Read More: Asante Samuel (CB – PHI), Trevor Laws (DT – PHI), LeSean McCoy (RB – PHI), Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins

Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy (ankle) is listed as questionable for his team’s game against the Washington Redskins on Sunday, but he did participate fully in practice according to the team’s final injury report of the week released on Friday.

Meanwhile, cornerback Asante Samuel has been ruled out by the team with a hamstring injury. He did not practice with his teammates on Friday.

Tackle Todd Herrmans (ankle) and defensive tackle Trevor Laws (knee) are listed as probable and were full participants in Friday practice.

McCoy ran for 126 yards and a touchdown against the Redskins back on Oct. 10. He has 1,309 yards and 17 touchdowns this season and was named to his first Pro Bowl earlier this week.

For more on the Redskins, please visit Hogs Haven, SB Nation’s Redskins blog. For the perspective from the other side, please visit SB Nation Philly and Bleeding Green Nation, SB Nation’s Eagles blog.

By Jared Smith

– Newsdesk contributor

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Dec 11, 2011 – This Week 14 NFL match up features two franchises that have had disappointing season, as the Philadelphia Eagles visits the Miami Dolphins Sunday at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, FL. Before the season, the Dolphins (4-8) were expected to be one of the bottom feeders in the AFC, while the Eagles (4-8) were predicted by many to be a Super Bowl contender. However, only one of those predictions came true, as both teams enter this inter-conference contest playing for moral victories.

This season, the Eagles are 3-3 on the road, while the Dolphins are 3-3 at home.

If you’d like to catch the game, here’s the game’s location, game time, television schedule and radio streams:

Location: Sun Life Stadium, Miami, FL
Game time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Television broadcast: FOX — Chris Myers (play-by-play), Tim Ryan (color commentary)
DirectTV: 711
Dolphins radio: 560 WQAM
Eagles radio: 94 WYSP
Point spread: Dolphins are three-point favorites

For more on the Eagles vs. Dolphins match up, check out SB Nation’s Bleeding Green Nation.

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For the week leading up to the game against the Miami Dolphins, fans of the Philadelphia Eagles were hoping to have a healthy passing game for the first time in a month. It was assumed that Michael Vick and Jeremy Maclin would be back in action against the Dolphins. However, that may be changing now that Maclin has been downgraded to questionable. As an Eagles fan, I was really hoping to see if the Eagles could find any kind of rhythm with Vick having both Maclin and DeSean Jackson at his disposal. It looks like I might not be getting my wish.

It is rarely a good sign when a player is downgraded on the injury list shortly before a game. Maclin has been battling shoulder and hamstring issues and has missed the last three weeks. He was listed as probable throughout the week and it was widely assumed that he would see the field against Miami. The Eagles haven’t said any reason why Maclin was suddenly downgraded but it stands to reason that the wide receiver is still experiencing some pain. While fans should be encouraged that Maclin is making the trip to Miami and hasn’t been ruled out, the downgrade is an indication that the team might keep him out one more week.

At 4-8, the Eagles are still technically alive for a playoff berth. However, few fans believe they have any real shot. Despite that, the last four games are pretty critical for this football team. Everyone wants to see how the Eagles finish and which players can prove they belong on this team. No one questions Maclin’s status with the Eagles so that isn’t an issue with him directly. But his presence does have an impact on both Vick and Jackson. The Eagles haven’t had all three together in what feels like an eternity. It is hard to gauge how good your passing game can be when you are missing players. I hope to see if Vick can capture any of his 2010 form with his two favorite targets on the field. I think it is important for him to build momentum. Aside from that, I’d just like to see the Eagles be healthy. Even with the season a lost cause, it would be nice to see a team intact for the final few games.

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Should fantasy football owners have any faith in the Philadelphia Eagles? That is a fair question to ask. The Eagles have had some remarkable numbers on both sides of the football. However, the mistakes and turnovers have really hurt them. Now that Week 14 is here, fantasy owners are most likely in the playoffs. That makes putting your faith in a Philadelphia player more difficult than ever. The Eagles face the Miami Dolphins in Week 14 and are finally healthy. As well as Miami is playing, there might be some Philadelphia players that would make good starters. Here is a look at five Eagles and whether or not you should start them in Week 14.

1. LeSean McCoy(notes)

McCoy is the ultimate risk right now and it is by no fault of his own. He is arguably the best running back in the NFL and can make something happen on every play. Unfortunately, the Eagles don’t get him the ball nearly enough. A 20 carry game is rare for this superstar. More likely, he will get around 15 carries. Still, McCoy could break 100 yards with that total. He is also among the best of the league in touchdowns. I think he is a worthy starter.

2. Michael Vick(notes)

Vick is slated to play again after missing three games with broken ribs. Vick has had a tough year in 2011. He has 11 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. On the other hand, Vick has a lot of passing yards and the potential to earn a lot of fantasy points. I think he is a 50-50 choice to start for fantasy owners. Unlike a lot of players on the Eagles right now, Vick seems to still want to play hard. That could help him have a nice game against Miami.

3. DeSean Jackson(notes)

It is difficult right now to justify starting Jackson. He is still one of the biggest receiving threats in the NFL and is certainly capable of having a huge game. But his numbers haven’t really been there this season. He has 698 receiving yards and just two touchdowns. Jackson has a lot to play for in terms of his future but his attitude has been shaky at best lately. I think if you start him this week you are taking a risk.

4. Jeremy Maclin(notes)

Maclin is expected to play after missing three games with various injuries. I think he will actually have a pretty decent fantasy week in this game. We know the Eagles will throw the ball. We also know that Maclin has become one of Vick’s favorite targets. Maclin will probably get thrown to about 10 times in the game. If he catches those passes, he will have a huge game.

5. The defense

The Eagles defense has been mostly bad in 2011. They get some sacks but not nearly enough turnovers. The Miami Dolphins are not a strong offense but they have been putting up points lately. I happen to think the Philadelphia defense plays well this week. They might not do enough to help you win your fantasy game, but they won’t do enough to help you lose.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And with good reason.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That drop-off means nothing to the Patriots.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They might not be mathematically out of the NFL playoff race just yet.

But as far as I’m concerned, the Philadelphia Eagles’ 21-17 loss to Arizona this past Sunday was the one that doused all hope for the team’s 2011 season.

Things looked so positive heading into the season, with thoughts of a Super Bowl title on a lot of people’s minds. But few things have panned out for the Eagles thus far in 2011, and losing at home to a Cardinals team that was playing its backup quarterback just might be the sign that its time to start thinking about next season.

Like I said, technically there’s still time. But quarterback Michael Vick(notes) has a couple of broken ribs—surprised?—and his status for this week’s game against the Giants in New York is unknown.

That’s a big one for Philadelphia, which sits 3-6 in the NFC East, tied with the Washington Redskins for last place. The Giants lead the division at 6-3, with the Dallas Cowboys second at 5-4.

Technically, the Eagles can close to within two games of the Giants if they can win this week. Technically, there’s still time.

But there’s little that the Eagles have done recently that would seem to project hope. They’ve lost their last two after winning back-to-back games, and have made an art form out of coughing up fourth-quarter leads.

If Philadelphia is going to turn things around, it faces a rough road ahead. After the Giants game at MetLife Stadium is a home game against the New England Patriots, followed by back-to-back road games against the Seattle Seahawks and the Miami Dolphins.

Can the Eagles still make something of this season? I say it’s too late. What do you think?

Sources:

NFL standings

Eagles’ Michael Vick doesn’t practice because of broken ribs

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By Scott Schroeder

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Oct 14, 2011 – The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t exactly been the dream team they were expected to be this season, but a win over a fellow NFC East rival in the Washington Redskins would at least give the team a chance to get back on track. This week’s NFL picks and predictions should favor the 3-1 Redskins and not the 1-4 Eagles, though, if things are going to make sense.

In a move that isn’t exactly surprising, quite a few of the experts are actually picking the Eagles to turn things around in Washington. Experts Clark Judge and Mike Freeman both chose Philly over at CBS Sports. Quite a few picked the Eagles to win among ESPN’s crew of experts, too, as Mike Golic, Ron Jaworski, Adam Schefter and the site’s Accuscore predictor all decided the game would go in favor of the Philadelphia faithful.

Peter King of Sports Illustrated also ruled in favor of the Eagles in Week 6, but he wasn’t exactly sure why he predicted that (so don’t even ask him).

Don’t ask me why. If I have to pick one reason, I pick Mike Vick remembering what he did the last time he was at FedEx, which is play the best game a quarterback has played in recent years: four passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, 413 total yards, no turnovers. But really, I just think at some point the Eagles are going to play like the players they are.

For what it’s worth, it seems a lot of people in the know went with the Eagles to turn it around this week. If Michael Vick is able to stay healthy and the defense is able to stop a running back — likely Ryan Torain — for the first time in weeks, Philadelphia probably has a pretty good chance.

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Joseph White, Associated Press

LANDOVER, Md. — Even by Andy Reid standards, it was an uncomfortable and short call when the Philadelphia Eagles coach spoke to Washington Redskins reporters this week. The height of absurdity was reached when he was asked if he recalled much about the last time the two teams met.

“No,” Reid answered. “I have a short memory.”

It should be a positive memory. It was 11 months ago that the Eagles rolled into Washington for a Monday night game and dominated like few teams before them, taking a 35-0 lead en route to a 59-28 drubbing. Michael Vick was nothing short of stunning — four touchdowns passing, two touchdowns rushing — and the Redskins were nothing short of stunned.

Washington coach Mike Shanahan remembers it all too well. Asked if he was going to review video from that game this week, he longed for Reid’s selective recall.

“I’m trying to get that out of my mind,” Shanahan said with a laugh. “No, I’m not going to watch it. It’s a different type of defense, so I’ll look at their games this year.”

Maybe that’s for the best — because that game now feels as if it belongs in another era.

This Sunday’s game between the Eagles and Redskins shapes up to pretty much what everyone expected at the start of the season: one team in first place with a chance to pull away from the rest of the NFC East vs. a team bringing up the rear.

Except that the roles are reversed. Philadelphia (1-4) is in a four-game skid, its longest since 2005, and surely doesn’t look like the dream team predicted after a post-lockout spending spree. Washington (3-1), which knows all too well about spending sprees that backfire, was a consensus pick to finish last in the division in the second year of Shanahan’s rebuilding effort.

“I think everyone’s surprised with the start of their season,” Redskins tight end Chris Cooley said.

The Redskins’ own success is also quite a surprise, and it centers around a defense that ranked 31st a year ago and is up to No. 6 this season. Offenses convert only 26 percent of their third downs against Washington — a rate no other defense comes close to matching.

Stopping Vick is another matter. For one thing, no one has really stopped the Eagles this season. They just keep stopping themselves.

Philadelphia’s offense ranks third in the league, but the Eagles have committed a league-high 15 turnovers. Vick already has more interceptions (7) than he had all last season (6), although most have been due to receiver mistakes and poor protection by the offensive line.

“People say they’re a dream team,” Redskins fullback Darrel Young said. “I know they probably don’t want to be considered a dream team because of their record. No one wants to be considered that until it’s all said and done.

“Here’s what I know … we’re going to win, and we’re going to turn this around,” said the Eagles’ rookie defensive coordinator. “We have the answers, and then when we win, I know (the fans) will understand.”

Eagles fans would like to see some of those solutions right now as they travel to the AFC East-leading 3-1 Buffalo Bills today (1 p.m.) for what quarterback Michael Vick said is a must-win game.

“Absolutely, (there’s) a sense of urgency,” Vick said. “I think every game from this point out is a do-or-die game.”

So it would be good for the Eagles’ struggling defense to do something positive this week before the team’s playoff hopes die off.
The Birds come into the game with the 16th-ranked defense in the league overall (357.2 yards allowed per game), which isn’t awful. But being ranked 30th against the run (139.5 ypg) is, and so is the defense’s culpability in blowing three straight fourth-quarter leads; the Eagles have given up a combined 50 unanswered points during rallies by Atlanta, the New York Giants and San Francisco.
Castillo sees better times ahead.

“It doesn’t matter if there (are) problems because our job is to solve the problems,” he said. “We’ve started off like this before, and we believe in our plan and we believe in fundamentals. We believe in the way we work, we understand that, and we know that every week we get better, and better, and better. That’s the way it’s happened here before, and we’ve been here 12 years. Our record speaks for us.”

Castillo’s record as defensive coordinator speaks very indifferently at the moment. The Birds have made several personnel shifts on defense looking for the right combination, and none of them have been notably successful. Castillo admitted this week he didn’t use cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha correctly in the loss to the 49ers where the Eagles coughed up a 23-3 lead.

“I gave him too much without having camp,” said Castillo, referring to the off-season mini-camps and OTAs. “Those are all packages that we would have worked on in camp. I wanted to shut down different guys and different personnel. I have to understand that we didn’t have the camps and that he’s human. I have to do a better job handling him.”

Castillo insists he has the players to be successful, and Moise Fokou, the starting strong-side linebacker, said it’s just a matter of execution.

“It’s already hard enough to get a win in the National Football League (without mistakes),” Fokou said Friday. “I mean, we’ve had little mistakes just in terms of ball security, tackling, you know, little minute things that could just help you in different situations. And I think just putting more focus on everything and just trying to be perfect, and things are going to happen that you can’t control, but just trying to be perfect. But that’s pretty much it, trying to be perfect on every play.”

Buffalo’s offense poses major threats to the Eagles. The Bills rank fourth in the league points scored (33.2 per game), fifth in rushing (137.0), ninth overall (391.5) and 12th passing yardage (254.5). And Buffalo can point to impressive come-from-behind wins over Oakland and New England — the kind of rallies that have bedeviled the Eagles this season.

Harvard graduate Ryan Fitzpatrick has completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 1,040 yards and nine TDs and just three interceptions. Running back Fred Jackson, another small-college guy from tiny Coe (Iowa), averages 5.8 yards per carry and has 369 yards to date.

Fitzpatrick doesn’t have the superstar wideout to throw to, but five Bills are in double-digits in receiving led by fourth-year man Steve Johnson (24 catches, 314 yards, 3 TDs).
 
Defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins said it’s more about what the Eagles need to do than anything Buffalo does.

“(Stopping Jackson gives us) the same challenges we’ve been having,” he said. “We’ve been going against a lot of good backs and we’ve had good times and bad times. It’s all about going out there and trying to put together a complete game. We’ve been playing partial games all year where we’re looking good and we’re showing enough but not putting that  complete game together. If we can go out there and put a complete game together, that would do a lot for confidence and the whole camaraderie of the defense.”

The problem for the Eagles’ defense this week is that they don’t have a complete team to work with, especially on the line. Tackle Antonio Dixon is done for the season with a tricep injury, and Pro Bowl end Trent Cole is out with a calf injury. Another veteran end, Juqua Parker, is battling a high ankle sprain and both tackle Mike Patterson (knee) and end Darryl Tapp found the injured list, given as probable.

“Tapp is a little further along than the way JP is,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said Friday.“But JP felt a lot better today than he did yesterday so we’re optimistic there. With a high ankle sprain you’re going to have good days, you’re going to have bad days … Yesterday was not a good day for him, he was sore. He came back today and said he felt good.”

So the Eagles are going on the road to take on one of the best offenses in the league with a banged-up defensive line, am inexperienced linebacking corps that’s already seen three personnel switches in four  weeks and a secondary that has produced just two interceptions, seemed hesitant at times and vulnerable to big plays (in the last two weeks the Eagles have surrendered 10 plays of over 26 yards or more).
Castillo says improvement is coming.

“We’ll get better and that’s my responsibility,” he said. “We’re going through some things, and some of the things I’m taking care of in practice and some other things I have to take care of. Together, as a defensive group, we’re going to take care of things and we’ve been working on them. We know what to xdo, and we’ll get better.”

No time like the present.

By Jason Catania

Fox Sports Sponsored Post

Game: Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) at Buffalo Bills (3-1)

Date: Sunday, October 9

Time: 1:00 PM EST

Game of the Week Status

It’s now or never for a Philadelphia Eagles team that has lost three straight despite being a preseason favorite with Super Bowl hopes, while a plucky Buffalo Bills team is licking its chops at the chance to exploit a vulnerable defense after an upset loss last time out.

Previous Week

At home. Ahead 23-3 midway through the third quarter. And facing a West Coast team that had to travel all the way across the country. Despite all that, the Eagles still found a way to choke last week against the San Francisco 49ers, who scored the game’s final 21 points to win 24-23.

While QB Michael Vick had a field day, throwing for a career-high 416 yards and 2 scores, the Eagles “defense” made Niners signal-caller Alex Smith, who completed 63.6% of his passes for 291 yards and a pair of TDs, look like Joe Montana.

Meanwhile, Philly’s run D was gashed for 127 yards on just 15 carries (8.5 yards per) by RB Frank Gore. No sugarcoating: It was a devastating – and revealing – loss for a team that needs to get its act together. Fast.

The Bills, though, had their own version of a disappointing defeat, albeit not quite as drastic. After jumping out to a 17-3 halftime lead, Buffalo allowed the – gasp – Cincinnati Bengals to tie the game at 20 with just over four minutes remaining.

On the ensuing drive, the Bills offense stalled in its own territory, and then the defense folded over as Bengals rookie QB Andy Dalton marched his squad 56 yards in under two minutes before Mike Nugent kicked a 43-yard field goal to win the game, 23-20, with no time left on the clock. Following three straight wins to kick off the season, including two consecutive crazy comebacks, the Bills fell into the “let-down game” trap in losing for the first time.

What To Expect

As Vick said earlier this week, “The dream team thing is over.”

If the Eagles, already alone in last place in the NFC East, are going to avoid falling further behind in the division, they’re going to need to come up with their best defensive showing so far this year.

Through four games, Philly is allowing 139.5 yards on the ground, third-worst in all of football. Problem is, with stud DE Trent Cole out with a calf injury and fellow ends Juqua Parker and Darryl Tapp less than 100 percent, the line is nowhere near full strength. Same goes for the O-line, too, with left tackle Jason Peters (hamstring) a likely no-go, meaning an already-banged up Vick could be in trouble.

On the plus side, though, Vick needs just 71 more rush yards to surpass former Eagle Randall Cunningham as the league’s career leader among quarterbacks, a mark he could reach, considering how much he may be running for his life. And it’s not like Buffalo’s defense, which is surrendering 407 yards per game, sixth-worst in the NFL, has done much to get in their opponent’s way so far.

There is, though, the matter of how much damage the surprising Bills offense, which ranks fourth-best at 33.3 points per game and fifth-best with 137 rush yards per, will do.

Given the Eagles’ defensive issues when it comes to stopping the run, expect Buffalo to fully exploit that weakness, by keeping RB Fred Jackson – averaging 5.8 yards per carry with four TDs – busy out of the backfield. On the passing side, after failing to hit the 200-yard mark or throw a TD for the first time in 2011, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick could again have some trouble because his top target, WR Stevie Johnson (team-bests of 24 catches and 314 yards), will be blanketed by Nnamdi Asomugha, one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL.

But if Fitzpatrick can make good use of his other options, like emerging WR David Nelson (22 receptions, 251 yards) and red zone threat TE Scott Chandler (team-best 4 TDs), the Bills could make as much hay through the air as they do on the ground. In that case, Buffalo might just prolong Philly’s nightmare.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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