McCoy set franchise records in 2011 with 17 rushing touchdowns, and 20 total scores, while earning All Pro and Pro Bowl honors. He also led the NFL with 102 first downs and 48 runs of 10-plus yards, while finishing as the league’s fourth-leading rusher with 1,309 yards.

In 2010, McCoy ranked fourth in the NFL with 1,672 yards from scrimmage while leading all running backs with a career-high 78 catches.

Philadelphia had a disappointing 4-8 start last season, before rallying with four straight wins to end the year. The Eagles did not make the playoffs.

“We are excited to continue this offseason of taking care of our own players,” coach Andy Reid said. “LeSean is one of the most electrifying running backs in the National Football League. He can do it all — run, catch, block and score touchdowns from anywhere on the field.”

McCoy, a native of Harrisburg, was drafted in the 2009 second round out of the University of Pittsburgh. He has played in 46 games, with 32 starts, and has registered 4,241 yards from scrimmage.

“He’s worked extremely hard to turn himself into a Pro Bowl running back,” Reid said, “and he is well deserving of this contract extension.”

PROVO — Looking fast, healthy and comfortable, wide receiver McKay Jacobson ran a variety of routes, and caught an array of passes from former BYU teammate Max Hall, during BYU’s pro day in late March.

“It was really good to throw with him,” Jacobson recalled this week. “It had been a couple of years since we’d played together. I was happy that he was there.”

The NFL scouts looking on that day apparently took notice.

Not long after pro day, former vice president of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, Gil Brandt, who serves as a draft analyst for the NFL.com, made a bold assessment.

“Jacobson has the chance to be a very good pro player,” Brandt wrote.

Those words buoyed Jacobson, who caught 113 passes for 1,836 yards and nine touchdowns during his Cougar career.

“It’s definitely good to get some good feedback,” he said. “I knew (Brandt) was with the Cowboys for many years. It was a very cool thing to read that and feel like my hard work would pay off and that I would get an opportunity.”

The former BYU wideout will soon embark on his NFL career and try to prove Brandt right. Jacobson signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles over the weekend, and will depart for the City of Brotherly Love on May 11 for rookie camp.

“I’m definitely ready for the next chapter in my life. I feel grateful that I get to play with such a great organization like Philadelphia,” he said. “For me, like all of the new guys, you’re fighting for position for playing time and making the active roster. You have to be very competitive. It’s everybody’s livelihood now. At the end of the day, it’s football and I’ve been doing it my whole life. It’s the next level. I’m just grateful for the opportunity.”

The Eagles weren’t the only team interested in Jacobson’s services.

“My agent told me he was in contact with a few teams. It came down to the (New York) Jets or Philadelphia,” he said. “I did some background research on some teams and thought about teams I wanted to go for if I got the chance. I felt really good about Philadelphia and decided to go with them.”

Two Virginia sisters whose national nonprofit based on treasure hunts has raised more than $7 million in scholarships for the children of military veterans, a Georgia high school student whose environmental activism has led to the recycling of 8,000 tons of waste and a Yale University violin virtuoso whose concerts have raised close to $5 million to help fight children’s neurological disease are among this year’s recipients of the 2012 Jefferson Awards.

Known as the “Nobel Prize for public service,” the Jefferson Awards honor extraordinary individuals and companies whose profound achievements and commitment to their communities are making the world a better place to live. 

Among the 2012 honorees are NFL Player Engagement Vice President and former All-Pro defensive back Troy Vincent, Tribeca Film Festival, accepted by cofounders Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, and pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc.

“This year’s Jefferson Awards recipients have made real and lasting differences in the lives of countless people,” said Sam Beard, who with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and U.S. Senator Robert Taft, Jr. founded the Jefferson Awards, now in their 40th year.  “Their remarkable contributions – in fundraising, activism, community service and the arts – nobly reflect one of the founding qualities of our republic: a commitment to help one another and serve the greater good.   The Jefferson Awards is proud to bestow on them this fitting tribute in recognition of the breadth and scope of their extraordinary achievements.”

A five-time Pro Bowler and cornerback whose 15 years in the NFL established him as one of the league’s greatest leaders, NFL Player Engagement Vice President Troy Vincent continues to make significant contributions off the football field.  His dedication to community outreach and personal commitment to helping the underserved has always been one of his highest priorities.  He and his wife Tommi founded Love Thy Neighbor, a community development corporation that has awarded more than $600,000 in college scholarships to Trenton area students and provides other programs in fatherhood mentoring,educational training and support and community service. 

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

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

Dallas Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones publicly stated that the Philadelphia Eagles scare him. That is a tough statement for an owner to make and I have to wonder if he doubts his team can beat the Eagles or if he thinks saying this might throw the Eagles off.

For one thing, when a player or coach says a team scares them, you should be really worried. These are the guys out there playing or calling plays and they can’t play a team they are scared of at 100-percent. However, Jones is a front office man who sat in his luxury box earlier in the season and watched the Eagles lay the smack down on his Cowboys. I’d be scared to if I was him.

But should he have said it publicly? I don’t think he should have said it because now he is leaving doubt in the minds of his players. He mentioned the butt kicking the Eagles’ gave the Cowboys as a reason for the fear. He also said that he does his best when he is scared.

The problem here is that he can’t do anything while he is scared except try to pump up his team and then sit in his luxury box and tremble before the might of LeSean McCoy. The only people that can do anything when it comes to winning this game are Jason Garrett, Rob Ryan and the players on the field.

And they read the news. They know their owner just said he was scared of the Eagles. Shouldn’t they be too?

In the first game, the big loss, they lost Sean Lee and Mike Jenkins to injury in the game. That meant they lost their best corner and their leading tackler. They overcompensated for the loss of Jenkins and McCoy shredded that defense. This week, Lee and Jenkins will both play and DeMarcus Ware is healthy too.

I don’t see LeSean McCoy running wild again. I am scared of McCoy but I am not playing either, so it doesn’t matter.

Just like it shouldn’t matter who Jones is afraid of either.

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

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

By Dan Klausner

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Oct 19, 2011 – And so the angry lynch mob will stay at bay for a few weeks. As the Eagles temporarily saved their season with an underwhelming win against the Redskins, there were reasons to be both encouraged and discouraged about this team going forward. It was a classic Jekyll and Hyde performance, and a game the Eagles likely would have lost had they been playing a competent quarterback. Luckily, Rex Grossman has made a career of teetering on the brink of competency, and he went into self-destruct mode on Sunday. Regardless, it was a relief to see the defense come through, especially when the offense continuously failed to put the game away. The win is certainly nice and a good feeling to have going into the bye, but by no means should the Eagles be satisfied because we could easily be talking about another epic second half collapse, a 1-5 record, and a lost season.

The Good

1. Offensive play-calling.

First… LeSean McCoy. I love this novel concept of giving the ball to your best player on offense and letting him do his thing. Whodathunk it might work?! A career-high 28 carries and 30 total touches for Shady, which yielded 139 total yards (126 rushing). Better yet, 17 of those carries came in the first half as the Eagles were building a lead. HALLELUJAH! Andy, again, let’s just try a ~25 carries per game experiment for a bit. As electrifying as Michael Vick is to watch, he’s a mistake-prone quarterback by nature, and that hasn’t changed with his reincarnation in Philadelphia. Last season was the exception, not the rule. Quite simply, the more he drops back, the more chances there are that he will throw an interception or get hit and fumble (or suffer an injury). Meanwhile, McCoy has not fumbled the ball yet this season and done so just four times in his career (losing two), which has featured 606 total touches so far. He’s also not a slight back in the least and is equipped to carry a heavy load on offense, just as he did in college. For the love of all things holy, give Shady the football.

I can’t write about McCoy’s performance and not mention his infamous poke/jab right into Andy Reid’s gut after thinking he’d picked up a first down to end the game (turns out he was short of the marker and Vick needed to gain that final fraction of a yard to finish it off). The .gif has already secured all-time great status and its place in history next to the one of DeSean Jackson and Reid chest/butt/side bumping after a touchdown against the Giants two seasons ago. It was just a perfect moment all around. Sure, Shady likely just got carried away and was being playful, but I’d rather think it was his way of telling Andy, “SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GIVE ME THE BALL, YOU [STRING OF EXPLETIVES]!?!?!” You know, that kind of poke/jab. After the game, Andy said Shady can do whatever he wants if he plays like that… so hopefully more gut poke/jabs are on the way.

The Eagles are ranked FIRST in the league in rushing because of Shady and Vick’s seven scrambles per game. Andy, it’s time to embrace and employ the run. Don’t fight it anymore. Please. I’m way beyond sick and tired of watching a soft football team.

Second… three-step drops and short, quick passes. This was certainly an adjustment for Michael Vick, who likes to hold onto the ball and extend plays, but it worked really well. He was able to get the ball of out of his hand fast and minimize the risk of getting hit. It was great to see Brent Celek more involved, too. Traditional West Coast offense > Feast or famine aerial attack. The emphasis for this offense going forward should be centered around efforts to protect Vick*, who continues to struggle against the blitz, and an increased focus on putting the ball in LeSean McCoy’s hands.

*Edit: This should also include moving the pocket and calling more designed roll-outs to make up for the fact that he’s barely 6’0″.

2. Defense. Against the run and the pass. Just marvelous. That was easily the best game the unit has played thus far. Tough, fundamentally sound, swarming, and opportunistic. FINALLY. Yes, it came against an anemic Redskins offense, but at least it happened against somebody. The Skins’ rushing attack that came into the game ranked in the top ten was smothered from the very beginning. I really thought that offensive line was going to be able to handle the Eagles’ front seven and dictate the flow of the game. I was sorely mistaken. Tightening up the “wide nine” yielded favorable results, and each player on that Eagles defense brought his big boy game. Obviously Juan Castillo’s defensive gameplan going in was to sell out to stop the run and force Rex Grossman to throw because he’s terrible. But it’s one thing to scheme and another to actually execute. Eagles defenders remained disciplined, filled gaps, attacked the line of scrimmage instead of flowing to the ball (which you have to do against the zone blocking scheme), and actually made tackles. That bone-rattling Nnamdi Asomugha hit on Chris Cooley (which broke his finger) to stop him short of a first down was a tone-setter and momentum-shifter. Throw in four interceptions, two of which were made inside the five-yard line, and you have a very encouraging performance from the defense. That unit made big plays when it had to — especially to bail out the offense — and was the difference in the game, but forgive me if I’m not yet convinced. Let’s see how this new-look defense plays against better offenses, as it’s important to remember that a quarterback who doesn’t suck probably completes two of those interceptions for touchdowns instead.

PS – Derek Landri, despite limited playing time, was a force at defensive tackle. He picked up right where he left off in the preseason. Landri just makes plays and was probably the hardest guy for the Eagles to cut during the final roster trimming. I’m surprised no other team picked him up. In just 14 snaps Sunday, Landri recorded four tackles (three solo) — the most memorable of which was when he stood up Ryan Torain for only a one-yard gain on 2nd and 4 in the second quarter. I have a feeling he will be seeing increased playing time.

3. Kurt Coleman. KURT COLEMAN! He had the game of his life and, like Nate Allen last week, took a stranglehold of one of the starting safety spots. In addition to the three interceptions (first time an Eagle has done that in 45 years), he led the team with seven tackle and had two pass breakups. Coleman was flying all over the field and making plays in a display very reminiscent of his days at Ohio State. One game does not a season make, but perhaps it’s a glimpse of the kind of player he can be when playing under control. Fellow Buckeye Brian Rolle continues to impress, as well.

4. Winston Justice and Todd Herremans. Yeah, Shady and Coleman had superb performances, but the game ball has to go the Eagles’ right and left tackles. Enough cannot be said about the job the two bookends did blocking the dynamic duo of Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan. Herremans has been a rock for this team for six years and played his third position of the young season on Sunday. And he played it well. Damn, he’s good. One of the best in the business, and he shut down Orakpo. That pancake on Oshiomogo Atogwe was particularly delicious. Justice, in his first game back from knee surgery, slid right back into his natural role as the protector of Michael Vick’s blind side. Remarkably, he had probably one of the best games of his career as he silenced Kerrigan, who’ll be in the discussion for defensive rookie of the year. It looks like the offensive line situation is coming into focus; once Jason Peters returns from injury, Herremans (presumably) goes back to left guard.

I also have to believe a lot of the offensive line’s success in keeping Vick alive against the Redskins could be attributed to the Eagles’ success on the ground. The run game forces the defense to slow down and seems to make everything easier. Defenders can’t pin their ears back and solely focus on getting after the quarterback.

The Bad

1. Second half offense. Really? This team still can’t play a full game? The Eagles should count their lucky stars that Sunday’s opponent was the Redskins. That second half performance on offense was simply unacceptable. Aside from a four-drive stretch in the first half, the Eagles produced precisely zero points. Give the Redskins’ defense credit for playing much better after halftime, but the Eagles’ offense went into stall mode and turned the ball over twice (which it had avoided in the first half) on interceptions. If this team doesn’t learn how to finish games, it has no chance of making any kind of run and getting into the playoffs. At least the offense was able to come through at the end by, you guessed it, handing the ball off to LeSean McCoy. John Beck, who’d replaced the hapless Grossman, had just led the Skins down the field for a touchdown to make the score 20-13. With the lead cut to a touchdown, the Eagles’ offense got the ball back at its own 20 with 2:44 to go and a raucous home crowd yearning for a three and out. Shady left end for 11 yards. Washington calls its second timeout. Shady left end for seven yards. Washington calls its final timeout. Shady left end for two yards. The immortal poke/jab to Andy Reid’s inviting stomach. Michael Vick quarterback sneaks to the left side for one yard and a first down. Kneel down. Kneel Down. Kneel Down. That’s how it’s done.

2. Red zone offense. The Eagles had five total chances to score inside the Redskins’ 20-yard line. The first two opportunities resulted in touchdowns, while the last three resulted in two field goals and an interception. The two field goals came after having first and goal inside the five. One of those needs to be a touchdown. This game ended up being a lot closer than it should have been, and that’s because the red zone offense still needs improvement. Most of the time that kind of ineffectiveness is going to cost a team the victory, which is something the Eagles have experienced too often already this season. And it will happen again if the offense doesn’t get shit figured out down the near the goal line. Here’s a good read about play-calling in the red zone.

3. Vince Young. Gross.

Again, the win is nice, but it only feels like a brief reprieve from frustration rather than a “turning the corner” moment. Even so, winning by being more physical than the other team — and beating it at its own game — is always welcome. The Eagles have three very winnable games coming up, all at home. As is sure to get jammed down our throats until kickoff of the Dallas game in two weeks, Andy Reid has a perfect record coming off the bye. If this Eagles team is any good, it really should be 5-4 going into the Week 11 tilt against the Giants at the Meadowlands. But being good will require a better effort than the one put forth against the Redskins. Speaking of the Redskins, what a disappointing showing by a team that felt it was ready to take the next step and announce itself as a contender in the NFC East.

I won’t hold my breath that Sunday’s game served as some sort of epiphany for Andy Reid with regard to offensive philosophy. As effective as this team can be with a balanced offense, he feels you win in this league by passing… and passing… and passing some more. Andy will feed the masses rhetoric about the importance of running the ball to finish games, but he must also recognize that is not its only function and role within the offense. Until that happens, the same problems will persist. As Ray Didinger wrote during our e-mail exchange after the game: “We’ve seen Andy do this before. Just as the ship is about to go down, he actually runs the ball for one or two weeks, gets things back under control and wins a few games. But inevitably he goes back to his way of doing things. He’ll never change.” What, you were expecting something different?

Read More: Michael Vick (QB – PHI), Brent Celek (TE – PHI), Winston Justice (OT – PHI), Chris Cooley (TE – WAS), Jason Peters (OT – PHI), Rex Grossman (QB – WAS), Nnamdi Asomugha (CB – PHI), Derek Landri (DT – PHI), DeSean Jackson (WR – PHI), Brian Orakpo (LB – WAS), LeSean McCoy (RB – PHI), Nate Allen (FS – PHI), Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

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Montana football fans can look forward to seeing No. 30 running
around for the Philadelphia Eagles again this season.

Butte native Colt Anderson, a former star for Butte High and the
University of Montana, earned a spot on the Eagles 53-man
roster.

He learned of the roster spot Saturday afternoon, when NFL teams
had to make their final cuts.

One of the cuts made by the St. Louis Rams was former Montana
Grizzly Chase Reynolds.

“I found out today,” Anderson said of making the Eagles roster.
“I’m excited about the opportunity.”

Anderson, a 2004 Butte High graduate, signed with the Minnesota
Vikings in April 2009 as an undrafted free agent.

He opened the last two seasons on the Vikings’ eight-man practice
squad after getting released in the final round of cuts.

“This year was no different. You just sit there waiting,” Anderson
said. “I wasn’t 100 percent sure. I just tried to stay
positive.”

Anderson signed with the Eagles last November and quickly became a
star on their special teams.

That’s where Anderson said the Eagles are planning on playing him
in 2011.

See COLT, Page B5

Anderson saw time at at safety and on special teams through four
exhibition games.

“I plan on playing safety,” Anderson said. “I think they see me as
a special teams player. I like to play defense, so hopefully I’ll
get a chance to play.”

Anderson, who is in the second year of a three-year deal with the
Eagles, said he’s healthy going into the season, which opens next
Sunday at the Rams.

“I feel really good,” he said. “I have a few bumps and bruises, but
nothing serious.”

The Eagles, led by quarterback Michael Vick, enter the season with
high expectations.

After a flurry of free agent signings, including cornerback Nnamdi
Asomugha, some in the national media started referring to the
Eagles as a “dream team.”

Anderson laughed at that notion.

“We’ve got a good squad. We’re going to go out there every game and
try to win,” he said. “Everybody who is in the NFL is in the league
for a reason. Any team can win at any time.

“We have high expectations for ourselves. Here in Philadelphia it’s
Super Bowl or bust every year.”

Anderson added that he’s settled in nicely in the “City of
Brotherly Love.”

“I’ve got a place to live,” Anderson said. “I’m getting comfortable
in Philadelphia. It’s a great sports town.”

After opening in St. Louis, the Eagles travel to Atlanta for a
Sunday night game on NBC.

Philadelphia’s first home game is Sept. 25 against the New York
Giants.

The Eagles will be on national television games several
times.

They play host to Dallas in a Week 8 Sunday night game before
taking on Chicago on Monday night in Week 9.

The Giants head to Philadelphia for a Sunday night game in Week 11,
and the Eagles travel to Seattle for a Thursday night game on the
NFL Network in Week 13.

Vince Young moved the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense all night against the New York Jets until he was stopped by the only thing that could do so: his right hamstring.

Young led the Eagles on two scoring drives against Jets backups before leaving with a strained hamstring late in the second quarter in a 24-14 preseason victory Thursday night.

“I think he’s going to be OK, from what I understand,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said. “We’ll MRI him just to make sure. We’ll see how he does after that.”

With Philadelphia’s new $100 million man resting up for the regular season, Young got the start and certainly showed he’s more than capable of being Michael Vick’s backup. Whether the Eagles (3-1) have Young to start the regular season is another matter.

While both teams rested almost all of their starters in the preseason finale. Young was 15 of 23 for 193 yards and a touchdown pass to Chad Hall, but was hurt when he rolled out on a fourth-down play against the Jets (2-2). He was about to run for the first down when his right leg locked up and he ended up throwing the ball incomplete as he crumpled to the turf.

“He’s done a nice job and he would have scored on the last one,” said Reid, who added that he considers Young his No. 2 quarterback. “That was a run-in right there.”

Young, signed as a free agent in the offseason after an up-and-down five seasons in Tennessee, got up and limped to the sideline where trainers looked at his right leg. He headed to the locker room with 18 seconds remaining in the half and didn’t come out with the rest of the team to start the second half.

The play came after the Eagles (3-1) faked a field-goal attempt on fourth-and-6 from the Jets 14 that was intercepted by Jamaal Westerman, but New York was called offside making it fourth-and-1 for Philadelphia. As it turned out, the Eagles probably wished the play had stood.

Mike Kafka replaced Young to start the third quarter for the Eagles, and went 7 of 11 for 76 yards and an interception. He also was hurt when he got popped by Matthias Berning on a passing play and suffered bruised ribs.

“Once I recovered, I was able to go back in and play,” Kafka said. “They took a timeout so I could get my bearings straight.”

The Jets also saw their backup quarterback go down as rookie Greg McElroy, starting for Mark Sanchez, left after injuring his right thumb in the second quarter. McElroy, a seventh-round pick out of Alabama, had his hand wrapped after the game and said he popped his thumb back in himself, but wasn’t sure if it was dislocated.

“We’ll get it looked at (Friday),” McElroy said. “Hopefully, the recovery will be quick. You’ve got to be optimistic about it.”

McElroy said he had a preliminary X-ray that “didn’t reveal much.” He’s scheduled to have an MRI on Friday morning.

Drew Willy, an undrafted free agent, came in and connected with Scotty McKnight — a seventh-round pick and Sanchez’s childhood friend — on his first play of the game for a 14-yard touchdown.

“It was great,” said Willy, a former star at the University of Buffalo. “Anytime you can throw a touchdown on your first play, you’ve got to love that.”

With Sanchez resting and McElroy hurt, Willy was the only healthy quarterback left on the Jets’ roster. Backup Mark Brunell hasn’t played this preseason while recovering from a calf injury, but coach Rex Ryan said he’s optimistic the veteran will be ready for the opener against Dallas.

This matchup might be a bit more entertaining in a few months, when the Eagles host the Jets on Dec. 18 in a game between teams that made lots of noise by signing some big names after the lockout ended. The Jets lost out on cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, considered the top free agent available, when the Eagles swooped in and signed him. Philadelphia also brought in Young, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Jason Babin, Cullen Jenkins and RB Ronnie Brown; all but Young sat this one out.

The Jets re-signed Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie, Eric Smith and Brodney Pool and also brought in Derrick Mason and Plaxico Burress, who served a 20-month prison sentence on a gun charge before resuming his NFL career. Burress, Holmes and Sanchez spent a lot of time chatting with each other on the sideline during this battle of backups.

Young put the Eagles up with his 16-yard strike to Hall on the Eagles’ second possession, a 91-yard drive helped by a questionable personal foul call on Pool.

The Jets tied in early in the second quarter on McKnight’s TD reception from Willy, who finished 9 of 17 for 109 yards.

“My main goal just going into camp in general was to make the most of every opportunity I had,” said McKnight, a former star at Colorado. “For the only ball to come my way in a game this preseason and be able to catch it for a touchdown, that’s a good feeling.”

Philadelphia went up 14-7 with 5:16 left in the half on Dion Lewis’ 1-yard run, capping a 12-play drive. Lewis, a fifth-round pick out of Pittsburgh, finished with 62 yards rushing and three catches for 38 yards.

“It was good that I got a lot of touches in game situations,” said Lewis, who’s behind LeSean McCoy and Ronnie Brown on the depth chart. “The more reps you get, that’s how you develop as a player. You get more comfortable the more plays you are in.”

Graig Cooper had a 1-yard run in the third quarter to give Philadelphia a 21-7 lead, but Ellis Lankster’s 67-yard interception return for a touchdown in with just under 13 minutes left kept New York in it.

Alex Henery’s 49-yard field goal with 6:42 remaining put the Eagles up 24-14.

Notes: The Eagles dominated in total offensive yards, rolling up 378 to the Jets’ 117. … Philadelphia went 10 for 19 on third downs, while New York was 1 of 10. … Jets LB Aaron Maybin, a former first-round pick of Buffalo trying to make the roster, had 1½ sacks. Ryan said he’s on the bubble. … Jets LB Brashton Satele had a game-high eight tackles. … Eagles rookie LB Brian Rolle had 1½ sacks.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Vince Young moved the Philadelphia Eagles ‘ offense all night against the New York Jets until he was stopped by the only thing that could do so: his right hamstring.

Young led the Eagles on two scoring drives against Jets backups before leaving with a strained hamstring late in the second quarter in a 24-14 preseason victory Thursday night.

“I think he’s going to be OK, from what I understand,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said. “We’ll MRI him just to make sure. We’ll see how he does after that.”

With Philadelphia’s new $100 million man resting up for the regular season, Young got the start and certainly showed he’s more than capable of being Michael Vick ‘s backup. Whether the Eagles (3-1) have Young to start the regular season is another matter.

While both teams rested almost all of their starters in the preseason finale. Young was 15 of 23 for 193 yards and a touchdown pass to Chad Hall , but was hurt when he rolled out on a fourth-down play against the Jets (2-2). He was about to run for the first down when his right leg locked up and he ended up throwing the ball incomplete as he crumpled to the turf.

“He’s done a nice job and he would have scored on the last one,” said Reid, who added that he considers Young his No. 2 quarterback. “That was a run-in right there.”

Young, signed as a free agent in the offseason after an up-and-down five seasons in Tennessee, got up and limped to the sideline where trainers looked at his right leg. He headed to the locker room with 18 seconds remaining in the half and didn’t come out with the rest of the team to start the second half.

The play came after the Eagles (3-1) faked a field-goal attempt on fourth-and-6 from the Jets 14 that was intercepted by Jamaal Westerman , but New York was called offside making it fourth-and-1 for Philadelphia. As it turned out, the Eagles probably wished the play had stood.

Mike Kafka replaced Young to start the third quarter for the Eagles, and went 7 of 11 for 76 yards and an interception. He also was hurt when he got popped by Matthias Berning on a passing play and suffered bruised ribs.

“Once I recovered, I was able to go back in and play,” Kafka said. “They took a timeout so I could get my bearings straight.”

The Jets also saw their backup quarterback go down as rookie Greg McElroy , starting for Mark Sanchez , left after injuring his right thumb in the second quarter. McElroy, a seventh-round pick out of Alabama, had his hand wrapped after the game and said he popped his thumb back in himself, but wasn’t sure if it was dislocated.

“We’ll get it looked at (Friday),” McElroy said. “Hopefully, the recovery will be quick. You’ve got to be optimistic about it.”

McElroy said he had a preliminary X-ray that “didn’t reveal much.” He’s scheduled to have an MRI on Friday morning.

Drew Willy , an undrafted free agent, came in and connected with Scotty McKnight – a seventh-round pick and Sanchez’s childhood friend – on his first play of the game for a 14-yard touchdown.

“It was great,” said Willy, a former star at the University of Buffalo. “Anytime you can throw a touchdown on your first play, you’ve got to love that.”

With Sanchez resting and McElroy hurt, Willy was the only healthy quarterback left on the Jets’ roster. Backup Mark Brunell hasn’t played this preseason while recovering from a calf injury, but coach Rex Ryan said he’s optimistic the veteran will be ready for the opener against Dallas.

This matchup might be a bit more entertaining in a few months, when the Eagles host the Jets on Dec. 18 in a game between teams that made lots of noise by signing some big names after the lockout ended. The Jets lost out on cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha , considered the top free agent available, when the Eagles swooped in and signed him. Philadelphia also brought in Young, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Jason Babin , Cullen Jenkins and RB Ronnie Brown ; all but Young sat this one out.

The Jets re-signed Santonio Holmes , Antonio Cromartie , Eric Smith and Brodney Pool and also brought in Derrick Mason and Plaxico Burress , who served a 20-month prison sentence on a gun charge before resuming his NFL career. Burress, Holmes and Sanchez spent a lot of time chatting with each other on the sideline during this battle of backups.

Young put the Eagles up with his 16-yard strike to Hall on the Eagles’ second possession, a 91-yard drive helped by a questionable personal foul call on Pool.

The Jets tied in early in the second quarter on McKnight’s TD reception from Willy, who finished 9 of 17 for 109 yards.

“My main goal just going into camp in general was to make the most of every opportunity I had,” said McKnight, a former star at Colorado. “For the only ball to come my way in a game this preseason and be able to catch it for a touchdown, that’s a good feeling.”

Philadelphia went up 14-7 with 5:16 left in the half on Dion Lewis ‘ 1-yard run, capping a 12-play drive. Lewis, a fifth-round pick out of Pittsburgh, finished with 62 yards rushing and three catches for 38 yards.

“It was good that I got a lot of touches in game situations,” said Lewis, who’s behind LeSean McCoy and Ronnie Brown on the depth chart. “The more reps you get, that’s how you develop as a player. You get more comfortable the more plays you are in.”

Graig Cooper had a 1-yard run in the third quarter to give Philadelphia a 21-7 lead, but Ellis Lankster ‘s 67-yard interception return for a touchdown in with just under 13 minutes left kept New York in it.

Alex Henery ‘s 49-yard field goal with 6:42 remaining put the Eagles up 24-14.

CBSSports.com wire reports
Sep. 1, 2011

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Vince Young moved the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense all night against the New York Jets until he was stopped by the only thing that could do so: his right hamstring.

Young led the Eagles on two scoring drives against Jets backups before leaving with a strained hamstring late in the second quarter in a 24-14 preseason victory Thursday night.

“I think he’s going to be OK, from what I understand,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said. “We’ll MRI him just to make sure. We’ll see how he does after that.”

With Philadelphia’s new $100 million man resting up for the regular season, Young got the start and certainly showed he’s more than capable of being Michael Vick’s backup. Whether the Eagles (3-1) have Young to start the regular season is another matter.

While both teams rested almost all of their starters in the preseason finale. Young was 15 of 23 for 193 yards and a touchdown pass to Chad Hall, but was hurt when he rolled out on a fourth-down play against the Jets (2-2). He was about to run for the first down when his right leg locked up and he ended up throwing the ball incomplete as he crumpled to the turf.

“He’s done a nice job and he would have scored on the last one,” said Reid, who added that he considers Young his No. 2 quarterback. “That was a run-in right there.”

Young, signed as a free agent in the offseason after an up-and-down five seasons in Tennessee, got up and limped to the sideline where trainers looked at his right leg. He headed to the locker room with 18 seconds remaining in the half and didn’t come out with the rest of the team to start the second half.

The play came after the Eagles (3-1) faked a field-goal attempt on fourth-and-6 from the Jets 14 that was intercepted by Jamaal Westerman, but New York was called offside making it fourth-and-1 for Philadelphia. As it turned out, the Eagles probably wished the play had stood.

Mike Kafka replaced Young to start the third quarter for the Eagles, and went 7 of 11 for 76 yards and an interception. He also was hurt when he got popped by Matthias Berning on a passing play and suffered bruised ribs.

“Once I recovered, I was able to go back in and play,” Kafka said. “They took a timeout so I could get my bearings straight.”

The Jets also saw their backup quarterback go down as rookie Greg McElroy, starting for Mark Sanchez, left after injuring his right thumb in the second quarter. McElroy, a seventh-round pick out of Alabama, had his hand wrapped after the game and said he popped his thumb back in himself, but wasn’t sure if it was dislocated.

“We’ll get it looked at [Friday],” McElroy said. “Hopefully, the recovery will be quick. You’ve got to be optimistic about it.”

McElroy said he had a preliminary X-ray that “didn’t reveal much.” He’s scheduled to have an MRI on Friday morning.

Drew Willy, an undrafted free agent, came in and connected with Scotty McKnight — a seventh-round pick and Sanchez’s childhood friend – on his first play of the game for a 14-yard touchdown.

“It was great,” said Willy, a former star at the University of Buffalo. “Anytime you can throw a touchdown on your first play, you’ve got to love that.”

With Sanchez resting and McElroy hurt, Willy was the only healthy quarterback left on the Jets’ roster. Backup Mark Brunell hasn’t played this preseason while recovering from a calf injury, but coach Rex Ryan said he’s optimistic the veteran will be ready for the opener against Dallas.

This matchup might be a bit more entertaining in a few months, when the Eagles host the Jets on Dec. 18 in a game between teams that made lots of noise by signing some big names after the lockout ended. The Jets lost out on cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, considered the top free agent available, when the Eagles swooped in and signed him. Philadelphia also brought in Young, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Jason Babin, Cullen Jenkins and RB Ronnie Brown; all but Young sat this one out.

The Jets re-signed Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie, Eric Smith and Brodney Pool and also brought in Derrick Mason and Plaxico Burress, who served a 20-month prison sentence on a gun charge before resuming his NFL career. Burress, Holmes and Sanchez spent a lot of time chatting with each other on the sideline during this battle of backups.

Young put the Eagles up with his 16-yard strike to Hall on the Eagles’ second possession, a 91-yard drive helped by a questionable personal foul call on Pool.

The Jets tied in early in the second quarter on McKnight’s TD reception from Willy, who finished 9 of 17 for 109 yards.

“My main goal just going into camp in general was to make the most of every opportunity I had,” said McKnight, a former star at Colorado. “For the only ball to come my way in a game this preseason and be able to catch it for a touchdown, that’s a good feeling.”

Philadelphia went up 14-7 with 5:16 left in the half on Dion Lewis’ 1-yard run, capping a 12-play drive. Lewis, a fifth-round pick out of Pittsburgh, finished with 62 yards rushing and three catches for 38 yards.

“It was good that I got a lot of touches in game situations,” said Lewis, who’s behind LeSean McCoy and Ronnie Brown on the depth chart. “The more reps you get, that’s how you develop as a player. You get more comfortable the more plays you are in.”

Graig Cooper had a 1-yard run in the third quarter to give Philadelphia a 21-7 lead, but Ellis Lankster’s 67-yard interception return for a touchdown in with just under 13 minutes left kept New York in it.

Alex Henery’s 49-yard field goal with 6:42 remaining put the Eagles up 24-14.

Notes

The Eagles dominated in total offensive yards, rolling up 378 to the Jets’ 117. … Philadelphia went 10 for 19 on third downs, while New York was 1 of 10. … Jets LB Aaron Maybin, a former first-round pick of Buffalo trying to make the roster, had 1½ sacks. Ryan said he’s on the bubble. … Jets LB Brashton Satele had a game-high eight tackles. … Eagles rookie LB Brian Rolle had 1½ sacks.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Vince Young moved the Philadelphia Eagles’ offence all night against the New York Jets until he was stopped by the only thing that could do so: his right hamstring.

Young led the Eagles on two scoring drives against Jets backups before leaving with a strained hamstring late in the second quarter in a 24-14 pre-season victory Thursday night.

“I think he’s going to be OK, from what I understand,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said. “We’ll MRI him just to make sure. We’ll see how he does after that.”

With Philadelphia’s new US$100-million man resting up for the regular season, Young got the start and certainly showed he’s more than capable of being Michael Vick’s backup. Whether the Eagles (3-1) have Young to start the regular season is another matter.

While both teams rested almost all of their starters in the pre-season finale. Young was 15 of 23 for 193 yards and a touchdown pass to Chad Hall, but was hurt when he rolled out on a fourth-down play against the Jets (2-2). He was about to run for the first down when his right leg locked up and he ended up throwing the ball incomplete as he crumpled to the turf.

“He’s done a nice job and he would have scored on the last one,” said Reid, who added that he considers Young his No. 2 quarterback. “That was a run-in right there.”

Young, signed as a free agent in the off-season after an up-and-down five seasons in Tennessee, got up and limped to the sideline where trainers looked at his right leg. He headed to the locker room with 18 seconds remaining in the half and didn’t come out with the rest of the team to start the second half.

The play came after the Eagles (3-1) faked a field-goal attempt on fourth-and-6 from the Jets 14 that was intercepted by Jamaal Westerman, but New York was called offside making it fourth-and-1 for Philadelphia. As it turned out, the Eagles probably wished the play had stood.

Mike Kafka replaced Young to start the third quarter for the Eagles, and went 7 of 11 for 76 yards and an interception. He also was hurt when he got popped by Matthias Berning on a passing play and suffered bruised ribs.

“Once I recovered, I was able to go back in and play,” Kafka said. “They took a timeout so I could get my bearings straight.”

The Jets also saw their backup quarterback go down as rookie Greg McElroy, starting for Mark Sanchez, left after injuring his right thumb in the second quarter. McElroy, a seventh-round pick out of Alabama, had his hand wrapped after the game and said he popped his thumb back in himself, but wasn’t sure if it was dislocated.

“We’ll get it looked at (Friday),” McElroy said. “Hopefully, the recovery will be quick. You’ve got to be optimistic about it.”

McElroy said he had a preliminary X-ray that “didn’t reveal much.” He’s scheduled to have an MRI on Friday morning.

Drew Willy, an undrafted free agent, came in and connected with Scotty McKnight — a seventh-round pick and Sanchez’s childhood friend — on his first play of the game for a 14-yard touchdown.

“It was great,” said Willy, a former star at the University of Buffalo. “Anytime you can throw a touchdown on your first play, you’ve got to love that.”

With Sanchez resting and McElroy hurt, Willy was the only healthy quarterback left on the Jets’ roster. Backup Mark Brunell hasn’t played this pre-season while recovering from a calf injury, but coach Rex Ryan said he’s optimistic the veteran will be ready for the opener against Dallas.

This matchup might be a bit more entertaining in a few months, when the Eagles host the Jets on Dec. 18 in a game between teams that made lots of noise by signing some big names after the lockout ended. The Jets lost out on cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, considered the top free agent available, when the Eagles swooped in and signed him. Philadelphia also brought in Young, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Jason Babin, Cullen Jenkins and RB Ronnie Brown; all but Young sat this one out.

The Jets re-signed Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie, Eric Smith and Brodney Pool and also brought in Derrick Mason and Plaxico Burress, who served a 20-month prison sentence on a gun charge before resuming his NFL career. Burress, Holmes and Sanchez spent a lot of time chatting with each other on the sideline during this battle of backups.

Young put the Eagles up with his 16-yard strike to Hall on the Eagles’ second possession, a 91-yard drive helped by a questionable personal foul call on Pool.

The Jets tied in early in the second quarter on McKnight’s TD reception from Willy, who finished 9 of 17 for 109 yards.

“My main goal just going into camp in general was to make the most of every opportunity I had,” said McKnight, a former star at Colorado. “For the only ball to come my way in a game this pre-season and be able to catch it for a touchdown, that’s a good feeling.”

Philadelphia went up 14-7 with 5:16 left in the half on Dion Lewis’ 1-yard run, capping a 12-play drive. Lewis, a fifth-round pick out of Pittsburgh, finished with 62 yards rushing and three catches for 38 yards.

“It was good that I got a lot of touches in game situations,” said Lewis, who’s behind LeSean McCoy and Ronnie Brown on the depth chart. “The more reps you get, that’s how you develop as a player. You get more comfortable the more plays you are in.”

Graig Cooper had a 1-yard run in the third quarter to give Philadelphia a 21-7 lead, but Ellis Lankster’s 67-yard interception return for a touchdown in with just under 13 minutes left kept New York in it.

Alex Henery’s 49-yard field goal with 6:42 remaining put the Eagles up 24-14.

Notes: The Eagles dominated in total offensive yards, rolling up 378 to the Jets’ 117. … Philadelphia went 10 for 19 on third downs, while New York was 1 of 10. … Jets LB Aaron Maybin, a former first-round pick of Buffalo trying to make the roster, had 1 1/2 sacks. Ryan said he’s on the bubble. … Jets LB Brashton Satele had a game-high eight tackles. … Eagles rookie LB Brian Rolle had 1 1/2 sacks.