Read More: Michael Vick (QB – PHI), Brent Celek (TE – PHI), Jason Babin (DE – PHI), Miles Austin (WR – DAL), Tony Romo (QB – DAL), DeSean Jackson (WR – PHI), Jeremy Maclin (WR – PHI), LeSean McCoy (RB – PHI), Stephen McGee (QB – DAL), New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins

By the time the Philadelphia Eagles scored their first touchdown on Saturday early in the first quarter, they had already been eliminated from the 2011 playoffs, thanks to the New York Giants’ 29-14 victory over the New York Jets. But the Eagles played hard, and benefited from a hand injury to Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo, in a 20-7 victory that helped them complete a season sweep of Big D.

The Eagles got on the board on their first drive of the game after Michael Vick hit Brent Celek in the back of the end zone for a 13 yard touchdown. On the Cowboys’ ensuing drive, Tony Romo crushed his throwing hand on the front of the helmet of an unblocked Jason Babin. The hand immediately swelled up, and Romo was taken out of the game and into the locker room for x-rays, which came back negative. There has been no word from Dallas on the severity of Romo’s injury, which is currently being called a “right hand contusion,” but Romo was seen on the sideline toward the end of the game telling a Cowboys staffer that he’ll “be fine.”

His replacement, back up QB Stephen McGee, was efficient and careful with the ball, going 24-38 for 182 yards and a garbage time touchdown to Miles Austin with seven seconds left in the game. But the Eagles defense continued its stellar end of the season, holding the Cowboys to only 238 total yards, some of which came long after the game was decided.

The Eagles were led on offense by QB Michael Vick, who was 18-32 for 293 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin both contributed five catches on the day, with Jackson going for 90 yards and a touchdown and Maclin for 72. Running back LeSean McCoy was mostly neutralized on the day, running for only 35 yards, and he left the game temporarily with a left ankle injury before returning for one carry in the fourth quarter.

The Eagles will end their 2011 season next week at home against the Washington Redskins. Philly will have a chance to finish 8-8, which is pretty good considering where they were a month ago, but pretty disappointing considering the preseason expectations for the team.

For more coverage of the Eagles vs. Cowboys, stay tuned to our storystream. For more Philadelphia Eagles coverage, visit our team page, or our blog Bleeding Green Nation.

The Dallas Cowboys hope to avenge an early season loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Christmas Eve and have a chance to clinch a playoff spot if they win and the New York Giants lose. Dallas can also mathematically eliminate the Eagles from playoff competition as well with a defeat.

Owner Jerry Jones has already stated he is scared of the Eagles and here is a look at the players Dallas should be afraid of.

LeSean McCoy

LeSean McCoy has 1,274 rushing yards on the season and 17 touchdowns. He ran for 185 of those yards against the Dallas Cowboys. He also ran for two of his touchdowns against Dallas. Sure, he did it with the Cowboys losing defensive starters Sean Lee and Mike Jenkins but he did it anyway. McCoy is the man the Cowboys must stop if they want to gain vengeance on the Eagles.

Michael Vick

At the start of the season, people asked who you would rather have in fantasy football between Aaron Rodgers and Michael Vick. Now, people question if Vick is even worth starting in fantasy football. Vick has struggled with injuries and recently suffered the same rib injuries that Tony Romo did earlier in the season. However, Vick sat out and let them heal. Last time against Dallas, Vick threw for 279 yards with two touchdowns. Dallas has allowed 20 touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks. Once they stop McCoy, they have to contain Vick.

Jason Babin

It is interesting. A few weeks ago, DeMarcus Ware and Jared Allen were battling for the 2011 sack crown and both men had Michael Strahan’s record in their cross-hairs. Now, it looks like neither man will reach it and someone new has passed them both in the sack race. Jason Babin has back-to-back three sack games heading into the Dallas matchup. When he played Dallas last time, he had two sacks. With eight sacks in the last three weeks, Babin could be the man to break the record.

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

Source: dallascowboys.com

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Read More: Asante Samuel (CB – PHI), Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys

The Philadelphia Eagles all-pro cornerback Asante Samuel was held out of practice Wednesday as they begin to prepare for the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday.

Per NFL.com on Samuel’s hamstring issues:

Samuel, who sat out the team’s first practice of the week, left last Sunday’s win over the New York Giants with a hamstring injury and didn’t return. Eagles coach Andy Reid said Monday the injury didn’t appear serious and indicated the three-time All-Pro would play against the Dallas Cowboys.

Full participants in practice:

• Defensive end Darryl Tapp (broken ribs)

Limited participants in practice:

• Defensive tackle Trevor Laws (knee)
• Defensive end Cullen Jenkins (groin)

Full participants in practice:

• Quarterback Michael Vick (ribs)
• Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (hamstring, shoulder)
• Right tackle Todd Herremans (ankle)
• Running back Ronnie Brown (hamstring)

For all news and information regarding the Dallas Cowboys, please visit Blogging the Boys. Go check out all things Philadelphia Eagles at Bleeding Green Nation.

“I’m a big Jets fan this week,” Reid said Monday.

So is everyone else in Philly.

The Jets-Giants game should be over before the Eagles kick off against division-leading Dallas (8-6) on Christmas Eve. So, there will be plenty of scoreboard watching during pregame warmups.

“You control what you control,” Reid said. “You have to play the game whether that team wins or loses.”

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

If all four scenarios work out Philadelphia’s way, the Eagles would win the division in a three-way tie at 8-8 because they would have the best record in the East at 5-1.

“It feels good that we are still alive,” tight end Brent Celek said. “That is all you can ask for at this point. We are not where we wanted to be at the beginning of the season, but we are doing all we can do with what we have. We just have to play together as a team and go up there, fight and beat Dallas.”

The Eagles weren’t supposed to be in a position where they had to scratch and claw and hope to make the playoffs. Many experts picked them to contend for the Super Bowl this season after an offseason spending spree brought several star players to Philadelphia, joining an already strong core that included Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson. Even management declared this an all-or-nothing year.

But a 1-4 start doomed the Eagles and they’ve failed miserably to live up to those enormous expectations. Consecutive lopsided losses to New England and Seattle dropped the Eagles to 4-8 and seemingly ended their playoff chances. Fans were calling for Reid to be fired, and for offensive line coach-turned-defensive coordinator Juan Castillo to go with him.

Now it appears both Reid and Castillo have secured themselves another season. Players have rallied around Castillo, saying they have more confidence in his schemes and calls. The results support that. The defense has shown vast improvement recently, holding both Miami and the Jets to under 250 total yards and getting 13 sacks.

“You have to understand that we really didn’t have training camp,” Castillo said. “And I think initially I started too fast and what I found out is I had to go backwards with some of those guys because they had missed some of that and we were making some mistakes just on fundamental stuff. You know, now as we understand all of our packages, we’re able to add as we keep going. And there is still a lot to add, but the first thing we have to understand is how to handle our fundamental packages.”

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

Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles have a slim chance to move on to the playoffs after shellacking the New York Jets, 45-19. Their chances are in the neighborhood of 200-1 to make the playoffs but as Lloyd Christmas said in “Dumb and Dumber”: “So you’re telling me I got a chance?”

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

LeSean McCoy said it best when learning where the Eagles stand after their win, “Sounds like a lot.”

The Eagles have no say in their fate but it will not matter if they do not win out. The Eagles can only make the playoffs by capturing their division title. They must win in Dallas in Cowboys Stadium and at home against the Washington Redskins. Then they must hope for some help. The Giants have to lose against the Jets and then the Giants must beat the Cowboys in the final game of the season.

As McCoy said, “It sounds like a lot.” It is possible for the Eagles to make the playoffs despite the convoluted route that will get them there. Luck will play a part but the Eagles will have to win out as well.

If the Eagles make the playoffs and they play like they did against the New York Jets December 18, they have a chance to become the Green Bay Packers of the 2011-2012. The Packers struggled until December last season and then Aaron Rodgers and the Packers could not be stopped once the post season began.

When Vick is healthy he makes the Eagles a formidable force. The question for Vick and Andy Reid is if Vick can stay healthy through the regular season and the NFL playoffs. The Eagles have already witnessed their future if Vick gets hurt and the future doesn’t look bright without VIck.

Vick did not have a blockbuster performance but his 274 yards passing and two touchdowns, one through the air and one on the ground, were enough to compliment LeSean McCoy’s three touchdown game.

The real story for the Eagles is a resurgent defense. Kurt Coleman continues to make big plays and Jason Babin scored three sacks for the second consecutive game to bring his season total to 18 sacks. The pass rush led by Babin is the key to the Eagles being in position to make the playoffs. Vick is important but Babin and the defense will determine the future of the Eagles.

*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:

NFL Network: Game recap

ESPN Philadelphia Eagles Clubhouse: Stats and news

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Posted: December 19
Updated: Today at 1:10 AM

By Paul Sokoloski psokoloski@timesleader.com
Times Leader Sports Columnist
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PHILADELPHIA – Fresh off breaking a Philadelphia Eagles record that stood for more than half of a century, LeSean McCoy was still filled with wide-eyed optimism.

Especially when it comes to the Eagles playoff possibilities.

“So what do we need (to happen) now?” McCoy wondered.

Not as much as everyone might think.

Not after the Eagles jolted the New York Jets, 45-19 at Lincoln Financial Field, just after the New York Giants lost to Washington earlier Sunday.

Those outcomes left the 6-8 Eagles still clinging to hopes of capturing an NFC East Division title. They can accomplish that by beating division-leading Dallas (8-6) on Christmas Eve and winning against Washington on New Year’s Day, then hoping the 7-7 Giants lose to the Jets and beat the Cowboys during the final two weeks of the regular season.

That scenario would leave all three teams tied for the top at 8-8. But the Eagles would capture the NFC East crown by virtue of sweeping the two-game season series against Dallas in head-to-head competition and completing a 5-1 run through the East Division, which would top the Giants’ 3-3 mark.

“That’s amazing,” Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. “I just couldn’t believe we had a chance. It’s amazing to see, with how slow we started, there’s still a chance this late in the season.”

The Eagles didn’t give the Jets much opportunity Sunday.

Philadelphia fired out of the gates, stunning the Jets by scoring touchdowns on three straight possessions to take a 28-0 lead and extending its advantage to 45-13 by putting up points during three of the first four times the Eagles offense touched the ball in the second half.

“Shocked, I guess,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said he felt.

The performance was even more awe-inspiring than the one that rattled his brother Rob Ryan, the Cowboys defensive coordinator who was flattened during Philadelphia’s 34-7 drubbing of Dallas on Oct. 30 at Lincoln Financial Field.

“We’re an attack defense,” said Eagles defensive end Jason Babin, who became the 10th NFL player in history and first Philadelphia defender to record at least three or more sacks by spending the whole day dropping Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. “That’s our mindset.”

If only the Eagles played this way consistently, more than keeping playoff hopes alive would be on their minds.

“You want to be able to play for a playoff spot,” said Eagles tight end Brent Celek, who had a career day with 156 receiving yards – the most for a Philadelphia tight end since 1962. “That’s what we’re here for. We want to win a Super Bowl.”

Suddenly, such big dreams for a Philadelphia roster dubbed the “Dream Team” after a preseason signing spree of Pro Bowl players doesn’t sound like such a pipe dream anymore.

Not after McCoy scored on touchdown runs of 9, 1 and 33 yards to give him 17 rushing touchdowns for the season – breaking Steve Van Buren’s single-season Eagles record of 15 set in 1945. Not after quarterback Michael Vick tortured the vaunted Jets defense with 274 passing yards – including a 26-yard touchdown strike to Celek – and got loose for 32 more rushing yards. Not after the Eagles forced four turnovers and dropped Sanchez for four sacks.

“There’s nothing you can do about the past,” Vick said. “The past is the past and the present is the present. Just continue to live in the moment.”

The biggest moments for the Eagles started with defense Sunday.

Safety Kurt Coleman stripped a pass away from Jets receiver Santonio Holmes, and Eagles defensive end Juqua Parker picked up the fumble and rumbled for a 47-yard touchdown and a 7-0 Philadelphia lead in the first quarter.

“Hey man, I have a little something in me,” laughed Parker, who scored his second defensive touchdown of this season and third of his career. “I have a little speed in me. I just saw the ball on the ground, picked it up and went in and scored.

“I’m enjoying it, man.”

The day of laughs had just began for the Eagles.

They got the ball back when Asante Samuel picked off a deflected pass, and Celek cashed it in with a superb one-handed tip to himself while snaring Vick’s 26-yard touchdown pass late in the opening quarter.

Vick found the end zone himself on an 11-yard touchdown run to polish off a 57-yard touchdown march on Philadelphia’s next possession. And when Sanchez fumbled away a third-down play, McCoy made the Jets pay by darting up the middle for a nine-yard touchdown run and a 28-0 Eagles lead.

“We made too many mistakes,” a bewildered Sanchez said. “We just got out-played.”

The Eagles kept playing for their playoff lives.

They survived a brief rally by the Jets – who pulled within 28-13 on Nick Folk field goals of 39 and 28 yards wrapped around a 25-yard touchdown pass by Sanchez – then put a stamp on victory after halftime.

Celek got free for a 73-yard catch-and-run, setting up McCoy’s one-yard touchdown dash and Alex Henery followed with a 28-yard field goal late in the third quarter. McCoy opened the fourth with a 33-yard touchdown sprint for a 45-13 Philadelphia lead, before Plaxico Burress closed the scoring with a diving 9-yard touchdown catch for the Jets with 9:40 to play.

“They’ve got a good football team, a really good football team,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said. “They’ll rebound next week.”

At least, the Eagles hope so, since a Giants victory over the Jets – or a defeat in Dallas – would sending Philadelphia’s playoff plans flying before the season finale.

“We need to beat the Cowboys, right?” McCoy asked. “No one, these past few games, even gave us a chance. It just shows you the type of fight we have.”

Now, the Eagles plan to keep punching to the end.

“We’ve just got to play together as a team and go out there and fight,” Celek said. “It feels good that we’re alive. That’s all you can ask for at this time.”

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Read More: Michael Vick (QB – PHI), Todd Herremans (G – PHI), Cullen Jenkins (DT – PHI), Darryl Tapp (DE – PHI), Ronnie Brown (RB – PHI), Vince Young (QB – PHI), Nnamdi Asomugha (CB – PHI), Riley Cooper (WR – PHI), Trevor Laws (DT – PHI), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB – PHI), Jeremy Maclin (WR – PHI), Nate Allen (FS – PHI), New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles have released their injury report for their game this Sunday against the New York Jets.

Only defensive end Darryl Tapp (ribs) is currently listed as doubtful for the game. Michael Vick (ribs) and Jeremy Maclin (hamstring/shoulder) were not limited in practice on Friday. However, Vick is listed as probable for the game while Maclin is still listed as questionable.

The following Eagles are listed as Questionable:

T Todd Herremans (ankle)
WR Jeremy Maclin (hamstring, shoulder)
QB Vince Young (ankle)

The following players are listed as Probable:

S Nate Allen (hamstring)
CB Nnamdi Asomugha (knee)
RB Ronnie Brown(hamstring)
WR Riley Cooper (groin)
DT Cullen Jenkins (groin)
DT Trevor Laws (knee)
CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (ankle)
QB Michael Vick (ribs)

The Jets also released their injury report for Sunday’s game. The only player listed as out is CB Marquice Cole. The following Jets are listed as probable: DL Mike DeVito (knee), DL Marcus Dixon (hip), OL Vladimir Ducasse (knee), RB Shonn Greene (rib), OL Nick Mangold (ankle), RB Joe McKnight (elbow), OL Brandon Moore (hip), LB Calvin Pace (groin), OL Matt Slauson (knee) and DB Eric Smith (knee).

For more coverage of the Eagles vs. Jets matchup, stay tuned to our storystream. For more Eagles coverage, visit our team page or our blog Bleeding Green Nation.

The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Miami Dolphins in Week 14. The defense carried the day while the offense was ordinary. For fantasy owners, the Eagles have been one of the most frustrating teams in the league. They can make big things happen at any time but they can also let you down. In Week 15, the Eagles face the New York Jets. I don’t think they will produce a lot of fantasy points, but there are some players that will deliver. Here are some Eagles that could turn out to be good starters for fantasy owners in Week 15.

LeSean McCoy

McCoy averaged a mere 1.4 yards on his 27 carries against the Dolphins. However, he did score two touchdowns. McCoy is a lot better than what he showed against Miami. The Jets have a decent run defense but it is vulnerable. If the Eagles give the ball to McCoy 20 times, he will break the 100 yard mark. If nothing else, he will get you touchdowns. He has scored in every game but one in 2011.

DeSean Jackson

Jackson finally snapped out his touchdown funk in Week 14. He grabbed just his third of the season. However, he looked like the talented receiver fans are used to seeing for the first time in a long time. Michael Vick will look his way for some big plays against the Jets. Jackson still averages over 16 yards per catch. If he gets even five receptions, he will have a big day.

Alex Henery

This game has the feeling of a lot of field goals. Henery has been solid for a rookie and has connected on all three of his attempts from more than 40 yards. It feels like a long time since he has missed and that is a good thing. Henery should get at least a couple of attempts in this game so I would start him as a kicker if you have him available.

Team Defense

I don’t think the Eagles will get nine sacks and three turnovers like they did against the Dolphins. However, they should have a strong game on defense against the Jets. Mark Sanchez is not a consistent quarterback. Even when he plays well, he doesn’t put up spectacular numbers. The Eagles will have a couple of big plays on defense and they won’t allow a whole lot of yards. That should add up to a solid fantasy day for them.

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

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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.”

For the Philadelphia Eagles, Michael Vick injury news is a recurring theme. After missing three weeks with broken ribs, Vick returned to the Eagles when the team faced the Miami Dolphins on December 11. Now, the Eagles quarterback is back to being on the shelf. Vick was held out of practice on Wednesday, December 14 due to soreness in his ribs. The Eagles are optimistic that he will play against the New York Jets on Sunday, December 18. However, things remain up in the air about the status of Vick. As an Eagles fan, I have become accustomed to Vick injury news by now.

One of the big issues with Vick is his playing style. The reason many were critical of the huge contract the Eagles gave him in the offseason is because of Vick’s tendency to get hurt. He missed several games in 2010 because of injuries and has already missed three in 2011. Vick was also banged up a number of times earlier in the season. He has not been effective in 2011 and the number of injuries could be one reason for that. Vick’s inability to stay healthy has been a major concern all season. Based on how he plays, I don’t see that concern going away.

I think Vick will play against the Jets, but I still find this news troubling. Every week there is a health issue with Vick. That is not what you want with a franchise quarterback. The Eagles need Vick to be a guy that can play every snap in a season. If he can’t be that guy, he isn’t likely to lead them to a Super Bowl. I’m not sure his ribs will be fully healed between now and the end of the season. That means that every week will be one in which fans have to wait and see regarding the status of the starting quarterback.

I think it is imperative for Vick and the Eagles to take a new approach in 2012. The Eagles can’t go into the 2012 season with worries over Vick’s healthy on a weekly basis. That will only hinder the goal of winning a championship. Vick talked before about sliding more and playing smarter. He will need to deliver on that if he is going to earn his contract.

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Read More: Jeremy Maclin (WR – PHI), Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is active and will play in Week 14 against the Miami Dolphins, according to Reuben Frank of Comcast Sportsnet Philly:

On Saturday, Maclin was downgraded from probable to questionable with a hamstring injury that he has dealt with the past few weeks, but now he is apparently ready to go and set to team up with Michael Vick once again. He missed the previous three games dealing with the injury, but is active and ready to help Vick get the passing attack jump-started again.

For more on Jeremy Maclin and the Philadelphia Eagles, visit SB Nation’s Eagles blog Bleeding Green Nation.

Depending on your vantage point, Marshawn Lynch(notes) was either really, really good, or the Philadelphia Eagles defense was pretty bad once again.

From my vantage point, it was equal parts both.

Give Lynch his props for that 148-yard, two-touchdown performance in the Seattle Seahawks’ 31-14 victory over the Eagles on Thursday night. But after that, it’s pretty much time to start bashing Philadelphia and thinking about next year.

Because the loss to Seattle dropped the Eagles to 4-8, dashing any hopes they might have had for making the postseason.

And with the talent on this team, that’s simply not acceptable.

I was among the many who were excited about what Philadelphia might accomplish this season after that bountiful offseason haul the team made in free-agent and trade acquisitions.

But I was also among the many who questioned Philadelphia’s choice to put so much stock in Michael Vick(notes), by offering him that huge contract and by trading away able backup Kevin Kolb(notes).

Why? Because the nature of Vick’s style of play makes him a constant threat to miss time with injuries—moreso than most quarterbacks. True, Kolb wanted out, and he has been sitting on the sidelines for the Arizona Cardinals with an injury of his own, but regardless, as we’ve seen the past couple of weeks, the Eagles just aren’t the same dynamic scoring threat without Vick as they are with him.

And that’s with running back LeSean McCoy(notes) putting together a Pro Bowl-caliber season.

McCoy had another solid game on Thursday, carrying 17 times for 84 yards and a touchdown, and catching four passes for 49 yards and another TD.

Vince Young(notes) was game, filling in at quarterback again for Vick, but he threw four picks and had a 52.7 QB rating. Maybe it’s not fair to be too hard on the backup quarterback, but again, with Vick as your No. 1 guy, you HAVE to have a No. 2 who can step in and step up.

And that brings me to the biggest problem with the Philadelphia Eagles this season. Not enough guys have stepped up. Coach Andy Reid has become a favorite target of Eagles fans, and at this point, it’s all deserved, as far as I’m concerned.

This team has a ton of talent, but is poorly coached and poorly managed, and seems to be littered with players who give inconsistent effort from week to week.

It’s time for a house-cleaning. It’s time to make some front-office adjustments, and to bench guys like the pouty DeSean Jackson(notes) who aren’t giving full effort and give playing time to the young, hungry players who have something to prove for next season and beyond.

Because there’s no longer anything to play for this season.

And because most of the rest of these guys have already proven plenty this season. Namely that they’re worthy of that pitiful 4-8 record.

Sources:

Eagles out of playoffs after bad loss

Marshawn Lynch rushes for 148 yards to carry Seahawks past error-prone Eagles

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Philadelphia Eagles (4-7) at Seattle Seahawks (4-7)

Thursday, 7:20 p.m., NFL Network

Streaks, stats and notes: Philadelphia is 5-1 in Thursday night games, Seattle 0-2. … QB Vince Young likely to get third straight start with Michael Vick ruled out with broken ribs. Young threw for career-high 400 yards in loss to New England. … RB LeSean McCoy, who entered last week’s game as league’s leading rusher, had just 10 carries against New England. … Eagles have fallen into second in NFL in rushing, less than half-yard behind Denver. … DE Jason Babin is tied for fifth in NFL with 10 sacks. Babin played for Seattle in 2007 and 2008. .. CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is out with ankle injury. He had four career interceptions against Seattle during his time playing for Arizona. … Eagles turnover margin of minus-9 is 29th in NFL. … Eagles are being outscored 88-41 in fourth quarter. … Seattle QB Tarvaris Jackson had his worst game of season last Sunday, completing 46.7 percent of passes and his 144 yards were a season low. Jackson was also intercepted in fourth quarter and appeared to have least amount of force behind his passes since his chest injury suffered in Week 5 against Giants. … Jackson’s been sacked 28 times, tied for fourth most in league. … RB Marshawn Lynch has at least one touchdown in seven straight games, longest streak of his career, and has topped 100 yards rushing in three of his last four. Lynch caught 20-yard TD last week vs. Washington, his first TD receiving since Nov. 17, 2008 vs. Cleveland. Lynch has just two TDs receiving in career.

Times-Picayune predictions

John DeShazier, sports columnist: Eagles 28-20

Jeff Duncan, Saints columnist: Seahawks 27-23

Nakia Hogan, NFL writer: Eagles 23-21

Doug Tatum, sports editor: Eagles 24-17

Mike Triplett, Saints beat writer: Eagles 20-16

James Varney, Saints beat writer: Seahawks 21-17

Read More: Michael Vick (QB – PHI), Vince Young (QB – PHI), Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick will miss his second consecutive game this Sunday after suffering broken ribs in a loss to the Arizona Cardinals, according to Comcast Philly.

According to their team source, Vince Young will make his second straight start at quarterback for the Eagles.

Vick threw on Tuesday and said on Thursday he was improving, but coach Andy Reid has already told Young that he will start, according to the report.

Young guided the Eagles to victory last week against the New York Giants and will face stiff competition this weekend as well.

When the season began, this was expected to be a showdown between two of the league’s best teams, possibly even a Super Bowl preview. However, due to injuries and poor play, the Eagles sputter into the game with a 4-6 record and need to win-out in order to have a chance at the playoffs.

For more on Vick and the Eagles, visit Bleeding Green Nation.