The Philadelphia Eagles faced the possible end of their season before the halfway point if they lost October 30 to the Dallas Cowboys. Michael Vick(notes) and the Eagles lived up to their preseason expectations as they destroyed the Cowboys defense and confounded their defensive coach Rob Ryan.

Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo has to shed his reputation for choking in big games and this game against the Jacksonville Jaguars should gt the Dallas Cowboys and Romo on track October 31st, Halloween.
photo by: MC2 Elisia V. Gonzales, USN

Vick and his coaches did not pull punches when they took the field against their NFC rivals, the Cowboys. Andy Reid is 13-0 coming off a bye week and the team responded to Rob Ryan’s comments made back on the first day of training camp.

Ryan told NFL.com, “I don’t know if we win the all-hype team, I think that might have gone to somebody else, but we’re going to beat their (expletive) when we play them.”

Vick countered the Cowboys many blitz packages and he also did a great job recognizing outside pressure for the Cowboys defensive line and linebackers. Despite Vick’s mediocre offensive numbers, it was one of his best performances as a Philadelphia Eagle.

Vick used the old school motto, “Take what they give you.” The best plays from scrimmage were short passes that resulted as dump off plays to LeSean McCoy(notes) and DeSean Jackson(notes) when the Cowboys defense blitzed.

McCoy was unstoppable and opened up lanes for Vick later in the game. McCoy carried the ball 30 times and rushed for 185 yards compared to Vick’s 279 yards through the air. McCoy is the key to the Eagles making a run in the second half. If he remains healthy, the Eagles have opportunities to win the NFC East and possibly catch a bye week.

Offense was huge in this game but do not discredit the defense. Take away one mistake in the second half and the Eagles defense played a near perfect game. The defensive line provided pressure. The linebackers kept the middle of the field off limits and the corners shut down the Cowboys receivers.

Andy Reid is now 13-0 after a bye week, which flies in the face of many bye week teams losing this season. Reid and the Eagles will now face the Chicago Bears at home during a three-game stretch at home. The Bears game will serve notice if the Eagles run defense improved when they see Matt Forte(notes).

The Eagles are 3-4 and they looked like they are hitting on all cylinders heading into the second half of the season. Is the “Dream Team” finally out of their funk? A bye week cures many problems and momentum is huge this time of year. Look for the Eagles to rattle off a 5-0 record before they face the Patriots.

*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:

Statistics-NFL.com Philadelphia Eagles Stats and Schedules.

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The Vince Young(notes) signing has looked like a disaster so far for the Philadelphia Eagles. First, Young brought unwanted attention by dubbing them a dream team even though he was merely a backup quarterback. Then, Young got injured and wasn’t able to play until the sixth game of the season. In just his second snap of the season, he threw an interception. Now Young is getting in more trouble. The quarterback is being sued by the owner of a strip club. As an Eagles fan, I can’t wait until Young is out of town.

Young’s strip club incident occurred in 2010, well before the Eagles ever signed him. Still, the fact that the news is coming out now is only fitting for a guy that few in Philadelphia wanted in the first place. I remember Young’s amazing performance in the Rose Bowl win against USC. However, his NFL career has been nothing to smile about. He was twice benched with the Tennessee Titans and was much more famous for off the field issues than anything he did on it. When the Eagles brought him in, the only hope was that a change of scenery would help. It obviously hasn’t. The good news is that the team can get rid of him after this year.

Young’s strip club incident is pretty dumb on his part. I can’t understand how athletes haven’t learned their lessons about strip clubs. Anytime they go to one, they wind up in a lot of trouble. The best thing that can happen is for the commissioner to slap Young with a nice suspension. At least that will get him out of the hair of Eagles fans. Right now, Young looks like a guy that clearly doesn’t get it. Despite his athletic talent, I have no reason to believe that Young will ever find success in this league again.

I hope the Eagles name Mike Kafka(notes) as the second string quarterback for the rest of the year. He has a better work ethic and won’t call attention to himself. All that you get with Young is a big name. He has hurt the Eagles on the field and off the field in his short time here. Hopefully, we won’t have to hear anything from him again.

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Fantasy football owners are definitely going to pay attention to the Philadelphia Eagles after their bye week. When the Eagles return to the field on October 30 against the Dallas Cowboys, the Eagles will have a lot of momentum going for them. That should mean big numbers for obvious players like Michael Vick(notes), LeSean McCoy(notes), DeSean Jackson(notes), and Jeremy Maclin(notes). But fantasy football owners should look at some of other Eagles players. This team is going to spread the ball around. That means other Eagles players could have a major impact in the final 10 games.

The easiest choice to pick up is Brent Celek(notes). Celek got off to a tough start in 2011 and several fantasy owners might have pulled the plug on him, especially with the emergence of unheralded tight ends like Fred Davis(notes) of the Washington Redskins. But you would be wise to start Celek form here on out if you can. He is coming off a strong performance against the Redskins on October 16 and the Eagles know that the tight end has to be a key part of the offense. I expect Vick to target Celek on several plays every game. He should be able to get four or five catches for a decent amount of yards. He should also be able to thrive in the red zone, which will lead to more touchdowns.

The other guys to keep an eye on are Dion Lewis(notes) and Ronnie Brown(notes). Neither running back has had a major impact yet in 2011, but I expect that to change. Based on how important LeSean McCoy is to the offense, the Eagles know they can’t run him into the ground. I think Brown will find his way back on the field as early as the Dallas game. He is likely going to get enough carries to make him a worthy fantasy pick, especially in short yardage situations. As for Lewis, he might be a better choice. Not only will he see his carries increase but he will also get more chances in the return game. Lewis has the kind of speed that the Eagles won’t be able to ignore for the rest of the year.

There are plenty of other Eagles to keep an eye on in the second half. Celek, Lewis, Brown, and Jason Avant(notes) are all guys that should have huge impacts throughout the rest of the season. Everyone knows who the primary targets are on the offensive side of the ball. But there will be enough touches for these other guys to deliver some good things.

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

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As a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan, I have lived through a lot of embarrassing moments for my team, especially considering that they’ve never won a Super Bowl in my lifetime. The weekly Andy Reid press conference alone (after a loss) is about as embarrassing as anything the Eagles have done on the field in his tenure, as it always starts with Andy giving the injuries and always ends with one of the following quotes, “I have to do a better job”, or “I have to put my guys in a better position to win.” So discounting all of the embarrassing things that have been done off the field (Vince Young’s(notes) Dream Team declaration, booing Donovan McNabb(notes) at the draft and him never getting over it, first round pick Bernard Williams choosing marijuana over a football career after one year, just to name a few), here are the top five most embarrassing moments that have happened on the field.

5) Matt Bryant’s(notes) 62 yard field goal - When you score a game winning touchdown with 33 seconds left on the clock, 99% of the time you assume you’re going to win. However, on Sunday. October 22, 2006, the 1% happened to the Eagles after Tampa Bay kicker Matt Bryant hit the game winning 62 yard field goal with no time left on the clock, and the Bucs beat the Eagles 23-21. It has to rank as one of the worst losses in Eagles history, if for no other reason that Matt Bryant’s next longest career field goal is only 51 yards. I remember watching this game and my jaw literally hitting the floor after he made the field goal, as while it was only a mid-season game, this loss almost cost them a playoff spot.

4) The Ronnie Brown(notes) run/option pass - Before the 2011 season, my guess would be that in the history of the NFL that no individual play has ever saved a player’s life, but I’d like to think that this play might have. I honestly believe that if Ronnie Brown hadn’t made this pass, the Eagles would have never have tried to trade him for Jerome Harrison(notes), consequently saving his life when they discover a brain tumor while giving him his physical. While this was only one of several reasons the Eagles lost on October 3, 2011, to San Francisco 24-23, it was certainly one of the worst plays I can remember. I think my favorite thing about this god awful play was after the game, several Eagles stated on the record this was something they had been working on in practice for several weeks, as my best theory is they were talking about trying it on Madden NFL 12.

3) The McNabb Super Bowl vomit - While there was no actual play that was involved here, and denials from several of the players involved in the huddle, the legend of this alone makes it crack the top 5 of most embarrassing Eagles moments of all time when the Eagles lost Super Bowl XXXIX 24-21 to the New England Patriots on Sunday, February 6, 2005. I have always been a fan of Donovan McNabb, as statistically he is by far the best Eagles quarterback of all-time, but it’s still kind of hard to forgive him for this one. Since no actual video exists of this incident I suppose there could be some doubt to it, but if we put this incident on trial I’m pretty sure we’d end up with a guilty verdict.

2) Ronde Barber’s(notes) 92 yard interception return - While a case could be made that earlier in the NFC Championship game against Tampa Bay when Joe Jurevicius(notes) went 71 yards on a crossing pattern, the icing on the cake of the loss was when Ronde Barber picked off Donovan McNabb and could have run all the way back to Tampa Bay. Any chance the Eagles had of coming back on January 19, 2003, was completely put to rest when McNabb threw this pick six, and the Eagles ended up losing 27-10, another in a long line of embarrassing losses in Eagles history.

1) The Tommy Hutton muffed snap - The single worst defeat in the history of the Eagles franchise happened back on Monday, September 15, 1997, when the Eagles lost to the hated Dallas Cowboys 21-20, on the single most embarrassing play in Eagles history. I can remember it like it was yesterday, as the Eagles played tough all game, and looked like a team who could have done something that season, but whenthe snap went through holder Tommy Hutton’s hands, never have I been so embarrassed to call myself an Eagles fan. It’s one thing when a routine field goal is blocked and you can chalk it up to poor line blocking, but when the game is on the line and you don’t even get to attempt the 22 yard field goal (slightly more than an extra point), there really is nothing more embarrassing than that in all of football.

Resources:

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

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After squandering fourth-quarter leads in each of their past three games, the Eagles were in position to rally from a 21-point deficit against the upstart Bills. But Michael Vick’s fourth interception of the game late in the fourth quarter gave the Bills the ball, and Juqua Parker jumped offsides with 1:23 left on a fourth-and-inches play on Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick’s hard-count to allow the Bills to run out the clock and secure a win over the free-falling Eagles.

Philadelphia’s 1-4 record was expected to be reversed at this point. Instead, they’re a team that commits too many turnovers and penalties, and isn’t opportunistic enough on offense when they get deep into the opposition’s territory.

“I’ve never been a part of anything where you feel like things are snowballing on you,” Eagles tight end Brent Celek said. “You feel like when you’re in the game, things just continually feel like they’re not falling your way. But that’s up to us, we can turn it around.”

Vick went 26 of 40 for 315 yards passing and two touchdowns, but was undone by his career-worst four interception day. He added 90 yards rushing give him 4,948 for his career, passing Randall Cunningham for most yards by an NFL quarterback.

Philadelphia has lost four in a row — its longest skid since 2005 — and is off to its worst start since 1999, coach Andy Reid’s first season.

“We’ve just got to put it all together for four quarters,” Vick said. “At this point, it’s out of the coach’s hands. I think it’s the players, because we’re the ones out there.”

Buffalo running back Fred Jackson finished with a combined 196 yards from scrimmage and scored on a 5-yard run, and linebacker Nick Barnett had two of Buffalo’s four interceptions.

After scoring on a 31-yard interception return in the second quarter, Barnett sealed the victory by grabbing Vick’s tipped pass intended for Jason Avant with 1:49 remaining at the Bills 26.

The Bills took over and never gave the ball back. The game was decided on — what else? — another Eagles miscue.

Parker’s gaffe gave the Bills a new set of downs and a chance to run out the clock after Philadelphia had used up its timeouts.

The Bills (4-1) bounced back from blowing a 14-point lead in a 23-20 loss at Cincinnati last weekend. Buffalo has matched its best start since 2008.

“We’re putting ourselves in a tremendous opportunity,” Jackson said. “We still have a lot of work to do, but we’re happy where we are right now.”

The Bills rolled to a 28-7 lead early in the third quarter on Brad Smith’s 6-yard scamper.

The Eagles rallied back by scoring 17 points on three of their next four drives before their sloppiness resurfaced on their final possession.

The Bills defense made up for allowing 489 yards offense by forcing five takeaways, including a fumble recovery. Buffalo now has 12 interceptions — one more than it had all last year. And the defense has scored touchdowns on interception returns in three straight games, matching Buffalo’s best stretch since its inaugural season in 1960.

“Guys are doing a great job making plays on the ball,” Barnett said.

Safety George Wilson led the defense with 11 tackles, an interception and broke up three passes.

Vick had three of his first four possessions end with interceptions.

After his third interception to Barnett, Vick walked off the field with his head down before being consoled on the sideline by several teammates and Reid, who put his arm on the quarterback’s shoulder. As Vick returned to the field, guard Danny Watkins patted Vick on the helmet.

LeSean McCoy scored on a 10-yard run, while Vick hit DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin for touchdown passes.

The Eagles’ offense didn’t get much help from its high-priced defense, which had difficulty tackling in allowing Buffalo 331 yards offense and 21 first downs.

Receiver Donald Jones set up Jackson’s game-opening touchdown with an 18-yard catch-and-run, in which he broke three tackles before being brought down at the Eagles 6.

And they were totally caught off guard on a screen pass to Jackson, who ran free for 49 yards to set up the Bills’ second score, David Nelson’s 6-yard catch.

Fitzpatrick went 21 of 27 for 193 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

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

PHILADELPHIA – It’s no secret DeSean Jackson makes the Eagles go. And lately, he hasn’t been going very far.

Neither have they.

Jackson, among the game’s most explosive wide receivers, has just four catches for 51 yards in the Eagles’ last two games and doesn’t have a reception longer than 17 yards since opening day.

As such, the new-look Eagles (1-2) have lost their last two games and head into Sunday’s date with the San Francisco 49ers (2-1) in last place in the NFC East.

For somebody who has 19 touchdowns of 30 yards or more since Opening Day of 2008, this has been an uncharacteristically quiet opening stretch for Jackson. Although he did have six catches for 102 yards against the Rams in Week 1, overall, Jackson ranks 62nd in the NFL with 10 catches this year, 57th with 153 yards and tied for 26th with just one touchdown.

Not what you’d expect from a two-time Pro Bowl pick and two-time 1,000-yard receiver.

“It’s football,” Jackson said. “I’m one of 11 players. They’re not always going to be calling my number, and I’ve just got to help out and do whatever I can to help my team win. You’ve just got to keep working hard, and hopefully it will get better.”

Michael Vick, who threw touchdown passes of 45, 61, 88 and 91 yards to Jackson last year, said teams are defending the Eagles differently than in the past. Opposing defences are dropping a safety back so deep that it’s almost impossible to hit deep strikes to Jackson.

“Teams are playing so far down the field,” Vick said, “you can’t even see the free safety any more.”

And they’re doing this only against Jackson and the Eagles.

“During the week, when we watch film of these teams playing other teams, we don’t see them playing like this,” Jackson said. “It’s respect. I think a lot of defences are not going to let us just run past them and do the things we’re great at doing.

“We’ve just got to find a way to make plays somehow, some way underneath, and if every team is going to be 35 yards back deep, we just have to throw underneath and do other things.”

That opens up the field for other players to catch the football on shorter routes, but that’s exactly what defences want. The ball in somebody else’s hands.

“When a team does that to you, you have to be like a surgeon,” offensive co-ordinator Marty Mornhinweg said. “You have to play at a high level consistently, and then big plays will come naturally. You’ve got to surgically dissect them, especially when they’re playing you like that.”

Jackson was open on one deep route this year, but dropped what would have been an 84-yard score against the Rams.

He said if teams are covering the deep ball, he has to get the football and make plays in other ways.

“Over the past three years, if you watch film, there are other plays I’ve done other than just running deep,” he said. “I caught balls underneath and took them the distance, as well. It really doesn’t matter if it’s deep or short or whatever it is, I’m capable of doing it all.”

Jackson is unsigned beyond this year and protested his minimum-wage salary by holding out of the first 10 days of training camp. He said once he’s on the field, the contract situation is out of his mind.

“I’ve got to go out there and still make plays and be the receiver I’m capable of being,” he said. “Whether or not I have the ball in my hands or not, I feel like I already established myself in this league as one of the great receivers. I just have to go out there and just keep doing what I can do. Staying healthy is the biggest thing. As long as I can stay healthy — regardless of where I’m playing — I think I’ll be all right.

“As long as I’m healthy and we’re winning, regardless of my numbers, I think I’ll be very happy.”

Michael Vick wants more protection.
And not from his offensive line, either.
Vick, who left Sunday’s 29-16 Philadelphia Eagles loss to the New York Giants in the fourth quarter with a broken hand, said that he “absolutely” is not getting the calls other quarterbacks get when it comes to getting hit.

“Still didn’t get a flag (on the hit by New York’s Chris Canty following a 24-yard completion to Jeremy Maclin) and that’s pretty much been the story for the last three weeks,” Vick said. “I mean obviously at some point something catastrophic is going to happen and I broke my hand. Not to blame the refs or say that it was their fault. It’s just one of those unfortunate situations and I just think more precautions should be taken when I’m inside the pocket. I mean if you look at all the replays, I’m on the ground every time and it’s unfortunate for myself and it’s unfortunate for my team and I’ll be lying if I said I wasn’t, if I were to sit here and say I wasn’t frustrated right now because of that.”

Vick may have said he wasn’t blaming the game officials — the Giants were not called for a late hit on him — but then seemed to.

“I didn’t say anything to the referees,” Vick said. “The refs have to do their job and I’m not blaming the referees by any stretch so let’s not get it twisted here. I’m just saying I think everybody on the field should do their job.”

“Doing their job” would, to Vick, produce more penalties on defenders hitting him. He said he doesn’t know why he’s not getting such calls.

“Why? I mean, you all see it. There’s no reason for me to go into a big dissertation about why I’m not getting the calls,” Vick said. “The refs, they have to do their job as well. I even mentioned it in training camp to the refs when we had our little meeting, so just for precaution. But hey, I don’t know.”

Vick is clearly getting frustrated with what he sees as a lack of protection.

“Everybody saw the game. I was on the ground constantly. All of the time,” Vick said. “Every time I throw the ball in all my highlights and just watching film in general, every time I throw the ball I’m on the ground, getting hit in the head and I don’t know why. I don’t get the 15-yard flags like everybody else does but, hey, I’m not going to complain about it. I’m just making everybody aware and hopefully somebody will take notice.”

Vick stopped short of accusing the Giants of intentionally trying to hurt him.

“I don’t think teams play this game to try to hurt other guys. I just don’t think that’s the story,” he said. “I think it’s all about stopping your opposition, not to hurt them. We don’t play this game to hurt one another. We play this game to have fun and to win.”

Vick’s latest injury 

Almost lost in Vick’s comments on the officiating was his broken right hand — not his throwing hand — that he tried to play with in the fourth quarter but had to give up on.

“I was trying, but the next series was a long series and it was starting to swell up more and more and I couldn’t bend my hand,” Vick said. “I had no range of motion so it just got worse. I think while the adrenaline was flowing, I was able to keep it going but it’s tough when you’ve got to take the snap from the center.”

“We thought he could continue to play,” coach Andy Reid said.

Vick said he didn’t know whether he could play against San Francisco
next week.

“I think you’ll have to ask the doctor that question,” Vick said.

The broken hand comes on the heels of Vick suffering a concussion last week in Atlanta.

“It’s a rough game,” Vick said. “Last week was just a situation where I just got ran into my own teammate. This week it’s a situation where I take a hit late and break my hand. It’s unfortunate. You can’t predict what’s going to go on. You don’t know. Things happen and you just have to deal with them and that’s life.”      

Defensive woes

The Eagles’ pass defense struggled badly despite the shakeup at linebacker this week.

Rookie Casey Matthews, who moved to weakside linebacker from the middle, was badly beaten on the Giants’ first touchdown, a 40-yard Eli Manning pass to Brandon Jacobs, his first of four touchdown passes on the day.

“Yeah, we thought we were going to be able to get that play in, just the way they play that formation,” Manning said. “It’s actually a play I think we ran on them last year or two years ago. It’s play-action, their linebackers I think are taught to turn their heads and go look over the middle for anything crossing and Brandon, out of the backfield, runs a wheel route, the receivers just cross the field, bring their guys with them.”

Matthews didn’t flinch when asked about the play.

“Yeah, that was my guy,” he said. “I just lost him really. Obviously, they faked the run, sucked us up in the gap, and then on the boot the linebacker to that side just needs to take them when they leak out, and I saw him, it was just a little too late.”

Safety Jarrad Page said the Eagles’ defense should be better.

“Yeah, I feel we’re definitely better than this,” he said. “My whole thing is we just have to work harder. I mean, we’ve been working hard, already, but we just have to work harder and make sure that we have everything down, you can’t miss anything.”

Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha pointed to poor tackling as an issue.

“It was frustrating, it was frustrating,” he said. “We have to be better tacklers, obviously, as a defense, but we work on it all the time. I mean, tackling is just a want-to and how aggressive you want to be at it. So it’s frustrating for us to not make the tackles that we should.”

On the brighter side, defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins continues to deliver a power pass rush from his inside position. His sack of Manning made him the first Eagle defensive tackle to have a sack in three straight games since Darwin Walker in 2002.

The real McCoy

Eagles’ running back LeSean McCoy continues rewriting his personal record book — but he could have done a lot more.

McCoy rushed a career-high 24 times for 128 yards and a touchdown, marking his fifth-career 100-yard game and his second in 2011.

With five touchdowns, he is more than halfway to his 2010 total of nine.

McCoy left Giants’ tacklers grasping at air on several carries, making it perhaps surprising — even to himself — that he didn’t get the ball when the Eagles had four cracks from the Giants 1- and 2-yard lines late in the third quarter before settling for a field goal.

“I wouldn’t say surprised. I kind of thought I would get it because I was getting hot in the last three games,” McCoy said. “But, I am confident in the call. If it would have worked out, the outcome might have been different …  I was feeling OK. I am not a selfish player. I thought we would get it in there with the sneak and the fullback dive.”

Fullback Owen Schmitt, who had not carried the ball in an NFL game since November 9, 2008 with Seattle, got the ball twice in the stretch for zero yards.

BIRD BITS: Injuries in addition to Vick were wide receivers Riley Cooper (concussion, his second in two seasons) Jeremy Maclin (hamstring) and cornerback Brandon Hughes (hamstring) … Asomugha on Reid’s demeanor postgame: “He was pretty hard. He was upset because like I said it was a divisional opponent … you want to get out on your best foot against the division, and especially the Giants.” … The Eagles had 25 first downs to New York’s 14 and had the ball for 36 minutes, 51
seconds to 23:09 for the Giants … Philadelphia went 1-for-5 in the red zone. “We have to score,” Schmitt said. “It’s plain and simple. It’s not even a question… Three points are always nice, but it’s not like seven.” …Vick fumbled three times but lost none of them.

Eli Manning delivered the knockout blow after Michael Vick got
knocked out of another game.

Manning threw four touchdown passes, including two to Victor
Cruz, and the New York Giants beat the Philadelphia Eagles 29-16
Sunday.

Vick started despite suffering a concussion in last week’s 35-31
loss at Atlanta. He left with a broken right hand in the fourth
quarter after helping the Eagles overcome a 14-0 first-quarter
deficit to take a 16-14 lead.

It’s uncertain how long Vick will be out. He’ll have a CT scan
Monday.

“I don’t know anything right now except my hand is broken,” Vick
said.

Vick wasn’t happy with the hit, either. He completed a 23-yard
pass to Jeremy Maclin before taking a hard shot from Chris
Canty.

“I felt I got hit late. No flag,” Vick said. “At some point
something catastrophic is gonna happen. Not to blame the refs, but
more precautions should be taken. I’m on the ground all the time in
the pocket.”

Without their Pro Bowl quarterback, the Eagles (1-2) hardly look
like the “Dream Team” that entered the season with Super Bowl or
bust expectations.

Manning threw a pair of TD passes in the fourth quarter to rally
New York. The Giants (2-1) have won two in a row and snapped a
six-game losing streak against their division rivals.

“It’s always good to beat those guys, especially here,” Manning
said. “They have good players and we new we had to come in with the
same game plan as last year and just finish it this time.”

In their previous meeting at the Meadowlands last December, the
Eagles rallied from a 21-point deficit with 8:17 left, and won
38-31 on DeSean Jackson’s 65-yard punt return for a touchdown on
the last play.

The teams traded a lot of trash talk in the offseason and during
the week. The Giants backed it up.

“I think I responded today,” Giants safety Antrel Rolle said.
“I’m not scared of anyone on the field. I thing it’s more mental
than physical. They tried to get in my head sticking their hands in
my face, blocking me after the play, but if they want to fight,
I’ll fight anyone, but in between the lines, I’m too smart to get
thrown out of the game.”

Manning threw for 254 yards, and Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 86 and
had 53 more receiving, including a TD. Filling in because Mario
Manningham and Domenik Hixon are out, Cruz had three catches for
110 yards and his first two career scores.

Aaron Ross, who was benched in the second half of New York’s win
over St. Louis last Monday, had two interceptions that led to 14
points.

LeSean McCoy had 128 yards rushing and one TD for Philadelphia,
which has blown two fourth-quarter leads in consecutive games.

After McCoy was stopped for a 3-yard loss by Michael Boley on
fourth-and-1 from the Giants 43, Manning drove New York in for the
go-ahead score. He tossed a 28-yard TD pass to a well-covered Cruz
to put the Giants up 20-16. Jacobs ran in for the 2-point
conversion to make it 22-16.

Cruz outfought Nnamdi Asomugha and Jarrad Page to make the catch
near the goal line and fell into the end zone, losing the ball
after he crossed.

“It means the world to me because a lot of people were saying
our receivers were down and who would step up and I was happy to be
that guy that stepped up to help my team,” Cruz said.

Mike Kafka replaced Vick on the ensuing possession and Ross
intercepted his first pass. Manning connected with Bradshaw for an
18-yard TD pass to put the game away.

Vick finished 16 of 23 for 176 yards and one interception. He
ran for 31 yards. Vick looked shaky early, but made a few nice
throws before leaving.

He didn’t seem all that happy after the Eagles kicked a field
goal to pull within 14-13 at halftime. Vick looked angry as he
walked off the field, waving his arms and pointing. Jackson tried
to calm him down, but Vick didn’t seem interested in listening.

“He was just frustrated with the offensive line,” Jackson
said.

The Eagles dominated time of possession by a nearly 3-1 margin
throughout the first three quarters, but didn’t take the lead until
the final minute of the third when Alex Henery kicked a 21-yard
field goal.

It was a disappointing end to a drive that began at the 10 and
stalled at the Giants 1. The Eagles had a first down at the 2 and
failed on four runs to get it in. McCoy didn’t get one of the
handoffs.

Philadelphia got a lucky bounce on that drive. Vick ran 8 yards
for a first down on third-and-6 from the 14. Vick fumbled at the
end of the run, but the ball bounced forward and left tackle Jason
Peters caught it in the air. Peters rumbled for 5 more yards.

Vick left the game for X-rays on his right hand after that drive
and was temporarily replaced by Kafka. But he returned during a
time out while Kafka was in the huddle and played one more drive
before going to the bench.

Steve Smith made a crucial mistake on the first ball that came
his away against his former team. Smith left the Giants for
Philadelphia and returned ahead of schedule from knee surgery to be
ready for Week 1. Vick’s third-down pass on Philadelphia’s first
drive hit Smith in the hands and bounced in the air to Ross, who
caught it at the Giants 8. Ross returned the interception 19 yards,
and Manning needed six plays to lead New York into the end
zone.

Rookie linebacker Casey Matthews, who was moved from the middle
to the weakside spot earlier in the week, bit badly on a play-fake
that allowed Jacobs to get wide open. Manning’s perfect throw hit
him in stride and the Giants went up 7-0.

Manning connected with Cruz late in the first to give New York a
14-0 lead. Cruz caught a short pass at the Giants 34, but broke
Kurt Coleman’s tackle and sprinted down the sideline. Cruz again
got away from Coleman, when he collided with Asomugha at the Eagles
46, and the second-year pro cruised into the end zone for his first
career score.

After the Giants turned it over on downs at the Eagles 29, Vick
got going. He had completions of 13 and 17 yards on a drive that
was finished off by McCoy’s nifty 11-yard TD run. McCoy broke a
tackle, cut outside and ran into the end zone to get the Eagles
within 14-10.

Notes: Miami Heat star LeBron James was on the field before the
game. He was in town to play in an exhibition basketball game with
other NBA All-Stars at The Palestra. … The Giants were again
without Pro Bowl DE Osi Umenyiora and first-round draft pick Prince
Amukamara. WRs Mario Manningham and Domenik Hixon also were
sidelined. Hixon is out for the season. … The Eagles didn’t have
defensive ends Darryl Tapp and Juqua Parker. … The Eagles
reshuffled all three of their starting linebackers this week,
moving each one into a new spot. … Vick lined up at receiver for
one play with Ronnie Brown in the shotgun formation behind center.
McCoy took the direct snap and ran 3 yards.

Manning threw four touchdown passes, including two to Victor Cruz, and the New York Giants beat the Philadelphia Eagles 29-16 Sunday.

Vick started despite suffering a concussion in last week’s 35-31 loss at Atlanta. He left with a broken right hand in the fourth quarter after helping the Eagles overcome a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to take a 16-14 lead.

It’s uncertain how long Vick will be out. He’ll have a CT scan Monday.

“I don’t know anything right now except my hand is broken,” Vick said.

Vick wasn’t happy with the hit, either. He completed a 23-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin before taking a hard shot from Chris Canty.

“I felt I got hit late. No flag,” Vick said. “At some point something catastrophic is gonna happen. Not to blame the refs, but more precautions should be taken. I’m on the ground all the time in the pocket.”

Without their Pro Bowl quarterback, the Eagles (1-2) hardly look like the “Dream Team” that entered the season with Super Bowl or bust expectations.

Manning threw a pair of TD passes in the fourth quarter to rally New York. The Giants (2-1) have won two in a row and snapped a six-game losing streak against their division rivals.

“It’s always good to beat those guys, especially here,” Manning said. “They have good players and we new we had to come in with the same game plan as last year and just finish it this time.”

In their previous meeting at the Meadowlands last December, the Eagles rallied from a 21-point deficit with 8:17 left, and won 38-31 on DeSean Jackson’s 65-yard punt return for a touchdown on the last play.

The teams traded a lot of trash talk in the offseason and during the week. The Giants backed it up.

“I think I responded today,” Giants safety Antrel Rolle said. “I’m not scared of anyone on the field. I thing it’s more mental than physical. They tried to get in my head sticking their hands in my face, blocking me after the play, but if they want to fight, I’ll fight anyone, but in between the lines, I’m too smart to get thrown out of the game.”

Manning threw for 254 yards, and Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 86 and had 53 more receiving, including a TD. Filling in because Mario Manningham and Domenik Hixon are out, Cruz had three catches for 110 yards and his first two career scores.

Aaron Ross, who was benched in the second half of New York’s win over St. Louis last Monday, had two interceptions that led to 14 points.

LeSean McCoy had 128 yards rushing and one TD for Philadelphia, which has blown two fourth-quarter leads in consecutive games.

After McCoy was stopped for a 3-yard loss by Michael Boley on fourth-and-1 from the Giants 43, Manning drove New York in for the go-ahead score. He tossed a 28-yard TD pass to a well-covered Cruz to put the Giants up 20-16. Jacobs ran in for the 2-point conversion to make it 22-16.

Cruz outfought Nnamdi Asomugha and Jarrad Page to make the catch near the goal line and fell into the end zone, losing the ball after he crossed.

“It means the world to me because a lot of people were saying our receivers were down and who would step up and I was happy to be that guy that stepped up to help my team,” Cruz said.

Mike Kafka replaced Vick on the ensuing possession and Ross intercepted his first pass. Manning connected with Bradshaw for an 18-yard TD pass to put the game away.

Vick finished 16 of 23 for 176 yards and one interception. He ran for 31 yards. Vick looked shaky early, but made a few nice throws before leaving.

He didn’t seem all that happy after the Eagles kicked a field goal to pull within 14-13 at halftime. Vick looked angry as he walked off the field, waving his arms and pointing. Jackson tried to calm him down, but Vick didn’t seem interested in listening.

“He was just frustrated with the offensive line,” Jackson said.

The Eagles dominated time of possession by a nearly 3-1 margin throughout the first three quarters, but didn’t take the lead until the final minute of the third when Alex Henery kicked a 21-yard field goal.

It was a disappointing end to a drive that began at the 10 and stalled at the Giants 1. The Eagles had a first down at the 2 and failed on four runs to get it in. McCoy didn’t get one of the handoffs.

Philadelphia got a lucky bounce on that drive. Vick ran 8 yards for a first down on third-and-6 from the 14. Vick fumbled at the end of the run, but the ball bounced forward and left tackle Jason Peters caught it in the air. Peters rumbled for 5 more yards.

Vick left the game for X-rays on his right hand after that drive and was temporarily replaced by Kafka. But he returned during a time out while Kafka was in the huddle and played one more drive before going to the bench.

Steve Smith made a crucial mistake on the first ball that came his away against his former team. Smith left the Giants for Philadelphia and returned ahead of schedule from knee surgery to be ready for Week 1. Vick’s third-down pass on Philadelphia’s first drive hit Smith in the hands and bounced in the air to Ross, who caught it at the Giants 8. Ross returned the interception 19 yards, and Manning needed six plays to lead New York into the end zone.

Rookie linebacker Casey Matthews, who was moved from the middle to the weakside spot earlier in the week, bit badly on a play-fake that allowed Jacobs to get wide open. Manning’s perfect throw hit him in stride and the Giants went up 7-0.

Manning connected with Cruz late in the first to give New York a 14-0 lead. Cruz caught a short pass at the Giants 34, but broke Kurt Coleman’s tackle and sprinted down the sideline. Cruz again got away from Coleman, when he collided with Asomugha at the Eagles 46, and the second-year pro cruised into the end zone for his first career score.

After the Giants turned it over on downs at the Eagles 29, Vick got going. He had completions of 13 and 17 yards on a drive that was finished off by McCoy’s nifty 11-yard TD run. McCoy broke a tackle, cut outside and ran into the end zone to get the Eagles within 14-10.

Notes: Miami Heat star LeBron James was on the field before the game. He was in town to play in an exhibition basketball game with other NBA All-Stars at The Palestra. … The Giants were again without Pro Bowl DE Osi Umenyiora and first-round draft pick Prince Amukamara. WRs Mario Manningham and Domenik Hixon also were sidelined. Hixon is out for the season. … The Eagles didn’t have defensive ends Darryl Tapp and Juqua Parker. … The Eagles reshuffled all three of their starting linebackers this week, moving each one into a new spot. … Vick lined up at receiver for one play with Ronnie Brown in the shotgun formation behind center. McCoy took the direct snap and ran 3 yards.

PHILADELPHIA – DeSean Jackon’s heartbreaking punt return is the image that will live in infamy from last year’s collapse by the Giants against the Philadelphia Eagles, but that’s not what Perry Fewell sees when he looks at the film.

He sees his defense in the midst of smothering Michael Vick and the Eagles’ high-powered offense. Then he sees them suddenly, inexplicably forgetting how to tackle, cover, and even pressure the quarterback.

He sees Vick and his dangerous array of weapons running open and untouched all over the field.

“There were a number of opportunities,” Fewell recalls. “We had a chance to tackle Vick or tackle (running back LeSean) McCoy or tackle (receiver DeSean) Jackson or whomever and get off the field. The memories are so vivid that I don’t want to recall them because I’m looking forward to this next opportunity. But just our ability to tackle and finish what we started.”

Sunday, nine months after they threw away a 21-point lead, the NFC East and their playoff hopes in perhaps the most devastating eight minutes and 17 seconds in franchise history, Fewell and the Giants’ defense get a second chance.

In easily the most anticipated game on the Giants’ schedule, they’ll face the “Dream Team” Eagles Sunday afternoon with revenge on their minds. They tried all week to downplay what happened last Dec. 19, when they blew a 31-10 lead at the Meadowlands and lost 38-31 on Jackson’s game-ending punt return for a touchdown, but that collapse has loomed over everything the Giants (1-1) and Eagles (1-1) have done since.

Their ability for revenge and chance to snap the Eagles’ six-game winning streak in this series, have been hampered by injuries to a defense that will be without three starters – cornerback Terrell Thomas (knee), linebacker Jonathan Goff (knee) and defensive end Osi Umenyiora (knee). The Eagles, meanwhile, spent the offseason adding to an all-star roster that already included Vick (who should play despite the concussion he suffered last week), Jackson, McCoy, tight end Brent Celek and receiver Jeremy Maclin.

They have the perfect offense to stretch an already thin defense, and exploit a struggling secondary – a secondary that in the four games since that Eagles disaster has allowed every quarterback they’ve faced to throw for more than 300 yards.

“We’ve had some problems,” Fewell says. “Some of the issues (last week) were the same in Week 1. Some were different. I felt like we got better last week. I saw some improvement in our secondary play. But then I saw some lapses in our secondary play. We’re a work in progress.”

By ROB MAADDI
PHILADELPHIA — Maybe the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants should settle their differences in a steel cage.

The two NFC East rivals simply don’t like each other, and they’ve been going at it verbally like WWE stars. Because battle royals aren’t allowed in the NFL, the teams will have to fight it out on the field Sunday in Philadelphia’s home opener.

“It’s a lot of intensity, a lot of trash-talking and a lot of guys on the field that just hate each other,” Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel said. “They just want to beat each other’s head in. It’s very competitive and has a long line of history behind it. It’s an ongoing rivalry that has a lot to it.”

While the labor lockout kept players off the practice field during the summer, Eagles running back LeSean McCoy and Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora were busy taking shots at each other on Twitter.

McCoy said Umenyiora was “overrated” and “soft” and ranked the two-time Pro Bowl pick as third best on New York’s defensive line. Umenyiora retaliated by calling McCoy a “girl” and referred to him as Lady Gaga.

“I hate him, he hates me, period,” Umenyiora told the Newark Star-Ledger in June. “There’s a real hatred toward Philly and there’s a real hatred for them toward us.”

Umenyiora may not get a chance to tackle McCoy this week because he’s still listed as day to day after having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee early in training camp.

His absence won’t decrease the animosity between the teams. Both clubs enter with a 1-1 record. The Eagles have won the last six meetings, including an incredible 38-31 comeback victory last December at the Meadowlands that helped them secure the NFC East title.

Michael Vick rallied Philadelphia from a 21-point deficit with 8:17 left, and the Eagles won it on DeSean Jackson’s 65-yard punt return for a touchdown on the last play.

“It is what it is,” Giants safety Antrel Rolle said. “It took place last year. It’s not something that we might ever forget, but at the same time, it’s a new year.”

Rolle joined in on the trash-talking earlier in the week when he said in a radio interview he wants to cover Jackson one-on-one because he’s done it before and “could handle it again.”

Jackson had nothing to say about Rolle’s boast, but wide receiver Jeremy Maclin took a jab at him and the rest of the Giants.

“A lot of times when people talk, they’re either insecure or they’re scared, so you guys choose,” Maclin said. “It’s a new year. We understand that we have to go out there and play. On the other hand, they have no business talking because they haven’t done anything in the last six times. That speaks for itself. I don’t know what he’s trying to do, but he’s not going to intimidate, not going to scare nobody in this locker room.”

The Eagles are hoping Vick plays after suffering a concussion in the second half of a 35-31 loss at Atlanta. Vick practiced Thursday, and it appeared he would be ready to go unless he had a setback.

Of course, the Giants said they expect to face Vick instead of backups Mike Kafka and Vince Young. Coach Tom Coughlin said he didn’t even plan to prepare for a different quarterback.

“He’s the best player to give them an opportunity to play their best ball,” Rolle said. “I’m the type of guy, I like going against the best. If I don’t go against the best, a win’s a win, we’ll always take a win, but it’s always better when they have their better guys on the field.”

Other than Vick, the Eagles have been mostly healthy. The Giants, on the other hand, have been hit hard by injuries.

They just lost receiver Domenik Hixon for the rest of the season after he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the 28-16 win over St. Louis. Wideout Mario Manningham sustained a concussion in that game, and his status is uncertain.

New York already lost starting cornerback Terrell Thomas and starting middle linebacker Jonathan Goff for the season with major knee injuries. Rookie defensive tackle Marvin Austin, the team’s second-round draft pick, is also out for the year with a chest muscle problem.

“You keep going,” quarterback Eli Manning said. “You keep preparing. If everything was easy and went perfectly, it kind of takes some of the fun out of it. It always makes it a great opportunity for some guys to step up and show what they’re made of and how they can go out there and make plays.”

Leading up to Sunday, I will go position-by-position and player-by-player to preview what could be in store for all 53 members of the current Philadelphia Eagles. Click here for the breakdown of the running backs, here for the linebackers  here for the wide receivers here for the defensive line and here for the defensive backs. Moving on to the offensive line and tight ends…

Jason Peters – It seems that many can’t get past the penalties with Peters, so let’s start there. He had seven penalties for 50 yards last year, according to Football Outsiders. Not really a bad number. Thirty offensive tackles had more penalties than Peters in 2010, per Pro Football Focus. The truth is Peters played like a legitimate Pro Bowler last year and is clearly the Eagles’ best offensive lineman.

He’s excellent in pass protection, and Peters and Todd Herremans cleared the way for LeSean McCoy on several occasions last year, as the Eagles’ running back averaged 5.8 yards per carry to the left side.

Look for another solid year out of Peters in 2011.

Evan Mathis – He’s one of the more intriguing players to watch on this Eagles team. No, really. I know left guard isn’t exactly the most exciting position, but Mathis has been waiting for this opportunity. He’s bounced around to four teams (Carolina, Miami, Cincinnati, Philadelphia) since the Panthers took him in the third round of the 2005 draft.

Mathis has started 22 career games, but it seems clear he feels he should have started many more. And that’s precisely why he chose to come to Philadelphia. To play for Howard Mudd and to have a shot at a starting spot. Remember, Mathis signed a one-year deal and turns 30 in November. In other words, he has a lot riding on this opportunity.

Jason Kelce – I remember first noticing Kelce running with the starters at Lehigh. I didn’t make much of it. After all, Mudd was shuffling different offensive linemen in and out on a daily basis. Want proof? Look no further than when Fenuki Tupou was running at right tackle with the ones.

But Kelce stuck. Looking back, it’s clear he’s the guy Mudd wanted all along. Jackson played well and stayed healthy – both at camp and in the preseason, but it really didn’t matter. Unless Kelce was a disaster, he was going to be the starting center.

And while he struggled against Pittsburgh, Kelce did enough to impress the coaching staff. My guess is he’d have to play very poorly over the course of a couple games to get benched. But we just have to wait and see what happens Sunday.

Kyle DeVan – By all accounts, the new starting right guard seems confident that he’ll be fine on Sunday. But consider me skeptical. As I mentioned earlier this week, blocking for Peyton Manning is just not the same as blocking for Michael Vick, and there should be concern that DeVan was unemployed at this time last week. Of course, if he plays well, he’ll keep the job. But I’m not ready to predict that’s going to be the case just yet.

Todd Herremans – He played well last year at left guard – not quite at a Pro Bowl level, but Herremans was the Eagles’ second-best lineman in 2010, behind Peters. He’ll now line up at right tackle for the first time Sunday, in charge of protecting Vick’s blind side. I know I keep saying this, but all we can do is wait and see how he does.

Jamaal Jackson – I’m not quite sure how Jackson fits in. Last year, it was common for the Eagles to go with two reserve linemen – one tackle and one on the interior. But I’m guessing they’ll probably go with three on Sunday. What we don’t know is how confident the Eagles would be playing Jackson at guard. Obviously he’ll back up Kelce at center.

Jackson has to be frustrated. The previous two seasons ended with injuries, and now he’s 31. I can’t imagine there are 32 centers better than Jackson around the NFL. But he’s signed through 2013 and will likely have to wait until next season, at least, to consistently get on the field (unless the Birds shake things up once again, which is always a possibility).

Danny Watkins – The first-round pick has had a rough go, but my guess is it’ll click at some point, and he’ll regain the starting job from DeVan. Will Watkins dress in Week 1? It’s not a sure bet. If the Eagles stick with two linemen and are confident Jackson can play guard, Watkins could be inactive. But if he is one of the reserves, Watkins will continue the learning process from the sidelines.

King Dunlap – He couldn’t hold on to the starting job, but give Dunlap credit for hanging on as a backup. Only the Eagles know how healthy Winston Justice is, but my guess is Dunlap would be the replacement if Peters or Herremans were to go down Sunday.

Winston Justice – He surprised some by making the 53-man roster and not remaining on the PUP list, but we still don’t know how healthy Justice is. Once he’s ready to get back on the field, Justice will probably overtake Dunlap as the primary backup tackle. Until then, he’ll be inactive.

Julain Vandervelde – He looked pretty good in the preseason, but Vandervelde will almost certainly be a regular inactive. He could battle for a backup or even a starting spot in 2012.

Brent Celek – I took a detailed look at Celek’s 2010 in a post last month. He was used more as a blocker, but even when Celek went out into his pass routes, Vick didn’t throw the ball in his direction as much. Celek’s drops didn’t help either.

Given the uncertainty on the offensive line, Celek will likely stay in to block quite a bit again in 2011, at least in the beginning of the season. The one area where the Eagles could use him is the red zone. Celek had just four catches for 16 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the red zone last season. In 2009, he had 10 catches for 86 yards and six scores inside the opponents’ 20.

Clay Harbor – By the middle of last season, Harbor had shown the coaches enough to warrant making him the second tight end. He looked like he’s improved as a blocker in the preseason, but I’m not sure how much Harbor will get on the field in 2011.

According to Football Outsiders, the Eagles went with two tight ends on just 16 percent of their plays last year. Only two teams did so less often. And now the Birds have added Steve Smith, which could mean more four-receiver sets. Unless Celek goes down, Harbor doesn’t figure to have much of an offensive role.

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By Brad Wilson

The Express-Times

EAST RUTHERFORD — Andy Reid and his assistants kept hinting all week that some Philadelphia Eagles starters could play in Thursday’s preseason finale against the New York Jets. Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg even said it was possible the offensive line could play as a unit.

But when the Eagles took the field, one starter (plus specialists) played — rookie right guard Danny Watkins, who can use the extra work. He played a quarter and impressed in straight-ahead blocking. Prudence obviously won the day over more game preparation for an almost-all-new offensive line. And prudence may have been the best move overall, given that Eagles lost second-round draft pick, free safety Jaiquawn Jarrett, to a first-half right-quad contusion and backup quarterback Vince Young to a right hamstring strain late in the second quarter.

The Eagles will open the regular season Sept. 11 in St. Louis.

• NOT SO SPECIAL TEAMS: The Eagles’ special teams had their ups and downs — mostly the latter — in the first half.

Rookie kicker Alex Henery missed his longest attempt so far as an Eagle, a 43-yarder, wide left on the Birds’ first possession of the game.

On Philadelphia’s second kickoff of the game Henery did not reach the goal line. And Chad Hall fumbled away one punt return after muffing, but recovering, an earlier effort. The Jets turned the Hall turnover into a touchdown.

Then late in the half on a 31-yard field goal try, punter Chas Henry picked the ball up after the snap — a good idea given the kick was likely to be blocked — and threw an interception trying to make a play, but the play was negated by an offside call against ex-Eagle Isaiah Trufant.

On the other hand, Blair Academy graduate Dion Lewis, the Birds’ fifth-round draft pick, opened the game with a 40-yard kickoff return. Lewis showed some flash in inside running and catching swing passes; he finished the first half with 62 yards rushing on 15 carries and a touchdown and caught three passes for 38 more yards.

• COOPER CRUSHED: Eagles’ wide receiver Riley Cooper took a vicious upper-body hit from Jets’ safety Brodney Pool in the first quarter while trying to haul in a Vince Young pass. Pool was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the play; Cooper lost his helmet but bounced right back from the hit.

Young limped off the field after throwing an incompletion on a 4th-and-1 from the Jets’ 9 late in the second quarter but walked into the tunnel under his own power.

• LAST CHANCE: The fourth and final NFL preseason game is generally considered strictly for reserves — and it had to be even more so for the New York Jets coming into Thursday’s game with the Philadelphia Eagles at Metlife Stadium.

The Jets came into the Eagles’ game having played their stadium co-inhabitors, the Giants, Monday night in a game postponed from Saturday due to Hurricane Irene.

Not for many years has an NFL team played on two days rest. The only Jets’ starter who played was rookie defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson. Indeed, Jets’ No. 2 quarterback Mark Brunell was ruled out before the game even started as well, leaving the work to rookie Greg McElroy from Alabama and second-year man Drew Willy.

McElroy left the game in the second with right thumb injury; he was battered by Eagles rookie linebacker Brian Rolle (1.5 sacks) during a short stint. McElroy finished 3-for-6 for 29 yards on the game. The Jets’ fans responded with a show of apathy of their own — the stadium was well less than half well.

•CUTS: The Eagles released cornerback Jorrick Calvin Thursday and re-signed cornerback Jamar Wall, who they had released earlier in the week. Trufant, a cornerback who the Eagles cut Wednesday, was signed by the Jets Thursday. NFL rosters must be at 53 players by Saturday. The Eagles now carry 80 players.

•EAGLES-JETS CONNECTIONS: Birds’ secondary coaches Johnnie Lynn and Michael Zorditch played for New York (Lynn from ‘79 to ‘86 and Zorditch from ‘87 to ‘88).

The Jets’ assistant head coach/offensive line coach Bill Callahan spent 1995-1997 in Philadelphia as the offensive line coach, and Jets quarterback Matt Cavanaugh played for the Eagles from 1986 to 1989.

The Eagles and Jets have played every year in the preseason but one (2000) since 1985, meeting twice in 1992. The Jets had won every game since 2002 and lead the preseason series 20-10.

But when it matters, the Eagles are perfect against New York — 8-0 in the regular season.