and led to the improvements on defense in the second half. Babin finished the season strong, scoring eight sacks in his last four games and gave Eagles fans something to look forward to in 2012.

DeSean Jackson Must Go

McCoy’s impressive season became overshadowed by the baffling antics of DeSean Jackson. Jackson left the Eagles with no choice but to let him walk once the free agency period begins. The Eagles blew their chance to trade Jackson but there are options they can look into.

The Eagles can franchise tag Jackson and then trade him after he signs. This will be a tough move to pull off since Jackson’s brash attitude will clash with most quarterbacks and receivers in the NFL. The Eagles have already blown any chance to get value for Jackson and their best bet is to move up the NFL Draft board and snag Justin Blackmon of the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Blackmon is Terrell Owens and Randy Moss rolled into one without being a head case.

*Todd Jacobs lives in Las Vegas but has been a Philadelphia Eagles fan since the ’70s. Members of Todd’s family were devout Eagles fans and he had little choice but to follow the Eagles from an early age.

Sources:

ESPN Clubhouse: Philadelphia Eagles news and stats.

Reading Eagle: Jackson facing uncertain future in Philly

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

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Philadelphia Eagles’ 2011 Fantasy Football…

imiviangelm — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 04:45:00 +0000

As soon as Vince Young said the term, “dream team,” fans of the Philadelphia Eagles must have been scared. While the team was the most active during the offseason in bringing in stars, comments from the least talented of the new acquisitions were sure to cause problems. The Eagles struggled to an 8-8 record and while some players had monstrous fantasy seasons, others faltered. Who are the biggest surprise and disappointments, and which star can say they were the Eagles’ 2011 fantasy MVP?

MVP – LeSean McCoy

There is no doubt in my mind that McCoy is the best running back in the NFL, especially so in fantasy football. This season, his yardage figures don’t compare to those of Ray Rice, but the instability at the quarterback position in Philadelphia can be blamed for that. He rushed for 1,309 yards on 273 carries and made 48 catches for 315 yards with 20 total touchdowns.

Biggest Surprise – Jason Babin

The eight-year pro is one of the offseason acquisitions for the Eagles, but he was probably the least hyped. When the Eagles signed him, it was his sixth team in six seasons, including a previous stint with the team. As a member of the Tennessee Titans a year ago, he made 13 sacks and was a force on the defensive line. What he did this season was grow from that success to become one of the best sack-artists in the NFL. He made 18 sacks to go with 40 total tackles, rewarding those fantasy GMs that selected him in IDP leagues.

Biggest Disappointment – Michael Vick

The former Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback began his second season as the Philadelphia starter and suffered through the same problems he has suffered from his entire career. He missed three games due to injury, adding further proof that his body type isn’t one for taking hits. He did set a new career high in passing yards with 3,303, but struggled in all other facets. A year ago, he turned the ball over nine total times, while this season, he threw 14 interceptions and lost four fumbles. It is hard to keep your team in the game when you keep giving the ball away.

Another disappointing stat for Vick were his rushing scores. A year ago, he set a career-high with nine and followed that up this season with just one. Vick can still be a fantasy star, but he won’t be a first round selection in 2012 like he was this season.

For a closer look at All-Injury teams for all major fantasy positions and biggest stars and busts from each NFL team, click here.

Philadelphia Eagles face an uncertain offseason…

Aberieaided — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:49:58 +0000

The Eagles struggled early and never recovered. A four-game winning streak at the end came too late and they finished 8-8, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and just the fourth time in coach Andy Reid’s 13 seasons.

“It’s going to motivate us to work harder,” quarterback Michael Vick said Monday. “It’s very disappointing.”

After an offseason spending spree brought several accomplished players to Philadelphia and added to a roster that already featured Vick, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson, the Eagles were the talk of the NFL. They were defending NFC East champions and seemingly on the rise.

So when Young compared his new teammates to the Miami Heat, some people scoffed but most expected the Eagles to make a serious run at the first championship since 1960. Even team president Joe Banner declared the Eagles “all-in” and called this a Super Bowl-or-bust year.

But the team quickly imploded.

“There were definitely red flags,” said defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins, who won the Super Bowl with Green Bay last season. “A lot of people see Super Bowl, or I think they let the fact that the Super Bowl is there, and so many people talk about it right away. You can hear people nowadays, they come out of the draft talking about Super Bowl and I think it kind of gets thrown around too loosely now.

“It’s obviously the ultimate goal in where you want to get to, but you have to understand that you have to work hard. It’s something that is a process and you have to take it each step at a time to get to it and I think a lot of time people just want to jump from preseason to the Super Bowl without doing what it takes in between.”

Various factors contributed to a four-game losing streak that dropped the Eagles to 1-4 and doomed them from the beginning. Vick couldn’t finish two games in September because of injuries, the offense made critical turnovers and the defense struggled mightily as new players tried to adjust to new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo’s system.

Finishing games was a problem, too. The Eagles lost five games in which they led in the fourth quarter. One play could’ve made the difference in a season where the division was mediocre. The Eagles weren’t eliminated from playoff contention until right before their next-to-last game kicked off and they ended up second behind the New York Giants (9-7).

“It will be tough to sit at home and watch the playoffs, but we have to maintain a positive outlook about what we could be and go into the offseason knowing that we can play with the best teams in the league,” wide receiver Jeremy Maclin said. “Philly is not used to not being in the playoffs. I think guys will be hungry. This offseason will be very critical for us and I think it will be good.”

It’s uncertain whether the team will make major changes. Reid was criticized heavily this season and many fans want him gone. They chanted “Fire Andy!” during a loss to New England. Reid refused to discuss his future after Sunday’s game and wasn’t available to reporters on Monday. He’s expected to return, but his coaching staff may look different.

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Vick Leads Eagles Past Redskins

Germdremnep — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:48:24 +0000

The Philadelphia Eagles played their best football too late.

Michael Vick threw for 335 yards and three touchdown passes, ncluding a 62-yarder to DeSean Jackson, and the Eagles beat the ashington Redskins 34-10 Sunday for their fourth straight win.

But the Eagles (8-8) are going home despite the strong finish after ailing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and just he fourth time in coach Andy Reid’s 13 seasons. They can’t be atisfied after entering the year with Super Bowl aspirations

“That’s the unfortunate part,” Vick said. “Everybody’s jelling together, ur team is getting closer as a unit, everybody’s understanding their oaches and what they’re trying to do and their philosophy. We know hat needs to be done. We’ll fly under the radar and try to shock eople next year. Next year will be totally different. I promise you.”

Reid refused to discuss anything about the future, including whether e wants to return or if defensive coordinator Juan Castillo will be ack. Reid took plenty of criticism this season, and heard “Fire Andy!” hants during a loss to New England in November. Castillo was ntensely scrutinized in his first season after serving as an offensive ine coach for 13 years.

“We’ve got to get better all the way around, starting with me,” Reid aid. “This wasn’t good enough.”

The Redskins (5-11) finished last in the NFC East for a franchise orst fourth straight year. It was Mike Shanahan’s worst full season in 8 years as a coach.

“I think the last five, six games we’ve done some good things, run the football against some good teams, not as good as we need, though,” Shanahan said. “We talked about adding a few pieces on offense, we need a few pieces on defense, a good draft, but we made some strides. Our football team is a lot different than a year ago, and that’s a positive.”

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 delivered, 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.

“I really enjoy it here,” said Grossman, who will be a free agent. “I really enjoy this offensive system and what they’re building here. I’d love for this to be the place where I end up.”

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 starting an early vacation while the winner of the New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday night advances.

“You have to analyze everything that happened and figure out how not to let it happen again,” Vick said. “We’ve got a lot of soul-searching to do, a lot of thinking to do. I think our opportunities will arise.”

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.

“A little mix-up there relative to communication, coupled with not getting the play,” Shanahan said, explaining that the headsets weren’t working at the time.

Notes: The Eagles set a franchise record for total yards with 6,386. … Eagles WR Jeremy Maclin had eight catches for 105 yards. … Eagles rookie K Alex Henery finished the season 24 of 27 on field goals for the best percentage (88.9) in team history. … Jackson became the fifth player in NFL history to have 900 yards receiving in each of his first four seasons. … Grossman finished with 20 interceptions despite not starting three games. … Shanahan’s previous worst season was 6-10 last year and with Denver in 1999. … Vick threw a career-high 14 interceptions. … Orakpo left with a left shoulder injury. He’ll have an MRI on Monday.

That’s all for today.

Giants Prove to Be Only Deserving NFC East…

gilbert1965 — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:40:00 +0000

The Philadelphia Eagles had to watch the very last game of the NFL regular season with a wistful eye. As Eagles fans like myself know, the unofficial NFC East title game pitting the Dallas Cowboys vs the New York Giants on Jan. 1 didn’t have to be possible. With one or two more Philadelphia wins, Dallas and New York would have been eliminated well before the finale, perhaps as they deserved to be.

Instead, these two 8-7 clubs fought for the NFC East crown while the hottest team in the division began their vacation hours earlier. But if any of these two teams could remotely come close to deserving the NFC East in the Eagles’ place, it was pretty clear that it was the Giants in their 31-14 win.

Dallas’s mental toughness and ability to win late has even been brought into question by the likes of Emmitt Smith. Meanwhile, New York always seems to find an extra spark of life whenever Tom Coughlin is in danger of getting fired. Therefore, it made more sense that the Giants were the only team to show a pulse in the first half as they jumped to a 21-0 lead.

New York was the squad leaping over the opposition, getting big passing plays and even using a power running game like in the old days, while Dallas was utterly limp and was wilting in the spotlight. However, this wouldn’t be an NFC East title game if both games didn’t look overwhelmed and ready to collapse at some point.

The Giants looked ready to fall apart again when the lead shrunk to 21-14 and the Cowboys looked poised to get a chance to tie it up. But on a third-down play in the middle of the fourth, Eli Manning all but sowed up the division title with a 44-yard bomb to his new favorite target, Victor Cruz. It didn’t go for a touchdown, yet it kept Dallas from getting the ball back, gave New York momentum for good, and led to a field goal that put the Cowboys right back against the wall.

The Giants’ victory was reflective of their season as a whole, just like the Eagles’ last victory over the Washington Redskins was reflective of theirs. The Eagles started pretty slow and then poured it on over the Redskins at the end, just as they started slow and poured it on at the end of 2011. Meanwhile, the Giants started hot with a 6-2 record and a 21-0 lead over the Cowboys, then almost blew the season and the game in the middle before rallying back at the very end.

Unlike the Cowboys, Eagles and Redskins, the Giants mastered the art of starting and finishing the year on a hot streak. The rest of the NFC East either got hot early and couldn’t keep up, or started terribly and got better when it was too late.

There were no really deserving champions in this division, yet considering the mess that Dallas, Philadelphia and Washington made of their seasons, New York proved to be the only one capable of cleaning up its messes. In any other year, that probably wouldn’t be enough for the Giants to survive – but thankfully for them, this wasn’t any other year.

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

Other stories by this contributor

Eagles’ finale victory reflects season as a whole

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

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Eagles end disappointing season on winning note

bgoeiqmnsds — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:09:20 +0000

CBSSports.com wire reports
Jan. 1, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles played their best football too late.

Michael Vick threw for 335 yards and 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.

But the Eagles (8-8) are going home despite the strong finish after failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and just the fourth time in coach Andy Reid’s 13 seasons. They can’t be satisfied after entering the year with Super Bowl aspirations

“That’s the unfortunate part,” Vick said. “Everybody’s jelling together, our team is getting closer as a unit, everybody’s understanding their coaches and what they’re trying to do and their philosophy. We know what needs to be done. We’ll fly under the radar and try to shock people next year. Next year will be totally different. I promise you.”

Reid refused to discuss anything about the future, including whether he wants to return or if defensive coordinator Juan Castillo will be back. Reid took plenty of criticism this season, and heard “Fire Andy!” chants during a loss to New England in November. Castillo was intensely scrutinized in his first season after serving as an offensive line coach for 13 years.

“We’ve got to get better all the way around, starting with me,” Reid said. “This wasn’t good enough.”

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.

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.

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

“I really enjoy it here,” said Grossman, who will be a free agent. “I really enjoy this offensive system and what they’re building here. I’d love for this to be the place where I end up.”

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.

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.

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.

“A little mix-up there relative to communication, coupled with not getting the play,” Shanahan said, explaining that the headsets weren’t working at the time.

Notes

The Eagles set a franchise record for total yards with 6,386.
Eagles WR Jeremy Maclin had eight catches for 105 yards.
Eagles rookie K Alex Henery finished the season 24 of 27 on field goals for the best percentage (88.9) in team history.
Jackson became the fifth player in NFL history to have 900 yards receiving in each of his first four seasons.
Grossman finished with 20 interceptions despite not starting three games.
Shanahan’s previous worst season was 6-10 last year and with Denver in 1999.
Vick threw a career-high 14 interceptions.
Orakpo left with a left shoulder injury. He’ll have an MRI on Monday.

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Eagles, Michael Vick Beat Redskins To Finish…

Theatuele — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 03:15:23 +0000

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.

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.

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.

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Vick throws 3 TDs, Eagles finish strong

Ja_Togo — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 03:07:06 +0000

Updated Jan 1, 2012 6:07 PM ET

PHILADELPHIA (AP)

WEEK 17 SCOREBOARD

Patriots 49, Bills 21
Bears 17, Vikings 13
Titans 23, Texans 22
Eagles 34, Redskins 10
49ers 34, Rams 27
Packers 45, Lions 41
Jaguars 19, Colts 13
Dolphins 19, Jets 17
Saints 45, Panthers 17
Chargers 38, Raiders 26
Chiefs 7, Broncos 3
Steelers 13, Browns 9
Ravens 24, Bengals 16
Falcons 45, Buccaneers 24
Cardinals 23, Seahawks 20 (OT)
Giants 31, Cowboys 14

The Philadelphia Eagles played their best football too late.

Michael Vick threw for 335 yards and 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.

”That’s the unfortunate part,” Vick said. ”Everybody’s jelling together, our team is getting closer as a unit, everybody’s understanding their coaches and what they’re trying to do and their philosophy. We know what needs to be done. We’ll fly under the radar and try to shock people next year. Next year will be totally different. I promise you.”

Reid refused to discuss anything about the future, including whether he wants to return or if defensive coordinator Juan Castillo will be back. Reid took plenty of criticism this season, and heard ”Fire Andy!” chants during a loss to New England in November. Castillo was intensely scrutinized in his first season after serving as an offensive line coach for 13 years.

”We’ve got to get better all the way around, starting with me,” Reid said. ”This wasn’t good enough.”

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.

”I think the last five, six games we’ve done some good things, run the football against some good teams, not as good as we need, though,” Shanahan said. ”We talked about adding a few pieces on offense, we need a few pieces on defense, a good draft, but we made some strides. Our football team is a lot different than a year ago, and that’s a positive.”

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.

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

”I really enjoy it here,” said Grossman, who will be a free agent. ”I really enjoy this offensive system and what they’re building here. I’d love for this to be the place where I end up.”

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.

”You have to analyze everything that happened and figure out how not to let it happen again,” Vick said. ”We’ve got a lot of soul-searching to do, a lot of thinking to do. I think our opportunities will arise.”

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.

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.

”A little mix-up there relative to communication, coupled with not getting the play,” Shanahan said, explaining that the headsets weren’t working at the time.

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Not much at stake as Philadelphia Eagles host…

aMaryCold — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:45:06 +0000

The only especially interesting question surrounding the
Philadelphia Eagles’ season finale 1 o’clock this afternoon at Lincoln Financial
Field against the Washington Redskins is: how many fans will show up?

The outcome of the game makes no difference in the NFL playoff picture. A
New Year’s Day game faces a lot of competition for attention (hello
Mummers).

And Eagles fans voted with their feet during the last Linc
disaster when less than 10,000 remained in the stadium during the fourth
quarter of the loss to the New England Patriots in November. At least the weather’s supposed to be nice — 55 and sunny.

What the fans who do show up will see is a Redskins team in its usual place in the NFC East — last for the fourth straight season — and one of the few NFL teams with more issues than the Eagles. Substance abuse suspensions, a quarterback (Rex Grossman) who leads the
NFL in interceptions, all kinds of injuries and a Super Bowl-winning
coach in Mike Shanahan who seems to have left his bag of magic tricks in
Denver add up to another fine mess megabucks Redskin owner Daniel Snyder has gotten himself into again.

Shanahan himself admits Washington has taken a lot longer to turn around than he thought.

“A lot longer than I first anticipated,” Shanahan said. “We had less
depth than I thought. We were a little bit older at a few different
positions. I thought we might keep those players a little longer than we
did.”

The Eagles probably thought their season would be lasting a little
longer. Their three-game December win streak came too late to salvage a
playoff spot and any accomplishments that will come today are for
individuals alone.

LeSean McCoy has an outside shot at the NFL rushing crown. He has 1,309
yards coming into the game, trailing Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew
by 128 yards (that each conference’s leading rusher will miss the
playoffs gives a pause when thinking of how critical running games are).

It may be more realistic for McCoy to break the all-time Eagles
single-season record of 1,512 yards set by Wilbert Montgomery in 1979.

“Yeah, it’s on my mind,” said McCoy, who leads the NFL in touchdowns
(20) and rushing TDs (17). “Hopefully, I can get it. A lot of things have
to go right for me to get it but I’m going to go out and play my heart
out. I’m sure my linemen are going to do the same thing. But the main
thing is winning and kind of go out on a good note. And it would just be
even sweeter to get the record though.”

Sweet for his linemen too, perhaps.

“Yeah, he can take us to McDonald’s or something,” said guard Evan Mathis with a laugh.

Eagles’ defensive end Jason Babin, with 18 sacks, trails Minnesota’s
Jared Allen for the NFL lead by half a sack and, with a huge day, could
pass Michael Strahan’s NFL record of 22.5 in one season.

Other than such records, there’s not much at stake. The Eagles make a
big deal about finishing .500 and going 5-1 in the NFC East and while
some dismiss such talk, defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins, who won the
Super Bowl with Green Bay last season, disagrees.

“Oh yeah, it’s something that’s huge,” he said. “Even if you look at
Green Bay, what we did at the end of the season last year and that
carried over with them into this year and that’s happened to us a
couple times out there when I was there. So I think it’s something that,
especially for the young guys or the people coming in, is that you kind
of get a taste of that winning like, ‘Man, we won four games straight,
we can do this.’ So then for all of the young guys, their approach for
next year will be wanting to go through that again, they don’t want to go through the losing part, and then they know that we have the ability to do that.”

Eagles fans might wonder why it took until December to find that
ability. Quarterback Michael Vick said the team was frustrated, too.

“We’re all going through it together,” he said. “We want to win just as
bad as they do and, you know, certain things just didn’t happen the way
that we wanted them to and this is where the chips fell. So, hopefully,
we’re all disappointed and wish that the outcome could have been
different but we apologize and, hopefully, we can give them want they want
very soon.”

A win today would be a small first step, for however many show up at the Linc.

There is the quick update of the day.

Eagles Seek Fourth Straight Win: A Fan’s Preview

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:26:00 +0000

The Philadelphia Eagles want to finish the 2011 season on a high note. They will have that chance when they take on the Washington Redskins on Sunday, January 1. The Eagles are seeking their fourth straight win in a season that has been mostly disappointing. As an Eagles fan, I plan on watching this game to see how the team finishes. I would hope most fans would watch the game as well. It doesn’t really mean anything, but it is one last chance to see the Eagles this season. After this game, all of the questions begin.

The Eagles already beat the Redskins once this season. They are 4-1 against opponents from the NFC East. Washington is easily the worst team in the division so Philadelphia should have no problem winning this game. For fans, the final score doesn’t really matter. Eagles fans are smart enough to know that finishing 8-8 or 7-9 really isn’t that different if it doesn’t involve a playoff berth. Instead, the focus should be on how each player looks on the field. I want to see if the defensive line remains aggressive. I want to see if the secondary can be strong with Asante Samuel out of the game. Offensively, I want to see if DeSean Jackson can prove he belongs here in 2012. I also want to see if Michael Vick can put together a strong game.

These are the kinds of things that fans should look at in this game. As I said, the season ends after this game and soon it will be time to start thinking about the draft and free agency. But with one more game to watch, we can still think about football. The Eagles should win this game, but it won’t save their season. Instead, it is about building for 2012. Some of these players won’t be back with the Eagles in 2012. Others are hoping to land bigger roles with the team. The players should think of this is one final audition for next season. This kind of disappointment won’t stand for another season.

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Eagles-Redskins Finale Rare Meaningless Week 17…

DaywosyFoesse — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:20:00 +0000

The Philadelphia Eagles have nothing at stake against the Washington Redskins on Jan. 1. Eagles fans like myself can only root for a .500 record that is completely misleading to how 2011 really went – and a loss doesn’t seem likely to get Andy Reid fired anyway. The Redskins have nothing to play for either, since they are 5-10 and stuck in last place yet again.

This makes the Eagles-Redskins battle completely meaningless as a whole. What’s more, it is even more embarrassing since it is one of the few Week 17 games that have absolutely no stakes at all.

There are only two other games that will not make any impact on the playoff picture or on the top of the NFL draft order. The 7-8 Chicago Bears visit the 3-12 Minnesota Vikings, after the Bears got knocked out of the playoff race and the Vikings knocked themselves out of the race for Andrew Luck. Meanwhile, the 7-8 Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals do battle with only an 8-8 record on the line for the winner.

Every other game means something in some way for some team – and even the Indianapolis Colts-Jacksonville Jaguars battle is huge since it will settle the No. 1 draft pick one way or the other. The other finales will determine postseason berths and playoff seeding for one or both teams in action. But the Eagles and Redskins are completely free of such worries, however.

Washington is used to just playing out the last game of the season with nothing to shoot for, but it is a different story for Philadelphia. It is either resting for the postseason, trying to secure a better seed or seeking to clinch a spot in the playoffs by now. Instead, the Eagles are only attempting to reach .500 and not have any injuries that will impact the start of 2012.

Considering the rest of the high impact action in Week 17, there is no reason to tune into the Eagles-Redskins game over all the others, unless one is a fan of these teams. Unfortunately, myself and others are stuck with the Eagles and will have to yawn through the finale. In between, we will either be infuriated that Philadelphia couldn’t win four straight earlier in the season, or be mad at only the third losing season in the Reid era.

There is a slim chance that this finale could be historic as the last game in Philadelphia for Reid and DeSean Jackson, but we won’t know that for sure for weeks or months. For the moment, this is the most boring and meaningless Week 17 Eagles game in a long time, and perhaps the most boring Week 17 battle in the NFL as a whole.

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

Other stories by this contributor

Shanahan, Reid likely to survive disappointing 2011

Smith latest Dallas legend to question Cowboys

Cowboys, Giants to reverse momentum yet again?

2011 Jets collapse nearly as bad as 2008

Rumors of Spagnuolo’s return to Eagles more of the same

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Michael Vick Reflects On Eagles’ Disappointing…

BusaSalt — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 03:07:11 +0000

Read More: Michael Vick (QB – PHI), Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick reflected on the Eagles season today and the future as his team heads for an early offseason after they were eliminated from playoff contention.

Vick on the realization that his season is ending on Sunday:

“Yeah, it was hard. I was just out on the field just saying to myself it wasn’t supposed to end like this. But I think God has a defined plan for everything that goes on in everybody’s lives and all of the guys in this locker room and it all remains to be seen. So we just have to keep the faith and keep believing and just pray that better days are ahead and I think they are.”

Vick on the fans who were disappointed with the season Philadelphia has had:

“We’re all going through it together. We want to win just as bad as they do and, you know, certain things just didn’t happen the way that we wanted them to and this is where the chips fell. So hopefully, we’re all disappointed and wish that the outcome could have been different but we apologize and hopefully we can give them want they want very soon.”

Vick didn’t want to go into details on what he wanted to work on during Sunday’s game. He did say that he didn’t feel any pressure to win a Super Bowl next season, although it will be a goal of his, as it is every season.

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

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

LeSean McCoy Injury Update: Philadelphia Eagles’…

Vamiamine — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 01:22:21 +0000

Read More: Maurice Jones-Drew (RB – JAC), LeSean McCoy (RB – PHI), Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins will likely have to contend with LeSean McCoy when they end the season against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Despite being limited in practice with an ankle injury, the Eagles’ running back will play on Sunday, according to Tim McManus of Philly Sports Daily.

One of the motivations for McCoy is winning the rushing title, something even the Eagles’ coaching staff acknowledges.

The Eagles are gunning to get LeSean McCoy the rushing title.

Marty Mornhinweg acknowledged on Thursday that the team has discussed taking a run at it so long as it’s “within the structure” of the offense.

McCoy will enter the game 128 yards behind Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew, albeit with far fewer attempts. He’ll need to have a huge day to have a chance to win the crown.

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.

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