The Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins are concluding disappointing
seasons that have caused questions for both heading into 2012.

The Eagles will try for a fourth straight win and a season sweep of their
NFC East rivals on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

Philadelphia (7-8) will miss the playoffs for the third time in 12 seasons
despite an infusion of talent that included Jason Babin, Nnamdi Asomugha,
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Cullen Jenkins, prompting fellow newcomer Vince
Young to call the Eagles a “Dream Team.”

Instead, the defending NFC East champions got off to a 1-4 start and never
recovered until this three-game win streak that nearly kept their division title
hopes alive.

“There are a lot of things I could have done better with that,” said coach
Andy Reid about his team’s poor start. “The bottom line is they’re together now,
and they have an opportunity to play a good football team and continue to get
better as a unit.”

It appears Reid will return for a 14th season, but it’s unclear whether
defensive coordinator Juan Castillo will be retained. Castillo, a former
offensive line coach, saw his unit struggle until recent weeks.

Washington (5-10), meanwhile, will finish in last place for the fourth
straight season. Second-year coach Mike Shanahan has acknowledged that his
rebuilding plan for the once-proud franchise needs more time.

“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 Redskins have endured a season in which running back Tim Hightower,
receiver Santana Moss, tight end Chris Cooley and right tackle Jammal Brown all
missed significant time with injuries. Plus, left tackle Trent Williams and
tight end Fred Davis were suspended for the last four games of the season for
violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Rex Grossman was benched following his four-interception performance in a
20-13 loss to Philadelphia on Oct. 16. Grossman regained the starting job when
Washington lost all three games started by John Beck, but he’s tied for the
league lead with 19 interceptions.

“My confidence level is at an all-time high,” Grossman insisted. “I just
need to eliminate a couple of bad plays here and there that deter a great
performance.”

Grossman got some good news when the Eagles placed safety Kurt Coleman on
injured reserve this week with a biceps injury. Coleman picked off Grossman
three times in the first matchup.

The bigger story injury-wise for Philadelphia is whether LeSean McCoy will
play through an ankle problem suffered in last Saturday’s 20-7 win at Dallas.
McCoy leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns (17) and total TDs (20).

McCoy is tops in the NFC with a career-high 1,309 rushing yards, 123 shy of
Wilbert Montgomery’s club record of 1,512 set in 1979.

“Well, it’s not a high ankle sprain so we’ll just see how he does here,”
Reid said. “If he can play, he’ll play. He wants to play. We’ll see how he
does.”

McCoy wouldn’t be the only Eagles Pro Bowler trying to gain individual
honors. Babin has 18 sacks to tie for the NFL’s second-highest total behind
Minnesota’s Jared Allen, who has 18 1/2.

The Eagles have a league-high 49 sacks while Washington’s pass rush has been
solid with 39, led by rookie linebacker Ryan Kerrigan’s 7 1/2 and Brian Orakpo’s
seven.

Orakpo is finishing his third season with the club, and still feels the
franchise is headed in the right direction.

“We’ve got the right guys in this locker room,” Orakpo said. “Guys are
fighting hard. We don’t really have any issues. Guys play for each other. Got a
great coaching staff. We got an owner (Dan Snyder) doing everything possible to
win. … 5-10 is a terrible season to have, but I’m a very optimistic guy, I
want to keep building and hopefully get this organization on top eventually.”

Washington has seen its defense slip to 14th overall after allowing an
average of 381.3 yards the last three games.

The Redskins will face a resurgent Michael Vick, who has thrown for five TDs
and rushed for two more in his last two meetings against them.

“I’ve watched this team grow as the weeks have went on,” Vick said. “The
last three or four weeks, we’ve come together as a team. It’s a family
environment, a family atmosphere and that translates to winning. That’s why you
see a different team.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

nick.fierro@mcall.com

610-778-2243

Thanks for reading! .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

nick.fierro@mcall.com

610-778-2243

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When Andy Reid last walked off the field at the Linc, fans were chanting “Fire Andy!”

Reid may hear more of the same when the Philadelphia Eagles host the New York Jets on Sunday. It won’t help his cause that standing across the sideline will be the son of one of the most beloved sports figures in the city’s history.

Jets coach Rex Ryan might get a standing ovation simply because his father, Buddy Ryan, is revered in Philadelphia. For a few hours on game day, Rex Ryan will represent a constant reminder to those long-ago days when the feisty Eagles fans actually had a love affair with the coach of their team.

Now they can’t wait for him to go.

The Eagles are 5-8 in a season that began with Super Bowl aspirations. They’re clinging to slim playoff chances in a mediocre NFC East, but must win out and get lots of help.

The Jets (8-5) have won three straight and are in prime position to reach the playoffs as they seek their third consecutive trip to the AFC championship game.

Perhaps it’s fitting that Buddy’s son puts these Eagles out of their misery.

Buddy Ryan never won a playoff game in his five years coaching the Eagles from 1986-90, going 0-3. But he invigorated a generation of football fans by bringing the team back to prominence after several down years. His bombastic personality, blue-collar attitude and shoot-from-the hip style forever endeared him to the diehards.

“It was great the years my dad had in Philly,” Rex Ryan said. “The fans really did identify with him. He was himself and I think the fans really appreciated that. I think he wishes he would have had a couple more years to maybe get the Eagles over the top there, but really they put together one heck of a football team and I think the fans appreciated the way they played. They might not win every game but they were going to beat you up every game, that’s pretty much how the Eagles were.”

Reid’s success far exceeds Ryan’s accomplishments in Philadelphia. Reid has led the Eagles to nine playoff appearances, six NFC East titles, five conference championship games and one Super Bowl in his first 12 seasons.

Despite such an impressive resume, Reid has never been popular among fans. Many have been calling for his dismissal for years, saying the Eagles will never win their first Super Bowl with him calling the shots. Reid is the anti-Buddy. He’s stoic, boring and hardly reveals anything of consequence at his news conferences. His coaching philosophy — a pass-heavy offense — annoys old-schoolers who prefer a balanced attack. His refusal to call players out publicly angers those who want to see underachieving athletes made accountable.

“I think both of us are extremely handsome,” Rex Ryan said in typical fashion when asked to compare himself to Reid. “I think that’s the thing that really jumps out at you. They say it’s a big man’s game and there you have it. Two of the biggest coaches in the league going at it. But clearly, I respect the heck out of Andy. He’s a tremendous coach, probably a Hall of Fame-type coach. So I think what he’s done, his resume, is as impressive as anybody’s.”

Unlike fans and most reporters, Rex Ryan knows a different side to Reid.

“Anyone who has spent time off the field with Andy, he has a great sense of humor, doesn’t take himself too serious, has a great time,” Ryan said. “He’s smart. He’s really fun to be around.”

No kidding?

“Well, you guys can tell all those things are true from these press conferences,” Reid joked.

The two coaches share a mutual respect.

“I have a good relationship with him. He’s a good guy,” Reid said. “He has some ties to the Eagles and he’s always taken an interest in that, as his brother has, and his father.”

Earlier this season, the Eagles honored Buddy Ryan at a halftime ceremony during a Monday night game. The 80-year-old Ryan, who is battling cancer, got a loud ovation and fans chanted his name.

“He absolutely loved it,” Rex Ryan said of his father. “A classy thing to do by (Eagles Chairman and CEO) Jeffrey Lurie and I know one thing, he’ll never forget it. He certainly appreciated it and I appreciated it as well.”

A month ago, these two teams were almost in similar spots. The Jets were 5-5 after consecutive losses to New England and Denver. The Broncos rallied to beat New York on Tim Tebow’s 20-yard TD run in the final minute. New York’s offense was sputtering and the season seemed lost.

On the other hand, the Eagles had just improved to 4-6 by defeating the New York Giants on the road behind backup quarterback Vince Young. They were just two games behind and owned the best record in the division.

Since that loss to Denver, the Jets have outscored their opponents 99-53 during a three-game winning streak. Mark Sanchez has been outstanding, throwing for seven TDs and running for two more.

Meanwhile, the Eagles were blown out by New England and Seattle before beating Miami to stay mathematically alive in the playoff race.

“I’ve watched their talent,” Ryan said. “That doesn’t look like a 5-8 team. They’re fourth in the league in offense, 11th in defense, so the numbers don’t make sense right there. They’ve had some struggles, but I’m going to tell you this, they probably have as much talent as any team in this league.”

With one more loss, the Eagles could be the most talented team going home when the regular season ends.

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PHILADELPHIA — Michael Vick watched practice from the sideline, still sore from taking a beating in his first game back after breaking his ribs last month.

Vick participated in a walkthrough Wednesday morning, but was a spectator in the afternoon when the Philadelphia Eagles began preparations for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets.

Before practice, coach Andy Reid said he’s confident Vick would start against the Jets (8-5). The Eagles are still clinging to playoff hopes despite a 5-8 record. They’ll need Vick to be sharp this week against one of the toughest defences in the NFL.

“He was a little tender from the game (but) not as bad as before,” Reid said. “He was throwing the ball out there.”

Vick was sacked four times and took several hard hits in a 26-10 victory at Miami. He missed the three previous games after breaking two lower ribs in a loss to Arizona on Nov. 13.

Vick showed plenty of rust against the Dolphins. He completed just 15 of 30 passes and threw another interception. But he still made enough plays to help lead Philadelphia to a win that temporarily kept them alive in the NFC East race.

A Pro Bowl starter last year, Vick has struggled this season. He’s ranked 22nd with a 78.9 passer rating, and his 12 interceptions double his total from last season and are one shy of his career worst.

“Well you have to give credit to the defence, particularly on the tipped balls,” Reid said. “In some situations, yeah (he’s forcing the ball) to get things going. He will tell you that he’s trying to make things happen, but he’s made a lot of good throws, too.”

Despite Vick’s mediocre stats, Jets coach Rex Ryan, like other coaches and defensive co-ordinators around the league, are wary of Vick’s unique skills.

“He can throw a battle ship through a strawberry,” Ryan said. “There is only one Michael Vick in this league, a dynamic playmaker, can make all the throws, strong arm and the way he can move is second to nobody.”

Vick won’t have an easy time against New York. The Jets have the sixth-ranked defence and are sixth against the pass. Their secondary features two-time All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis.

On the other side, the Eagles have three heralded cornerbacks that have failed to live up to expectations in their first season together. Nnamdi Asomugha, Asante Samuel and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie haven’t been the shutdown trio most anticipated.

“He is a tremendous corner, the best corner in football. It’s not even close,” Ryan said of Revis. “Nnamdi is an outstanding corner. Samuel is an outstanding corner. They have a lot of talented guys over there, but there’s only one Darrelle Revis.”

Revis likely will match up against DeSean Jackson. The two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver caught just his third TD pass of the season last week. Jackson is always a deep threat, though, having scored 21 TDs of at least 30 yards in his four-year career.

Ryan wouldn’t commit to putting Revis on Jackson.

“Whoever we decide to put him on, it’ll be a long day for that individual,” Ryan said.

Philadelphia’s receivers are quite aware of Revis’ talents.

“His ability to be patient is his biggest asset,” wideout Jason Avant said of Revis. “Usually when you have guys that are fast and quick, most DBs are frantic and they can’t get in a stance. He’s really calm and knows he’s the best, so he sits there and waits for you to declare your move. He’ll sit right there in front of you.”

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By Ryan Michaels

– Dolphins Editor

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Dec 9, 2011 – Awestruck.

That is how I felt watching the Miami Dolphins dismantle the Oakland Raiders in Week 13. The final score may have been 34-14, but the game wasn’t nearly as close as the scoreboard indicated. If the Dolphins didn’t take their foot off the pedal on defense, they could have shut them out. It didn’t happen, but it was arguably their best game of the season.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles continued their losing ways last week, this time falling to the Seattle Seahawks 31-14. It marked the Eagles’ fourth loss in their last five games. They won the offseason, and have one of the most talented teams in the NFL on paper, but haven’t been able to translate it onto on-field success. If they want to reverse their fortunes, they’ll have to do it against one of the hottest teams in the league. Can they do it? Read on.

Dolphins Pass Offense vs. Eagles Pass Defense

QB Matt Moore continued his solid play as of late against the Raiders. Although Moore didn’t end up with huge numbers (162 yards passing and one touchdown), he continued to show confidence in the pocket and showed off his mobility by rushing for a touchdown. WR Brandon Marshall put up average numbers last week as well (four receptions for 60 yards), but he made a couple of great catches. He also has three 100-yard receiving games since Moore took over as the starting quarterback and has shown some signs of getting over the drop issues that plagued him in the beginning of the season. The Eagles pass defense ranks a solid, if unspectacular, 13^th in the league, giving up 229.2 passing yards per game. The Eagles have also sacked opposing quarterbacks 33 times, tied for 5^th-best in the league. Moore has been good, and may not make a killer mistake this game, but the Eagles should be able to limit his effectiveness.

Advantage: Eagles

Dolphins Run Offense vs. Eagles Run Defense

RB Reggie Bush played like an every down back last week, rushing for 100 yards on 22 carries. RB Daniel Thomas seems to have kicked the injury bug and rushed for 73 yards on 13 carries last week. This can be a killer 1-2 punch if used properly, and Philadelphia is exactly the kind of team that can be taken advantage of on the ground. Seattle Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch tore through the Eagles run defense last week, rushing for 148 yards and two touchdowns on only 22 carries. With all due respect to Lynch, he isn’t an elite running back. Expect big things Sunday out of Bush and Thomas.

Advantage: Dolphins

Eagles Pass Offense vs. Dolphins Pass Defense

QB Michael Vick is expected to return to the lineup on Sunday, although that doesn’t sound as frightening now as it did this time last year. The Eagles’ pass offense does rank 10^th in the league this year, gaining 255.5 yards per game through the air. However, WR DeSean Jackson has been inconsistent and his 16.2 yards per catch is down from last year’s 22.5. WR Jeremy Maclin has missed the past three weeks with shoulder and hamstring injuries, but is expected to return. Meanwhile, the Dolphins pass defense has played like a unit possessed. CB Vontae Davis is finally backing up his talk of the Dolphins cornerback tandem being the best in the NFL, intercepting two passes the past four games and playing physical football. The pass defense as a whole has not allowed an opposing quarterback to get a QB Rating above 78.8 since Eli Manning in Week 8. Vick will not reverse that trend.

Advantage: Dolphins

Eagles Run Offense vs. Dolphins Run Defense

This will be the deciding matchup of the game. The Dolphins defense will have two main objectives: First, to keep Vick in the pocket, and second, contain RB LeSean McCoy. McCoy has been one of the best running backs in the league this year, already rushing for 1,134 yards and averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He is a threat to run both between the tackles and cut to the outside. All eyes should be on LB Karlos Dansby and LB Koa Misi to stop McCoy while the Dolphins rotate their talented defensive line to keep them fresh throughout the game. If the defensive line prevents Philadelphia’s offensive line from opening up too many holes, the Dolphins should be able to stop McCoy the way they have stopped Raiders RB Michael Bush and Bills RB Fred Jackson recently. McCoy will be the Dolphins’ biggest challenge yet on defense, but this unit is up to it.

Advantage: Dolphins

Intangibles

The Dolphins are 3-3 at home and have won four of their last five games overall. Moore and head coach Tony Sparano have been playing and coaching like they really want to be in Miami next year and see through this rebuilding project. More was expected out of the Eagles this season coming off last year’s success and adding CB Nnamdi Asomugha, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and DE Jason Babin this offseason. It hasn’t worked and head coach Andy Reid may find himself out of a job at season’s end.

Advantage: Dolphins

Summary

The Dolphins play has been incredibly impressive over the past five weeks. They are finally playing up to their talent level, and if they had played like that in the beginning of the season, they could be in the playoff hunt. Alas, they’ll have to wait until next year to see the postseason, but that won’t stop them from continuing the Eagles’ nightmare of a season that was supposed to end in Indianapolis.

Prediction: Dolphins 27, Eagles 20

Read More: Michael Vick (QB – PHI), Matt Moore (QB – MIA), Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP)—The New England Patriots aren’t certain whether
Michael Vick(notes) or Vince Young(notes) will be playing quarterback for the Philadelphia
Eagles on Sunday.

One thing is for sure, though: LeSean McCoy(notes) will be in the backfield, and
that’s enough to get the attention of the defense.

“This is by far the most elusive back that we’ve been against so far this
season,” Patriots defensive end Andre Carter(notes) said. “Looking at film, it looks
like he’ll lose yards to gain yards, then those are the tackles on a running
back that you hate.

“Just as a defense, we always mention just kind of swarming and gang
tackling, and that’s what it’s going to take for four quarters.”

Vick, whose sensational season in 2010 led to the Eagles (4-6) signing him
to a lucrative long-term contract, has two broken ribs and missed last week’s
win against the New York Giants. He has yet to practice any drills this week and
is questionable on the Eagles’ injury report.

Young could make his second start of the season after stepping in last week
and leading the Eagles to a 17-10 victory, perhaps a pivotal win that kept their
playoff dreams alive.

Philadelphia coach Andy Reid said Young has taken all the reps with the
first-team offense in Vick’s absence this week.

Young might not be as versatile as Vick, but both are effective as runners.

Combine that with McCoy, who has scored a rushing or receiving touchdown in
nine of the Eagles’ 10 games this season, and the New England defense is in for
a test.

“Speed, that’s all I can really tell you,” Patriots defensive tackle Kyle
Love(notes) said. “Speed kills. In this league, it definitely kills.”

Despite the Patriots (7-3) having the worst pass defense in the league,
allowing just shy of 300 yards a game, they expect a heavy dose of McCoy on
Sunday.

And with good reason.

A dual threat to run or catch the ball out of the backfield since his rookie
season in 2009, McCoy is the lone running back in the league this season to have
already eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing while guiding the league’s top-ranked
rushing attack at 168.0 yards per game.

“He scores a lot of touchdowns, he’s a great player,” New England
linebacker and defensive captain Jerod Mayo(notes) said. “He’s never down until
multiple people tackle him. He’s a threat out of the backfield to catch the ball
as well, so he’s a great threat to the whole defense.”

Patriots coach Bill Belichick thinks McCoy might even be better than former
Philadelphia running back Brian Westbrook(notes).

“This guy is pretty good,” Belichick said. “I’d say he’s quicker than
Westbrook. Westbrook might be a little stronger, I don’t know. This guy is a
handful now.

“You don’t see really anybody tackle him one-on-one. You need a group of
guys around him. He gets hemmed in and then he gets out of it. He’s got some
running strength, too. He gets through the line. Guys get a shot at him and he’s
able to run through them.”

While McCoy is on pace for a career high in yards, just 61 shy of his career
best set last season with 1,080, and already has nearly as many rushing
touchdowns (10) as his first two years combined (11), his receiving has tapered
off a bit.

With 34 receptions for 198 yards and two touchdowns this season, he is well
off his league-best reception total for a running back last season when he had
78 catches.

That drop-off means nothing to the Patriots.

“Anytime you get a guy like that, everybody has to be at the point of
attack,” Love said. “And if you’re not at the point of attack, you’re
burned.”

Carter knows that all too well after spending five seasons with the
Washington Redskins, who play the Eagles twice a season. He is well aware of
what players such as Westbrook and McCoy bring to an offense.

“We always just talk about gap control, playing physical, being consistent,
making sure we have a strong seven-man front and just kind of continue on
there,” he said. “If somebody misses, somebody else will come in and rally. I
think, so far, we’ve been consistent.

“Don’t get me wrong; there’s been a few plays where we know we have to
tackle better. It happens every game, you just got to go get ‘em.”

The defense also will try to force turnovers against McCoy. However, he has
no fumbles in 188 attempts this season and only three in 550 career carries.

“Anytime you got a guy that’s loose with the ball, you’ve got to have an
emphasis on getting to him and getting the ball out of him,” Love said. “We’ll
try to do that on him or anybody else who has the ball on them. Anytime you see
that, you have to get the ball.”

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By Jay King

– Newsdesk contributor

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Nov 3, 2011 – The Philadelphia Eagles defense has allowed just 20 combined points the past two games. Michael Vick remains one of the NFL’s most exciting and capable players. LeSean McCoy is near the NFL lead for every major rushing statistic. The Eagles have always had an impressive stable of talent, and enter Week 9′s Monday night meeting with the Chicago Bears winners of two straight.

As Vick suggested Thursday, success is about fitting the pieces together.

“I think you have to have the mindset that you just have to be team-oriented,” he said. “One guy doesn’t know-it-all and can’t win a football game by himself, it takes a collective effort. And I believe in the guys around me and we all voice our opinions and we all respect each other’s opinions. And as grown men, I think that’s how it should be.”

Vick finished an efficient 21-28 for 279 yards and two touchdowns during Sunday’s 34-7 victory against the Dallas Cowboys, and said the way Philadelphia responded to Rob Ryan’s defense gives him confidence he can move the ball against any team.

“I think after what I saw last week with everything that they did it makes me very optimistic that I can go out there and execute against any defense. Obviously, everything’s going to be different but I think I have the ground rules and know what it takes to make sure that I can get us in the right protection calls and make the plays downfield when necessary,” he said.

Vick sounds quite confident with Philadelphia’s output. But it was McCoy who was voted NFC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 185 yards and two scores against a Dallas defense that entered the game leading the NFL in run defense. Wide receiver Jason Avant praised McCoy’s elusiveness on Thursday.

“First of all,” said Avant, “for him to learn so fast how to play this game and his blitz protection just going to another level, and just his determination. And he just has a great knack for making people miss, just a great knack for it. And I think that’s very, very undervalued in this league.

“The first guy never tackles him and the second guy probably has a 30 percent chance, you know…[laughing]. So he’s just an amazing guy when the ball’s in his hands and making people miss, so I think that’s the most impressive thing about him.”

Considering Vick and McCoy’s powerful efforts, Philadelphia’s total of 34 points scored was not a surprise. But the Eagles also held the Cowboys to seven points, the first time all season Philadelphia limited an opponent to single-digit points. After giving up at least 24 points in four straight games, all losses, the Eagles have surrendered fewer than 20 points in each of the two consecutive wins.

Jason Babin credits the formation of a cohesive defensive unit under defensive coordinator Juan Castillo’s watch.

“I think it’s obvious on film. You know, everybody’s excited. If somebody makes an interception, if somebody makes a big tackle or [tackle for loss] or sack, everybody’s celebrating, and everybody’s just really gelling,” the defensive end said.

He added that the Eagles are concentrated on the “tackling and pursuit” of Matt Forte this weekend, calling Forte “a powerful runner” with “some nice wiggle to him.”

Safety Nate Allen said the team also respects Jay Cutler’s ability to throw the deep ball, and will be mindful of staying disciplined within the team’s scheme as the Eagles look to build on Sunday’s performance against Dallas.

Beating the Cowboys infused an additional measure of confidence. But beating the Bears is the next step.

“A win’s a win in this league. We’re taking it one week at a time and we’re preparing for this game on Monday night and we feel like we’re going to win it,” said Vick.

Read More: Michael Vick (QB – PHI), Jason Avant (WR – PHI), LeSean McCoy (RB – PHI), Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys

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The Philadelphia Eagles’ nightmare just got a little brighter on Sunday thanks to a 20-13 win over the Washington Redskins (3-2), who entered Sunday as the surprising first place team in the NFC East.

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Read More: Michael Vick (QB – PHI), Cullen Jenkins (DT – PHI), Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins

There are numerous reasons why the Philadelphia Eagles have failed to meet expectations through the first five games of the 2011 NFL season. The bar might have been set unrealistically high for Philadelphia — both by fans and the media, but also themselves — but I don’t think anybody foresaw the Eagles starting out 1-4 and looking so shaky in the process. Michael Vick naturally receives the lion’s share of attention — in good times and in bad — but it’s really the defense that has proven to be the problem for Philadelphia thus far.

The Eagles have given up 132 points so far, tied with Carolina for the most in the NFC. A big part of the struggles has been their inability to stop the run. The Eagles have allowed 140.2 yards per game on the ground, the 28th most in the league. One big reason why the front-seven has struggled is the prolonged triceps injury bothering defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins. The free-agent acquisition suffered the injury during Philly’s Week 3 loss to the Eagles. He’s undeniably been outstanding getting after the quarterback — his five sacks are tied for fourth most in the league. Doing his part to help stop the run has been a tougher task for him and the rest of the Eagles’ defense.

After returning to practice on Thursday on a limited basis, Jenkins is confident he’ll play against Washington. He’s also confident that the Eagles defense will build upon the momentum they established in the second half of their Week 5 loss to the Buffalo Bills. After getting torched in the first half, the Eagles allowed a mere field goal to Buffalo’s high powered offense in the final 30 minutes.

“People are getting a lot more comfortable in their assignments. Because of that, they’re starting to play fast,” Jenkins said. “That second half that we played out there is something we can’t forget. If we can learn from that and carry it over, use it as a standard of what things should be, we’ll be all right.”

Eagles players held a players-only meeting this week knowing their season is on the brink. Since the playoff format was extended to 12 teams in 1990, four teams have made the playoffs after starting 1-4. The Eagles will try to become the fifth beginning Sunday afternoon in D.C.

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Read More: Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles

If you haven’t seen the full Philadelphia Eagles 2011 schedule, we’ve got it right here. If you have, the next question is obviously, “how tough is it?”

That’s probably tougher to figure out this year than any other given that we haven’t even had free agency yet. So we really don’t know what a lot of these teams are going to look like come September. However, if we go on 2010 records, the Eagles’ strength of schedule is pretty average.

In fact, they’re tied for 15th among the 32 NFL clubs with an opponents’ winning percentage of .504.

The toughest schedules in the league fall to the two worst teams in the league last year, Carolina and Buffalo. Their opponent’s winning percentages are .555 and .535 respectively. Amongst the contenders, the Jets, Colts & Chiefs have the toughest road with opponents winning 52% of their games in 2010.

The “easiest” schedules in the league go to San Francisco, Baltimore & Arizona. The NFC West teams all have relatively easy schedules due to the fact that ya know… they get to play each other six times.

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Bethlehem native and former Philadelphia Eagles great Chuck Bednarik’s condition has been upgraded from serious to fair today, according to St. Luke’s-Fountain Hill, where Bednarik remains hospitalized.

Bednarik, 85, established himself as an icon in the Lehigh Valley more than half a century ago for his contributions to the Eagles’ 1949 and 1960 NFL championship squads. He lives in Upper Saucon Township with his wife, Emma.

Bednarik was taken to the hospital originally on Wednesday because of shortness of breath and dizziness.

Before landing in the Hall of Fame in 1967, Bednarik attended Liberty High School and then went off to fly bombing missions over Europe in World War II. It wasn’t until after the war that he began his college career at Penn.

In his NFL days, Bednarik was best known for being the league’s last true two-way player, playing both offense and defense. He was a center and middle linebacker for most of his career, but had stopped playing defense before the start of the 1960 season, which remains the last in which the Eagles captured a league title.

However, he was asked to help out at outside linebacker because of extensive injuries to teammates in 1960. Because of that, he starred in and was the controversial subject of one of the most brutal plays in league history. It was marked by a famous photograph that forever shows him hovering in celebration over New York Giants running back Frank Gifford, knocked unconscious by Bednarik moments earlier to seal an Eagles’ victory during the season.

Bednarik has maintained since that day that he wasn’t celebrating the hit and hadn’t even realized at the time that Gifford had been knocked out.

“We were leading the game,” Bednarik said of the hit in a previous interview with The Morning Call, “and Gifford ran a down-and-in route. After he caught the ball, he took two or three steps and I waffled him chest high. His head snapped back and the ball popped loose. It was retrieved by Chuck Weber, and when I saw that, I turned around with a clenched fist and hollered, ‘This [expletive] game is over!’ “

Nevertheless, Gifford wasn’t able to play football again until 1962, Bednarik’s last year in the game.

If anything, Bednarik was overqualified for the brutality of yesterday’s NFL when he entered the league in 1949.

“I was already a killer,” he said of his 30 bombing missions.

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