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.”

PHILADELPHIA – For all those super expectations, all the preseason hype, all the big-name additions, the Philadelphia Eagles are left to ponder all that went wrong.

Despite their late-season surge — a three-game winning streak — the Eagles (7-8) aren’t going to the playoffs. That’s the reality for this Dream Team.

So before they begin looking ahead to next season, they’re thinking about the ‘what ifs?’ One play could be the difference in several of the losses, especially because the Eagles blew five fourth-quarter leads.

“If we would have gotten into the playoffs, I feel we would have definitely done some damage,” quarterback Michael Vick said after Saturday’s 20-7 win at Dallas. “It’s unfortunate that we didn’t and that’s the game of football. If you make some mistakes early and you get behind in the count in the win/loss column, you sell yourself short in the end and you’re in the position that we are in. We’re just happy that we are finishing strong. We have one more game to play and we’re going to give it everything we’ve got.”

Vick and his teammates wasted an opportunity to repeat as division champions in a mediocre NFC East that will crown a champion — either the Cowboys or New York Giants — with no more than nine wins.

The Eagles entered Saturday at 6-8 and still had a chance to win the division, but were eliminated when the Giants beat the New York Jets, rendering their game at Dallas meaningless.

“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. I think we are well put together and well fit. We’re playing together and that’s what it’s all about. But it takes time to build that chemistry, build that unity, that togetherness. Doing it now, it’s exciting for me and there’s not a place that I’d rather be each and every day.”

When the Eagles went on a spending spree and brought in Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Cullen Jenkins, Steve Smith, Ronnie Brown and Vince Young to join a roster that already had a talented core of star players, expectations were elevated to perhaps unrealistic levels.

Even management declared this an all-or-nothing season in which nothing less than a Super Bowl victory would be considered a success. Now the Eagles are looking back and wondering how much they really needed those off-season minicamps and a full training camp.

“We are finishing strong, and are showing the fans and everybody else what the true Eagles could have been, what we could have been doing at the beginning of the season,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “It just took a while to get there. We take that into the off-season and don’t look back.”

It seemed the Eagles could be headed for major changes when they were 4-8. Fans wanted coach Andy Reid fired and it appeared offensive-line-coach-turned-defensive-co-ordinator Juan Castillo would lose his job.

But a strong finish could keep this coaching staff together for at least another season. Reid is missing the playoffs for just the fourth time in 13 years, so this is new territory for many of his players.

“This is an unfamiliar feeling, an unfamiliar sight,” wide receiver DeSean Jackson said. “I’ve never really witnessed this. It’s a reality check. Look in the mirror. Everybody has to check themselves. Hopefully, we can finish strong and come back in the off-season or next year, whenever we are all together, and really eliminate all the mistakes we had early on.”

So before they begin looking ahead to next season, they’re thinking about the ‘what ifs?’ One play could be the difference in several of the losses, especially because the Eagles blew five fourth-quarter leads.

“If we would have gotten into the playoffs, I feel we would have definitely done some damage,” quarterback Michael Vick said after Saturday’s 20-7 win at Dallas. “It’s unfortunate that we didn’t and that’s the game of football. If you make some mistakes early and you get behind in the count in the win/loss column, you sell yourself short in the end and you’re in the position that we are in. We’re just happy that we are finishing strong. We have one more game to play and we’re going to give it everything we’ve got.”

Vick and his teammates wasted an opportunity to repeat as division champions in a mediocre NFC East that will crown a champion — either the Cowboys or New York Giants — with no more than nine wins.

The Eagles entered Saturday at 6-8 and still had a chance to win the division, but were eliminated when the Giants beat the New York Jets, rendering their game at Dallas meaningless.

“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. I think we are well put together and well fit. We’re playing together and that’s what it’s all about. But it takes time to build that chemistry, build that unity, that togetherness. Doing it now, it’s exciting for me and there’s not a place that I’d rather be each and every day.”

When the Eagles went on a spending spree and brought in Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Cullen Jenkins, Steve Smith, Ronnie Brown and Vince Young to join a roster that already had a talented core of star players, expectations were elevated to perhaps unrealistic levels.

Even management declared this an all-or-nothing season in which nothing less than a Super Bowl victory would be considered a success. Now the Eagles are looking back and wondering how much they really needed those offseason minicamps and a full training camp.

“We are finishing strong, and are showing the fans and everybody else what the true Eagles could have been, what we could have been doing at the beginning of the season,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “It just took a while to get there. We take that into the offseason and don’t look back.”

It seemed the Eagles could be headed for major changes when they were 4-8. Fans wanted coach Andy Reid fired and it appeared offensive-line-coach-turned-defensive-coordinator Juan Castillo would lose his job.

But a strong finish could keep this coaching staff together for at least another season. Reid is missing the playoffs for just the fourth time in 13 years, so this is new territory for many of his players.

“This is an unfamiliar feeling, an unfamiliar sight,” wide receiver DeSean Jackson said. “I’ve never really witnessed this. It’s a reality check. Look in the mirror. Everybody has to check themselves. Hopefully, we can finish strong and come back in the offseason or next year, whenever we are all together, and really eliminate all the mistakes we had early on.”

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

For all those super expectations, all the preseason hype, all
the big-name additions, the Philadelphia Eagles are left to ponder
all that went wrong.

Despite their late-season surge _ a three-game winning streak _
the Eagles (7-8) aren’t going to the playoffs. That’s the reality
for this Dream Team.

So before they begin looking ahead to next season, they’re
thinking about the `what ifs?’ One play could be the difference in
several of the losses, especially because the Eagles blew five
fourth-quarter leads.

“If we would have gotten into the playoffs, I feel we would have
definitely done some damage,” quarterback Michael Vick said after
Saturday’s 20-7 win at Dallas. “It’s unfortunate that we didn’t and
that’s the game of football. If you make some mistakes early and
you get behind in the count in the win/loss column, you sell
yourself short in the end and you’re in the position that we are
in. We’re just happy that we are finishing strong. We have one more
game to play and we’re going to give it everything we’ve got.”

Vick and his teammates wasted an opportunity to repeat as
division champions in a mediocre NFC East that will crown a
champion _ either the Cowboys or New York Giants _ with no more
than nine wins.

The Eagles entered Saturday at 6-8 and still had a chance to win
the division, but were eliminated when the Giants beat the New York
Jets, rendering their game at Dallas meaningless.

“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. I think we are
well put together and well fit. We’re playing together and that’s
what it’s all about. But it takes time to build that chemistry,
build that unity, that togetherness. Doing it now, it’s exciting
for me and there’s not a place that I’d rather be each and every
day.”

When the Eagles went on a spending spree and brought in Nnamdi
Asomugha, Jason Babin, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Cullen Jenkins,
Steve Smith, Ronnie Brown and Vince Young to join a roster that
already had a talented core of star players, expectations were
elevated to perhaps unrealistic levels.

Even management declared this an all-or-nothing season in which
nothing less than a Super Bowl victory would be considered a
success. Now the Eagles are looking back and wondering how much
they really needed those offseason minicamps and a full training
camp.

“We are finishing strong, and are showing the fans and everybody
else what the true Eagles could have been, what we could have been
doing at the beginning of the season,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “It
just took a while to get there. We take that into the offseason and
don’t look back.”

It seemed the Eagles could be headed for major changes when they
were 4-8. Fans wanted coach Andy Reid fired and it appeared
offensive-line-coach-turned-defensive-coordinator Juan Castillo
would lose his job.

But a strong finish could keep this coaching staff together for
at least another season. Reid is missing the playoffs for just the
fourth time in 13 years, so this is new territory for many of his
players.

“This is an unfamiliar feeling, an unfamiliar sight,” wide
receiver DeSean Jackson said. “I’ve never really witnessed this.
It’s a reality check. Look in the mirror. Everybody has to check
themselves. Hopefully, we can finish strong and come back in the
offseason or next year, whenever we are all together, and really
eliminate all the mistakes we had early on.”

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — For all those super expectations, all the preseason hype, all the big-name additions, the Philadelphia Eagles are left to ponder all that went wrong.

Despite their late-season surge — a three-game winning streak — the Eagles (7-8) aren’t going to the playoffs. That’s the reality for this Dream Team.

So before they begin looking ahead to next season, they’re thinking about the ‘what ifs?’ One play could be the difference in several of the losses, especially because the Eagles blew five fourth-quarter leads.

“If we would have gotten into the playoffs, I feel we would have definitely done some damage,” quarterback Michael Vick said after Saturday’s 20-7 win at Dallas. “It’s unfortunate that we didn’t and that’s the game of football. If you make some mistakes early and you get behind in the count in the win/loss column, you sell yourself short in the end and you’re in the position that we are in. We’re just happy that we are finishing strong. We have one more game to play and we’re going to give it everything we’ve got.”

Vick and his teammates wasted an opportunity to repeat as division champions in a mediocre NFC East that will crown a champion — either the Cowboys or New York Giants — with no more than nine wins.

The Eagles entered Saturday at 6-8 and still had a chance to win the division, but were eliminated when the Giants beat the New York Jets, rendering their game at Dallas meaningless.

“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. I think we are well put together and well fit. We’re playing together and that’s what it’s all about. But it takes time to build that chemistry, build that unity, that togetherness. Doing it now, it’s exciting for me and there’s not a place that I’d rather be each and every day.”

When the Eagles went on a spending spree and brought in Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Cullen Jenkins, Steve Smith, Ronnie Brown and Vince Young to join a roster that already had a talented core of star players, expectations were elevated to perhaps unrealistic levels.

Even management declared this an all-or-nothing season in which nothing less than a Super Bowl victory would be considered a success. Now the Eagles are looking back and wondering how much they really needed those offseason minicamps and a full training camp.

“We are finishing strong, and are showing the fans and everybody else what the true Eagles could have been, what we could have been doing at the beginning of the season,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “It just took a while to get there. We take that into the offseason and don’t look back.”

It seemed the Eagles could be headed for major changes when they were 4-8. Fans wanted coach Andy Reid fired and it appeared offensive-line-coach-turned-defensive-coordinator Juan Castillo would lose his job.

But a strong finish could keep this coaching staff together for at least another season. Reid is missing the playoffs for just the fourth time in 13 years, so this is new territory for many of his players.

“This is an unfamiliar feeling, an unfamiliar sight,” wide receiver DeSean Jackson said. “I’ve never really witnessed this. It’s a reality check. Look in the mirror. Everybody has to check themselves. Hopefully, we can finish strong and come back in the offseason or next year, whenever we are all together, and really eliminate all the mistakes we had early on.”

The Philadelphia Eagles were eliminated from NFL playoff contention after the New York Giants beat the Jets on Saturday.

The 29-14 win by the Giants took the Eagles out of the playoff race.

The Dallas Cowboys will play the Giants next weekend for the NFC East title, which the Eagles won last season.

The Eagles beat the Cowboys 20-7 in a game played later on Saturday.

Philadelphia came into the 2011 regular season with a huge amount of hype with a slew of free agent signings.

But the Eagles became unhinged quickly as the team couldn’t put together consistent games and lost big leads in the fourth quarter with regularity.

What’s next for the Eagles is unclear, starting with the fate of head coach Andy Reid and his staff

Reid is expected to return as he has two years left on his contract with the Eagles

Defensive coordinator Juan Castillo was under fire all season.
The Eagles never had a winning record after week one of the season, and the team struggled at home.

And while LeSean McCoy, Jason Peters and Jason Babin had Pro Bowl seasons, DeSean Jackson, Michael Vick and Nnamdi Asomugha didn’t.

The fate of receiver Jackson is also unknown. Jackson becomes a free agent in the offseason after a poor year in Philadelphia punctuated by a contract dispute.

The Eagles also need to sign McCoy and Jeremy Maclin to long-term deals and need to shore up a leaky defense, so Jackson’s return is unlikely.
 

By By Jeff Mclane, The Philadelphia Inquirer (MCT)

PHILADELPHIA — Asante Samuel did not practice with the Eagles for the second straight day, putting his availability for Saturday’s game at Dallas very much in question.

Eagles coach Andy Reid said Samuel tried to run on his strained hamstring Tuesday, but that the cornerback felt sore afterward and was subsequently held out from Wednesday’s and Thursday’s sessions.

“Asante is still a little sore, and we’ll just see how he does here over the next couple days,” Reid said.

Because of the short work week, Thursday was the last strenuous practice before the Eagles board a flight Friday afternoon. There will be a light walk-through in the morning at which point the team will decide whether or not Samuel is fit enough to travel.

The Eagles aren’t required to release their official injury report for the Cowboys game until Friday.

If Samuel can’t go, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will make his first start at left cornerback. Rodgers-Cromartie did start against Buffalo in October, but that was as the nickel cornerback, where he’s played most of the season.

Rodgers-Cromartie, who was acquired in the trade with Arizona for Kevin Kolb during training camp, filled in for Samuel when he left in the second quarter of Sunday’s game vs. the New York Jets.

“That’s where he’s played over the years,” Reid said. “We worked him as an inside player, and I thought he was getting better every week with that, but his natural spot, where he feels the most comfortable, is on the outside.

“He’s looked good; he’s done a nice job. He doesn’t have a problem doing it.”

Samuel attended the first part of Wednesday’s and Thursday’s practices, taking mental repetitions at certain points. Reid was asked if the 30-year-old Samuel, because of his experience, could play despite the lack of preparation this week.

“Yeah, he knows what we’re doing,” Reid said.

Samuel hasn’t missed a game this season, but the possibility of his not being ready by Saturday’s 4:15 p.m. kickoff is one of the scenarios the Eagles had in mind when they decided to keep three starting-caliber cornerbacks this season.

“We have this many talented corners on the team so we can fit people in when somebody goes down, if need be,” said Nnamdi Asomugha, the third component of that triumvirate. “I don’t think every team has that to their advantage.”

Rodgers-Cromartie missed three games in late November and early December due to a high-ankle sprain. Joselio Hanson replaced him in the nickel and has pretty much stayed in the slot even though Rodgers-Cromartie has been healthy the last two games.

Rodgers-Cromartie, who wasn’t available for comment Thursday, had never played the nickel before this season, and it has showed often.

PHILADELPHIA — Nnamdi Asomugha was headed for Broadway when the Philadelphia Eagles swooped in at the last minute and stole the All-Pro cornerback from the New York Jets [team stats].

Too bad for him there are no do-overs in free agency.

Asomugha chose the Eagles over the Jets, thinking he could help the defending NFC East champions reach the Super Bowl. That won’t happen this year.

The Eagles (5-8) are clinging to slim playoff hopes entering Sunday’s game against New York (8-5). Maybe Asomugha should’ve picked that other team in green instead.

“No, I don’t regret it at all,” Asomugha said. “The thing that has been very difficult is not winning. I think the tough part about that is the fact that the expectations were really high coming into it. Even if my expectations were realistic, the expectations that were out there, I think, I kind of let that get to me, as well, the expectations of everything will be and must be perfect with this team now that they’ve acquired these players and blah, blah, blah.

“I always have a realistic approach to it, but I kind of let that seep through and then that made the losing of it all a little bit tougher, a little bit more difficult to deal with. But no, I have never, have not and will not regret it. Our story still isn’t over yet, so there is always something to learn and we’re still fighting. That’s pretty much where I stand with that.”

The Eagles stunned the football world when they signed Asomugha to a $60 million, five-year contract shortly after the NFL’s lockout ended in July. A day earlier, the Eagles had acquired two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in a trade from Arizona.

Asomugha, Rodgers-Cromartie and Asante Samuel [stats], a four-time Pro Bowl pick, were expected to form the best cornerback trio in the league. But they haven’t come close to fulfilling those expectations.

Part of the problem for Asomugha has been fitting into a different defensive scheme than the one he excelled in for years in Oakland. Defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, who switched from coaching the offensive line, gave Asomugha far more responsibilities than he was used to with the Raiders.

“It’s been completely different from what I was doing in Oakland,” Asomugha said. “Obviously, in Oakland, when I was there it was about just finding a guy, matching up with him and playing him one-on-one pretty much the whole game. It’s just completely different than with the one-on-ones and putting in some new things.

“He has also been just moving me around the field. He’s wanted me to be sometimes the corner, wanted me to be sometimes the nickel, he’s wanted me to play a rover, sometimes a free safety, and there are some challenges with that because you basically have to learn the scheme and the coverages for every single position that you have to play. That’s where I think that the biggest challenge has come in, is knowing how you fit based off each call, depending on what position you’re playing. Then, he has some different techniques that he has guys playing.”

Perhaps things would’ve been different if Asomugha had picked the Jets. With star cornerback Darrelle Revis shadowing the opponent’s top receiver on one side, Asomugha may have been left alone to play man coverage against the No. 2 guy.

Jets coach Rex Ryan called Asomugha once the free agency period opened and went after him hard during the recruiting process.

“I really liked the staff there in New York,” Asomugha said. “I was really close with Rob Ryan, so I know that Rex, being his twin, would be very similar to him. During the 48 hours or whatever it was that we were able to talk, they were saying some really great things. I liked how the defense played. They were doing a lot of the things that I had done throughout my career, so there wouldn’t be much adjusting or anything like that. I was really close.”

Then, the Eagles called.

“The Eagles came in that 11th hour or whatever it was,” Asomugha said. “All along, I had always admired the Eagles. They were always the team that, if they were involved, that was where I wanted to be. At the end there, they did, they came in, so I managed to flip back to how I was thinking in the beginning.”

PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Nnamdi Asomugha was headed for Broadway when the
Philadelphia Eagles swooped in at the last minute and stole the All-Pro
cornerback from the New York Jets.

Too bad for him there are no do-overs in free agency.

Asomugha chose the Eagles over the Jets, thinking he could help the
defending NFC East champions reach the Super Bowl. That won’t happen this year.

The Eagles (5-8) are clinging to slim playoff hopes entering Sunday’s game
against New York (8-5). Maybe Asomugha should’ve picked that other team in green
instead.

“No, I don’t regret it at all,” Asomugha said. “The thing that has been
very difficult is not winning. I think the tough part about that is the fact
that the expectations were really high coming into it. Even if my expectations
were realistic, the expectations that were out there, I think, I kind of let
that get to me, as well, the expectations of everything will be and must be
perfect with this team now that they’ve acquired these players and blah, blah,
blah.

“I always have a realistic approach to it, but I kind of let that seep
through and then that made the losing of it all a little bit tougher, a little
bit more difficult to deal with. But no, I have never, have not and will not
regret it. Our story still isn’t over yet, so there is always something to learn
and we’re still fighting. That’s pretty much where I stand with that.”

The Eagles stunned the football world when they signed Asomugha to a $60
million, five-year contract shortly after the NFL’s lockout ended in July. A day
earlier, the Eagles had acquired two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique
Rodgers-Cromartie in a trade from Arizona.

Asomugha, Rodgers-Cromartie and Asante Samuel, a four-time Pro Bowl pick,
were expected to form the best cornerback trio in the league. But they haven’t
come close to fulfilling those expectations.

Part of the problem for Asomugha has been fitting into a different defensive
scheme than the one he excelled in for years in Oakland. Defensive coordinator
Juan Castillo, who switched from coaching the offensive line, gave Asomugha far
more responsibilities than he was used to with the Raiders.

“It’s been completely different from what I was doing in Oakland,”
Asomugha said. “Obviously, in Oakland, when I was there it was about just
finding a guy, matching up with him and playing him one-on-one pretty much the
whole game. It’s just completely different than with the one-on-ones and
putting in some new things.

“He has also been just moving me around the field. He’s wanted me to be
sometimes the corner, wanted me to be sometimes the nickel, he’s wanted me to
play a rover, sometimes a free safety, and there are some challenges with that
because you basically have to learn the scheme and the coverages for every
single position that you have to play. That’s where I think that the biggest
challenge has come in, is knowing how you fit based off each call, depending on
what position you’re playing. Then, he has some different techniques that he has
guys playing.”

Perhaps things would’ve been different if Asomugha had picked the Jets. With
star cornerback Darrelle Revis shadowing the opponent’s top receiver on one
side, Asomugha may have been left alone to play man coverage against the No. 2
guy.

Jets coach Rex Ryan called Asomugha once the free agency period opened and
went after him hard during the recruiting process.

“I really liked the staff there in New York,” Asomugha said. “I was
really close with Rob Ryan, so I know that Rex, being his twin, would be very
similar to him. During the 48 hours or whatever it was that we were able to
talk, they were saying some really great things. I liked how the defense played.
They were doing a lot of the things that I had done throughout my career, so
there wouldn’t be much adjusting or anything like that. I was really close.”

Then, the Eagles called.

“The Eagles came in that 11th hour or whatever it was,” Asomugha said.
“All along, I had always admired the Eagles. They were always the team that, if
they were involved, that was where I wanted to be. At the end there, they did,
they came in, so I managed to flip back to how I was thinking in the
beginning.”

Asomugha spoke with Eagles quarterback Michael Vick and wide receiver DeSean
Jackson at the Pro Bowl last January. He knew several other players on the team
and was impressed with the way they talked about the organization.

“Obviously, no one is going to say anything disparaging about their
organization, but everything they were saying, I just took it to heart and
really liked it,” Asomugha said.

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.”

By Pat Johnston

– Newsdesk contributor

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Dec 14, 2011 – The Philadelphia Eagles released their most current injury report following practice today as they prepare for their game against the New York Jets. Quarterback Michael Vick (Ribs) was among the Eagles who did not practice today, though he did go through the walkthrough this morning. Eagles coach Andy Reid expects Vick to play on Sunday (via CSN Philly). Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (Hamstring, Shoulder) was the only Eagles player who was limited in practice today.

The following Eagles players were also held out of practice on Wednesday:

T Todd Herremans (Ankle)
DT Cullen Jenkins (Groin)
DE Darryl Tapp (Ribs)

The following Eagles were not limited in practice today:

CB Nnamdi Asomugha (Knee)
RB Ronnie Brown (Hamstring)
WR Riley Cooper (Groin)
DT Trevor Laws (Knee)
CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Ankle)

The Jets also released their injury report today. CB Marquice Cole (Knee) and G Brandon Moore (Hip) were held out of practice. DE Mike DeVito (Knee), DT Marcus Dixon (Hip), S Eric Smith (Knee) were limited in practice. OL Vladimir Ducasse (Knee), RB Shonn Greene (Rib), C Nick Mangold (Ankle), RB Joe McKnight (Elbow), LB Calvin Pace (Groin), G Matt Slauson (Knee) were not limited in practice.

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

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

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A 26-10 win at Miami on Sunday coupled with the New York Giants’ 37-34 victory at Dallas kept Philadelphia alive in the division race. Even at 5-8, the defending NFC East champions have a chance to repeat. They must win their last three games, and the Giants and Cowboys each have to finish no better than 1-2.

Tough task, for sure. But until they are mathematically eliminated, the Eagles aren’t conceding anything.

“It’s exciting. We’ve got three games left and it’s up for grabs,” coach Andy Reid said Monday. “I’d say that’s a good thing.”

Michael Vick returned after missing three games with broken ribs to help lead Philadelphia past the Dolphins (4-9). Vick had a so-so performance, completing just 15 of 30 passes for 208 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was also sacked four times.

Though he hasn’t played like the Pro Bowl starter he was last year, Vick was a distinct improvement over backup Vince Young. The Eagles were 1-2 with Young, including consecutive blowout losses to New England and Seattle.

“Just having his presence in the huddle, it changes everything,” running back LeSean McCoy said. “There are plays that should be called dead or be stopped, and instead you have Vick running around making plays down the field, so it’s good to have him back.”

While Vick’s return bolstered the offense, it was their maligned defense that carried the Eagles to victory in Miami. Juan Castillo’s crew had nine sacks, forced three turnovers and held the Dolphins to just 204 total yards in their best all-around effort this season.

Castillo, the offensive-line-coach-turned-defensive-coordinator, has been under intense scrutiny since Reid made the stunning decision to switch his position. For at least one week, Castillo will hold off some of the criticism.

“I think Juan did a really great job with the plays that he was calling,” cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said. “It helped us. We had some turnovers, had some sacks. It was exactly what we needed.”

Given the mediocre state of the NFC East, the Eagles are certainly kicking themselves for all those blown opportunities earlier in the season. They lost five games in which they led in the fourth quarter, including four at home.

“We started out slow and there were a lot of games that we were supposed to win and we didn’t finish,” Vick said. “We got some wins and we had some losses and then I got hurt. The guys just really rallied around each other win, lose or draw. I think the ultimate goal is to come out and win each and every week, but at the same time just play together.”

The biggest obstacle blocking the Eagles’ path to the playoff is their own play. It’s more likely that the Giants and Cowboys would lose two more games than the Eagles would win four in a row. They’ve had just one winning streak of two games this season when they beat Washington and Dallas sandwiched around a bye week in October.

“We have a chance. It does matter,” tight end Brent Celek said. “That’s all you can ask for after the position we left ourselves in. We just have to capitalize on every opportunity we have.”

The Eagles, 1-5 at Lincoln Financial Field this year, host the New York Jets (8-5) next. They’ll visit the Cowboys (7-6) on Dec. 24 and finish at home against the Redskins (4-9) on New Year’s Day.

Notes: WR Steve Smith was placed on injured reserve with a bone bruise in the same knee he had had microfracture surgery on last year. DT Cedric Thornton was signed off the practice squad to take his roster spot. … WR Jeremy Maclin (hamstring tightness), RT Todd Herremans (sprained ankle), DT Cullen Jenkins (strained groin), RB Ronnie Brown (strained hamstring strain), DE Darryl Tapp (broken rib) were injured against the Dolphins.

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

The Philadelphia Eagles make a new case every week that they just do not care anymore. When they have cared, the Eagles usually wind up blowing fourth quarter leads anyway. Now that Philadelphia is finished for the year and fans like myself are looking ahead to next year – and to the end of the Andy Reid era – there is even less reason for the Birds to make an effort.

It appeared that the Eagles knew that quite well in Seattle on Dec. 1, and hit their latest rock bottom as a result in a 31-14 debacle of a loss.

The Seahawks have nothing to play for themselves, as their slim playoff hopes were finished on Nov. 27 just like the Eagles’ were. Both Philadelphia and Seattle were embarrassed at home days earlier to finish them off – although at least the Birds lost to the New England Patriots while the Seahawks coughed a lead up to the 3-7 Washington Redskins.

Yet it was Seattle who played for what little life and pride it had left, while its notoriously loud fans still had enough left to cheer the Seahawks on. Meanwhile, the Eagles were lucky not to show this kind of effort in Philadelphia again, or else the boos and “Fire Andy” chants would have been louder than ever.

They would have had ample reason to boo Vince Young(notes) for his four picks – including one on the first play and another that went for a game-clinching touchdown late in the fourth. And after the latest round of poor communication and lack of effort from DeSean Jackson(notes), a few “Fire DeSean” chants might have broken out in Lincoln Financial Field as well. But maybe Jackson had the right idea to back off, since Eagles stars like Michael Vick(notes), Jeremy Maclin(notes) and Nnamdi Asomugha(notes) cannot seem to stay upright this season.

What’s more, old weaknesses reared their ugly head, as the offensive line broke down for old time’s sake. The run defense had begun to improve – although anything after the first few ugly weeks would have be an improvement – yet Marshawn Lynch(notes) tore the Eagles apart for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Lynch has been the hottest running back in the NFC even though the Seahawks have long been out of the playoff running – an example that few in Philadelphia seem to be following.

Reid hasn’t faced a season like this too often in the last 13 years, so maybe he is ill-equipped to make the team at least look like it is still trying. Instead, all the Eagles have shown is flashes of urgency, such as their winning drive against the New York Giants on Nov. 20 and their touchdown drive when they were down 24-7 in Seattle.

All those moments have done is made Philadelphia’s lack of effort, focus and interest in the other 50+ minutes look even worse by comparison, if that is possible.

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

Other stories by this contributor

Eagles fortunate to escape Philadelphia

Eagles, Seahawks have rare meaningless December ahead

McCoy must demand the ball from Reid, Eagles

Vick serves as cautionary tale for Tebow, Broncos

Cowboys take stranglehold on NFC East

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

There were back-to-back road games, to be sure, but at a pair of struggling teams in Seattle and Miami.

Before the season, most Eagles fans surely counted the two trips as wins.
But now that the Eagles (4-7) are a struggling team themselves, the two
wins — which Philadelphia absolutely must have for any hope of a playoff berth — don’t quite look so automatic.

Tonight’s game at the Seahawks (4-7) becomes problematic not so much for the foe as for the short week and killer travel. Seattle played on Sunday, as the Eagles did, but at home. Philadelphia basically got one day of practice (Tuesday), a couple of walk-throughs, no days off after a tough loss to New England and off it went to the West Coast.

“I know we crammed everything in (Tuesday) but you just have to get a little extra study time in and I feel like everybody should be OK,” said quarterback Vince Young, who once again will start for Michael Vick, sidelined for the third straight game with broken ribs. “It’s not really hard (to play such a short week). I mean we’re pros so guys have been through it (and) I’ve been through it down in Nashville. I think the guys said they played the Texans last year. So other guys have done it before. The only thing is the rookies, the young guys. I mean it’s different for them but overall guys that have been here and played know how to adjust to it pretty good.”

The Eagles did win a Thursday game against Houston last year, but it was the Texans who had to travel. Perhaps a more pertinent example to cite comes via this year’s New York Jets, who also came off getting hammered by the New England Patriots, had to travel to Denver on a Thursday and wound up losing a backbreaker on Nov. 17.

The Eagles say they are all set.

“Really, it’s kind of one of my first times I’ve experienced something like this, so I’m just taking it on the run,” wide receiver DeSean Jackson said. “But every day we’ll just come in to work. We leave on Wednesday, so it’s a quick week and we just have to be ready for it. That’s the next game ahead of us, Thursday, so that’s all we’re worried about. We’re not worried about anything behind us; we’re moving forward and we’re just going to go out there and try to win the game.”

When the Eagles get to Seattle, they will encounter a Seahawks squad that has been consistently inconsistent. Seattle owns wins over the New York Giants and Baltimore but is coming off a bad home loss, 23-17 to Washington, a loss that came in a familiar way to Birds fans: the Seahawks coughed up a 17-7 fourth-quarter lead.

But the Birds, of course, have problems of their own, starting with five players being ruled out with injuries. In addition to Vick, tackle King Dunlap, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, linebacker Moise Fokou and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are out, and cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and running back LeSean McCoy are questionable.

The defensive injuries are somewhat mitigated by the opponent. The Eagles’ defense, after having to deal with Tom Brady and his explosive buddies, will get a break this week facing quarterback Tarvaris Jackson and his damp squib of a Seahawk offense.

Jackson has thrown just nine touchdowns while firing up 12 interceptions for a 72.3 QB rating. Seattle ranks 25th in passing in the league and 27th in rushing and averages just 15.2 points per game in their last six. Leading rusher Marshawn Lynch averages just 3.9 yards per carry (706 yards on the season).

But Eagles coach Andy Reid said Jackson has improved as a quarterback since the Eagles last saw him with Minnesota in a 2009 playoff game.

“I would tell you like any young quarterback, every year and every game that they can get under their belt they have a chance to get better,”  Reid said. “That’s what he’s done. He’s a smart kid, very talented; he’s got a nice arm. He can throw the ball.”

But Jackson will be without one of his favorite receivers, wideout Sidney Rice (32
catches, 484 yards, 2 TDs). He will sit out with a concussion.

Eagles middle linebacker Jamar Chaney said the Seahawks may get some key help from their 12th man.

“They’re a pretty good team; they beat the Giants, they beat the Ravens. They’re really good at home and I’ve never played there but it’s one of the loudest stadiums you can play in,” he said. “So they’re going to be pretty excited.”

Defensively, the Seahawks contain the run fairly well (11th in the league at 100.9 yards per game) but rank 20th against the pass. But the real challenge for the Eagles tonight may not come from Seattle at all — can the Birds rebound from a terrible performance against New England in an absolute must-win situation?

“Whenever you’re facing adversity, or whenever you’re put in a situation where it’s tough, you don’t know what the outcome is going to be for the year and everything else,” center Jason Kelce said. “Everybody can play when you’re up and when things are going well, but when you’re backed into a corner, when you’re down, that’s when true character shows.”

Defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins said the Birds need to be prepared in more ways than just on the field.

“It’s not too much physical, we just have to get real tuned in mentally,” he said. “You know, nobody’s throwing in any towels and we’re ready to keep fighting and keep this thing going. People are frustrated still, but I think our team still has pretty good morale and we know we’re a good team. We have a quick opportunity here to try and get this thing turned around.”

And probably the last opportunity as well.