The Flu, the Flyers, the Beast Mode and the Letdown

My weekend began by waking up in a pool of my own sweat and ended with an ill-advised throw at the opposite end zone from where I was sitting. Needless to say, I began the weekend as sick as can be and ended it with a sickening feeling.



At some point on Tuesday night, I became incredibly exhausted way earlier than normal. I chalked it up to simply needing to catch up on sleep and thought nothing of it. Then on Wednesday, I felt like I was going to die at work. I was freezing all day long, no matter what I did to get warm, and I was mentally out of it all day. I felt weak and achy and tired. I knew I was getting sick.

I somehow managed to make it through the day, found some Nyquil in my house and again went to bed early. Thursday it was more of the same. Only this time I was alternating between freezing my nuts off and sweating to death. Again, I managed to make it through the day of work, but I was starting to think I may have the flu or something like it. Oddly, I began to feel pretty good late in the day, around 3 o'clock or so, and felt great the rest of the night … until I tried to sleep.

As a precaution, I did finally venture to CVS and pick up some more Nyquil and Dayquil, which I found out you cannot purchase unless you're over 18. That seems odd to me, and even more odd was that I actually got carded by some ancient lady. I'm 26, soon to be 27. And I got carded to purchase Nyquil. Weird.

Anyway, I got back home, settled in huddled under a blanket and was feeling pretty good. I watched the Flyers come back from a shaky first period to destroy the Devils 4-2 thanks to another ridiculous game by the Briere-Hartnell-Leino line, with Briere and Hartnell each scoring twice and Leino notching three assists.



Then I went to sleep, and in the middle of the night woke up with an awful sore throat, slight earache and again was freezing to death. Then I woke up again and was hot as hell, and by the time I awoke to my alarm, I was lying in an ungodly pool of sweat. Literally, it was like I had jumped into a pool in the middle of the night. I felt awful and finally relented, calling out of work. I then proceeded to spend the remainder of the day under a pile of blankets watching every episode of the first two seasons of Parks and Recreation on Netflix.



Mose Schrute and company do some damn good work writing for that show.

Given that I was feeling under the weather, albeit on the recovery side of things (evident by the sweating it out phase Friday morning), I decided to stay in Friday night to relax and recover, and figured I'd do the same all weekend. However, one of my roommates came home and told me he had an extra ticket to the Eagles-Packers playoff game Sunday and asked if I wanted to go, even as I was huddled under the covers and looking like death. I told him that I wasn't feeling so hot, and it probably wouldn't be in my best interest to go sit out in freezing weather on Sunday even if I was feeling better, so he should see if anyone else wanted it. On Saturday, he essentially told me I was going no matter what.

The good news is I was feeling a whole hell of a lot better come Saturday morning. The Dayquil-Nyquil combo had been doing the trick, and I didn't feel like death anymore. Still not 100 percent and still feeling pretty weak and tired, but not like death.

Thanks to the fortunate NHL schedule-makers, I watched the Flyers host the Devils at 1 in the second leg of the home and home series, and again the Flyers won, this time 2-1. The main reason? James van Riemsdyk was all over the place. For the first time in his NHL career, JVR was the best player on the ice. He used his size and speed to give the Devils fits, scoring the game's first goal and asserting himself the entire game. Danny Briere netted what turned out to be the game-winner on an incredible pass by Claude Giroux on the power play that chased Johan Hedberg, and Brian Boucher made 34 saves in the 2-1 win, continuing his awesome play this season. The only goal Boucher gave up came on an unlucky deflection off Ville Leino, popping up in the air and landing over Boucher's shoulder and in the net.



With those two victories over the horrid Devils (that feels so nice to write), the Flyers are back atop the Eastern Conference with 57 points, and they have two games in hand over the Lightning (55 points) and three games in hand over the Penguins (56 points). This team is really good, and they're only going to get better with the return of Chris Pronger.

During the Flyers game, uncle jellyfish came over, and he and my roommate were pondering where to go to watch the first NFL playoff game and get some food. As the Flyers game was drawing to a close, they suggested I come along. Feeling better, I agreed to drink a brew and finally decided to tag along. I have to say that I'm glad I did.

We waited for Adam EatShit to get to our house, and then the four of us headed out to Buffalo Billiards in Old City to watch the Saints-Seahawks game, play some table shuffleboard and eat a little grub. As you know, the Seahawks pulled off the upset against the Saints, thanks to Marshawn Lynch going all Beast Mode on New Orleans.



As that was happening, Adam and I were losing two close battles to my roommate and uncle jellyfish. Then when our food came out, the bar back stopped and asked uncle jellyfish, who was wearing a Mike Richards shirt, who his favorite Flyer was. A little confused, he responded, "Claude Giroux I guess." The bar back said, "Well, look over there. He's right there. I'm friends with him. He comes in all the time. A bunch of the Flyers do."

We looked over and wouldn't you know it, Claude Giroux is shooting pool with a couple of other guys. To be honest, if you didn't know what Giroux looks like, you would have never guessed he was an athlete. I guess that's the case with a lot of hockey players, especially the smaller guys. He just looked like your typical 22-year-old guy hanging out with some buddies. It was pretty cool. And a few moments later, in came Andreas Nodl and Danny Briere as well.



The funny thing is that Giroux is 22 and Nodl is 23, but Danny Briere, who is 33, looks younger than both of them. The cool thing about the atmosphere there is that no one seemed to be bothering the Flyers at the bar. As much as I would have loved to go over and chat the guys up, I also am not too interested in being a nuisance to professional athletes, especially after they've just finished a game. One guy in the bar was hopping around and acting giddy like a little girl, but the rest of the patrons, our party included, kept their wits.

As much as I wanted to stay and maybe challenge Giroux and company to a game of pool or skee ball, I started to feel pretty worn down and tired again. I needed to get home and get some more rest, especially since my other roommate had met us at the bar and point blank told me I'm going to the Eagles game. I walked right by Briere and Nodl on my way out, contemplated saying, "Good game," but instead just walked out the door and headed home.

I watched the Colts-Jets game from the comfort of my bed all Nyquilled up and fell asleep pretty early. By Sunday morning, I was feeling pretty good and preparing myself for the cold. I headed down to the game around noon with the crew and our tailgating supplies. Bundled up in three pairs of pants, four pairs of socks, a long-sleeve thermal T-shirt, a T-shirt, another long-sleeve shirt, two hooded sweatshirts, a jacket, gloves, a hat and boots, I was more than prepared for the weather and getting pretty excited. Truth of the matter is I had no idea what to expect from the game. I was terrified thinking about Aaron Rodgers feasting on the Eagels' secondary, but I also was excited to see what Michael Vick would do in his first playoff start as an Eagle. Turns out, it was a lot like his last playoff start in the Linc as a member of the Atlanta Falcons.



Vick got hit early and often on Sunday, getting sacked on the very first play from scrimmage, the first of three sacks, and threw a crippling interception that ended the game. At times, he again looked baffled by the blitz, but he also spent a good portion of the game running for his life. Winston Justice had his worst game since the whole Giants debacle, and the rest of the line struggled to contain an aggressive Green Bay rush.

The thing that was so aggravating was all week long we heard about how the best way for the Eagles to neutralize Green Bay's tremendous pass rush, specifically Clay Matthews, was to run the ball. LeSean McCoy hinted at the fact the Eagles would lean that way on offense. But of course this is an Andy Reid team, so it was all pass, pass, pass. LeSean McCoy carried the ball just 12 times all game. Jerome Harrison only had one carry. Of Mike Vick's 8 rushes, maybe three were designed. That's 21 runs altogether if you're counting, only about 16 of which were actually called runs. Meanwhile, Vick threw the ball 36 times. That's a 21-36 run to pass ratio, a 16-41 run call to pass call ratio. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Especially in the cold and windy conditions, and especially in a game where you'd prefer to keep Green Bay's potent passing attack off the field against a suspect defense.

But that's Andy Reid for you. He's a passing guy to the bitter end. And I mean that literally, because every fucking end with this team is bitter.

This one was just as bitter as all the rest. Right from the get-go it was evident this wasn't the Eagles' day. Vick was sacked on the very first play. Then, after being gifted tremendous field position immediately following that first drive thanks to a Packer inadvertently touching the ball on Sav Rocca's punt and the Eagles recovering, they couldn't do anything with it. David Akers missed a 41-yard field goal, and later a 34-yarder. The Eagles lost by five points, 21-16. You do the math.



No NFL kicker should ever miss a kick from 40 yards or fewer without a bad snap, hold or slipping, and honestly, an NFL kicker shouldn't miss from under 45 yards. They're supposed to be the best of the best. Yet Akers, after a great regular season, missed two from short distance in a playoff game. Hell, even if he just makes one of them, the Eagles are trailing by just 2 points on that final drive, actually one because they would have kicked the extra point instead of going for two after Vick's TD, meaning all they would have needed was to get in field goal position, which they did, to line up for the winning kick. Of course, given the way Akers kicked Sunday, he probably would have missed it anyway. He should be forced to give up his Pro Bowl spot and pay back his Pro Bowl bonus money after that horrific, inexcusable performance.

The man has been a really good kicker for a really long time, but now that his contract is up, I'd be more than willing to bid him farewell unless he's willing to take a significant pay cut. He certainly doesn't deserve $2 million or whatever he's making to miss crucial kicks in the playoffs.

To be fair, though, Akers was hardly alone in his ineptitude. The Eagles defense had absolutely no answer for Aaron Rodgers and somehow rookie free agent running back James Starks in the first half. The Packers marched down the field 68 yards in 10 plays on their second possession for a touchdown, then 57 yards on 12 plays on their next possession to take a 14-0 lead. It could have been even worse if not for a dropped ball by James Jones. Coming right toward the end zone I was sitting in, Rodgers threw a perfect deep ball to Jones, who was behind the defense, but Jones dropped it. That's another 7, if not 3 at least, points off the board.

The Eagles couldn't get any pressure on Rodgers, couldn't get a stop to save their life on third down and couldn't stop the run. This despite the fact that the Eagles have actually been pretty stingy against the run this year and the Packers have had no run game to speak of with Ryan Grant out for the year. Yet there they were, getting gashed by James Starks and getting picked apart by Rodgers.

I understand that Sean McDermott has been given little to work with this year thanks to key injuries to Ellis Hobbs, Nate Allen, Brandon Graham and Stewart Bradley, not to mention missed time for Asante Samuel and others, and I get that guys like Ernie Sims haven't produced the way you'd like. But still, McDermott needs to be held accountable for not putting his players in position to make plays. He's been dealing with these injuries for a while now, has had plenty of time to adjust and develop a scheme to suit his personnel or at least try to mask its mistakes. But he hasn't. Not one bit. And the guys he's plugged in have regressed, not progressed. Guys like Dimitri Patterson and Kurt Coleman. Hell, on one 3rd and 10, he played some sort of shitty cover 2 zone, something the Eagles rarely do, and let Greg Jennings, the best receiver on the Packers, get wide open for 20 yards and a first down. That just makes absolutely no sense.



To add to that, after the Eagels came out of the half and forced a turnover, then scored two plays later on a perfect throw by Vick to Jason Avant to make it 14-10, the Eagles turned right back around and let the Packers drive 80 yards in 11 plays for another touchdown on the ensuing drive to put Green Bay back up by 11.

If I had my way, McDermott would be fired today. But Andy has already said McDermott will be back next season, and I guess he deserves the shot to coach a healthy team that will hopefully be revamped — Nnamdi, Nnamdi, Nnamdi. But in two seasons now, McDermott hasn't shown a damn thing. These Eagles defenses are a far cry from the turnover-inducing, pressure defenses of Jim Johnson. In fact, they're the complete opposite. They get no pressure on quarterbacks, and are the worst red zone defense in the entire NFL, as opposed to one of the best in the Jim Johnson era. If he can't turn things around 2011, he should be axed, plain and simple. The guy just seems to have no clue.

Having said that, if you told me that defense was going to only give up 21 points to that offense and that quarterback, I would have felt pretty damn good about the Eagles' chances. Aside from not doing a very good job getting off the field on third down and letting the Packers answer in the third quarter, the defense wasn't completely awful. In fact, you could argue they did their job, giving the offense a chance to win the game.

Unfortunately, blunders prevented the victory from happening. Despite Akers missing two crucial kicks, despite Avant dropping a key third-down pass, despite DeSean Jackson getting banged up, missing lots of time and not catching a single ball in the first half, despite the protection problems, the skewed playcalling, the terrible timeout call on the 4th-and-goal from the 1 that ended up with a QB sneak by Vick for a touchdown, the failed two-point conversion, everything, the Eagles had a chance to win the game.

The defense, even after giving up a first down on Green Bay's final possession, got a stop, and the Birds started to drive. DeSean, who was invisible most of the game, almost broke one, gaining 28 yards and just getting tripped up. The thing is, if he went outside, he would have gained just as much, maybe even more, and been able to get out of bounds to stop the clock. Vick then hit Riley Cooper for 11 more yards after two incompletions to get to Green Bay's 27, which would have been in field goal range to win the game if Akers had hit just one of those two horrible misses. The Eagles rushed to the line after that first down, and there was only one thing and one thing only to do: spike the ball to stop the clock. There would have been around 38 seconds left at Green Bay's 27, time to huddle up and get the right play. But instead, Vick showed he still has a long way to go as far reading defenses and knowing the right thing to do in situational football. He didn't spike it. He called an all go play. And then, with the season on the line, he threw a jump ball to the end zone to the Eagles' 4th wide receiver. And he threw it badly, underthrowing it severely, getting picked off by Tramon Williams.

Not only was it a horrible decision, but it was a horrible throw. If you're going to throw that ball, you have to put it over the back shoulder where only your guy can get it or it's out of bounds. Instead, it was underthrown and Williams ended the game. To make matters worse, DeSean was wide open right in front of Vick, and apparently LeSean was open in the flat. Even worse, none of it should have ever happened, because Vick should have clocked the ball. I don't care what he says about going down swinging, about feeling like he had Green Bay's defense on its heels, you have to clock that ball. You have to. Vick has done so many amazing things this year for the Eagles, turned in a season no one expected and no one will ever forget, but he made his worst play and his worst decision at the most crucial time.



It was disgusting. I was disgusted. And I felt sick again.

Oh, and Gerard Lawson sucks just as much Jorrick Calvin. Nice hold, asshole. Sean McDermott and Bobby April need to go away. I hate everything and everyone.

The Eagles never fail to disappoint, and never fail to amaze at the horrid ways they find to end their seasons.

Update: Claude Giroux has been named an All-Star. Oddly, he's the only Flyer named to the all-star team. It's tough to point out just a couple guys to be named given the incredible balance and depth of this team, but I think Danny Briere with his 21 goals, Andrej Meszaros with his NHL-leading plus-25 and Mike Richards with everything he does probably deserved a nod as well. Oh well, congrats Claude.

Bye-Bye, Bye

Yes, I was there last night freezing my balls off with Arkansas Fred, his dad and 68,000 other disappointed Eagles fans to witness the Eagles kiss any chance they might have had at a bye goodbye.


Don't act like you don't know every word to that song

The game plan was terrible. The coaching was terrible. The defense was terrible. The protection was terrible. The special teams were terrible. David Akers was terrible. And most of all, Michael Vick was terrible. Beyond terrible, actually. It was easily his worst game as a Philadelphia Eagle, and it probably ranked up there with any egg he laid in Atlanta.

This wasn't MVP candidate and starting Pro Bowl quarterback Michael Vick we've grown accustomed to. This was immature, impatient, dumb Michael Vick from his days in Atlanta.



To be fair, he was under heavy pressure all night. The Vikings brought the blitz early and often and from all areas of the field, and the offensive line couldn't pick it up. But that doesn't excuse Vick's play. Where he has shown tremendous poise and made great reads virtually all season, he instead neglected to read the defense and continued to throw horrible passes into coverage. He was picked off only once on the night, but he could have and should have been intercepted at least four times, probably five —  if only the Minnesota defenders could catch.

He missed wide open receivers, never hit a hot route and made the wrong decision damn near every time he pulled the trigger on a pass. Yes, he did throw a touchdown pass to Clay Harbor on an awesome catch by the rookie tight end and run in the Eagles' other score by faking Jamarca Sanford out of his jock to bring the Eagles within a field goal in the 4th quarter.



But Vick also lost two fumbles, one of which was picked up and returned for a touchdown by Antoine Winfield to tie the game right before half as the Eagles were driving and looking to go up by two scores before the second half.



It was an absolutely horrendous game for the man who was named the NFC's starting quarterback in Pro Bowl prior to kickoff. In fact, not a single Eagle that was named to the Pro Bowl did much of anything. Vick was at his absolute worst. David Akers missed a 54-yard field goal attempt by coming up way, way short, and absolutely killed the Birds by sailing his kickoff out of bounds immediately following Vick's in the 4th touchdown, taking away all of the momentum they had gained. And it proved lethal, as the Vikings took advantage of the great field position and answered with a touchdown of their own to all but ice the game.

DeSean Jackson was held in check and looked at times disinterested. There were several instances where he could have come back and fought for the ball but simply didn't. Jason Peters wasn't altogether horrible, but it's hard to say anyone on the offensive line played well given the severe pressure and hard pounding Vick took all night. And Asante — while not making any glaring errors mostly because Joe Webb was content to pick on Dmitri Patterson, Joselio Hanson and the rest of Philadelphia's banged-up, inexperienced and plain bad secondary — didn't do anything special, and missed a few tackles. Oh, and he got called for another helmet-to-helmet penalty on a hit that is pretty difficult to avoid.



All in all, it was hard to find a single positive thing about last night's game.

But there are times when the players are just not going to have it. It's annoying, and maybe it shouldn't happen, but every team goes through lulls. What I found most egregious about last night was the game plan and the failure to adjust.

The passing game wasn't working at all. Not even a little bit. The line couldn't protect Vick and Vick was playing like he was the rookie making his first start, not Joe Webb. The Vikings were pummeling Vick and taking away the big play for the most part. With all of that combined with the cold, slippery conditions, you'd think the Eagles would have tossed out the game plan that clearly wasn't working and instead look to get the ball in LeSean McCoy's hands as often as possible.

They did not. McCoy only had 17 touches in the game. He only ran the ball 13 times. And it was nearly impossible to remember him being utilized at all in the first half. This is completely baffling and infuriating to me and so many others.



This may sound crazy, but watching everything LeSean McCoy has been able to do this season, I think he may just be the best player on this offense, or at least the most versatile. Saying it out loud, it actually does sound strange given that includes Vick and DeSean, two Pro Bowl players, Jeremy Maclin, et al. But that's how impressive he's been this season to me.

We could see the potential he had last year, and he's done nothing but improve in his first full season as the starter. He can run, he can catch, and he's worked hard to both improve his blocking and curtail his fumbling. Honestly, he has all the tools that Brian Westbrook did. And frankly, I think he should be utilized in the same way.

When Westbrook was at his peak, the Eagles got him the ball a variety of ways throughout the entire game — runs, screens, flanking him out wide, you name it. And it worked magic for Westbrook and the Eagles offense. That's exactly what they should be doing with McCoy because he has that kind of talent. The man is averaging 5.2 yards per carry, yet he only gets 13-14 carries a game. When you combine his catches (78), he's averaging 19 touches a game. That number, given his talent and explosiveness, should be closer to 25-30 touches a game.

I understand that this offense has a ton of weapons, understand that Vick needs to spread the ball around and that he himself takes a lot of the rushing game on his own shoulders by turning called passes into long rushes, but LeSean McCoy needs to be utilized more. It will take pressure off Vick, off Maclin and Jackson and Celek, and it will open up the game for everyone. Plus, it takes some stress off an offensive line that has had stretches where they struggle to protect Vick. Give him the same number of screen plays, swing passes, carries and touches that Westbrook got in his prime. It will only make the Eagles better, especially in games like last night when the passing game struggled.

There's no reason McCoy shouldn't have been a bigger part of the offense last night, and that one rests entirely on the shoulders of Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg.

Oh, and Sean McDermott still sucks. I'll concede that he's been dealt a raw deal with all the injuries to key players on defense, especially in the secondary, but damn. How in the hell can you, on 3rd and long with the game on the line, call a blitz by Joselio Hanson that then calls for Jamar Chaney, a rookie middle linebacker, to cover Percy Harvin, one of the fastest players on the planet? Because you're a shitty defensive coordinator, that's why.

Joe Webb, who wasn't even supposed to be a quarterback, wasn't great, but he didn't make any big mistakes. Adrian Peterson gained 118 yards on 22 carries, bringing the Philadelphia run defense back down to earth, and Percy had a field day running by Chaney, Patterson and Hanson for 7 catches for 100 yards. Things got so bad that Patterson, who played well in his first two games starting but has progressively gotten worse, was benched for Trevard Lindley in the 4th quarter. And Trevard Lindley sucks.

Really, there's nothing good I can say about that game. It was cold, the Eagles sucked and now they have no shot at a bye. On a bright note, they can rest anyone they want next week against Dallas, because the game is meaningless. The Eagles are locked in as the 3 seed in the NFC, meaning they'll host either the Packers, Giants or Bucs the second weekend in January.

Oh, and the Flyers lost, Jody Shelley sucker-punched former Flyer Andrew Alberts and will most assuredly face another suspension, and Kimmo Timonen suffered the dreaded lower-body injury. Awesome.

60 Percent of DeSean is Still Faster Than Everyone Else

We all knew DeSean Jackson was fast. Really, really fast. But I'm not sure any of us really understood just how incredibly swift the third-year receiver out of Cal really is until his game-changing 91-yard touchdown, turning a seemingly routine 10-yard out into an explosive score that gave the Eagles the lead for good.



Earlier in the game, DeSean hurt his ankle on a punt return. He was clearly in discomfort, limping around the field and wincing in pain. And on the aforementioned play, it was evident he was laboring, nowhere near his top speed. Yet no Dallas Cowboy could catch him. DeSean was still able to break away from everyone, on a bum ankle no less, scampering 91 yards and distancing himself so much that he time to fall into the end zone in an excessive manner, earning a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.



Admittedly, I was both incredibly entertained and annoyed at the same time. I mean, damn, the man just burnt everyone on the field despite limping around, put the Eagles ahead by a touchdown and earned a little celebration. Plus, that shit was hilarious. But making David Akers kick off from the 15-yard line in a 7-point game put the team in a bad position. Just not smart by DeSean, though it's hard to be mad at him. Especially after Akers did what he seems to do every time his teammates put him in a hole — Akers bailed DeSean out by booming a tremendous kick, and the coverage team did the rest by bottling up Dallas at its own 23-yard line.

He may not be the smartest man in the world, but DeSean Jackson just may be the fastest human being to ever put on pads. Last night it was on full display. On the first play from scrimmage, Michael Vick hit DeSean for 60 yards, effortlessly flicking the ball more than 60 yards in the air. Watching Vick go deep to DeSean has become one of the most beautiful things in the world. And that was just the beginning for Jackson. DeSean put up a career-high in receiving yards, 210, and did it on just 4 catches, including the 91-yard score. That's a staggering 52.5 average per catch. 52.5! His shortest reception of the night went for 22 yards. That is frightening. It really is.

The game itself was hardly all about DeSean though, as hard as that may be to fathom. Michael Vick once again played an integral role, orchestrating a tremendous opening drive and capping it off with a 1-yard touchdown run to go up 7-0 and finishing the game 16-26 for 270 yards and 2 scores, not to mention his touchdown run. But it was another game in which Vick got absolutely pounded. King Dunlap struggled all night long, and to compound that, Andy and Marty went into one of their aggravating and stupid "we're only going to throw the ball" phases, allowing the Cowboys to just rush right upfield and attack Vick. As a result, Vick was getting killed back there.

Oh, and then there was the hit out of bounds by Anthony Spencer that drew the ire of Andy Reid, and rightfully so.



Vick, scrambling out of the pocket, was headed to the sidelines. As he was on his way out, Spencer engaged Vick while still inbounds. But then he tossed him like a rag doll, sending Vick flying into the bench dangerously. Now, given that Spencer engaged Vick inbounds, I don't think it should be a penalty to push a guy out. However, the NFL has established a pretty firm, pretty consistent precedent on these types of plays, especially when the ball-carrier is a quarterback. 99 times out of 100, a flag is thrown on that exact type of play. If Tom Brady or Peyton Manning is involved, that number goes to 200 times out of 100. Hell, the flag is even thrown most of the time when a running back or wide receiver is hit in that fashion. But because it was Michael Vick and because the NFL and the referees still don't view the man who has played quarterback better than anyone not named Tom Brady this season as a quarterback, no flag. It was absolutely ridiculous, not because it was a dirty play by Spencer, but because the referees always, always, ALWAYS throw a flag there for any other quarterback in the league. No wonder Andy was so upset. So was I. It's really getting ridiculous at this point.

Although, you know, Andy could have done his quarterback a favor and run the ball a little more to take the pressure off. But that would make too much sense.

Instead, the Eagles just kept throwing and throwing and throwing. It was infuriating because the Cowboys were having their way with the Eagles defense on the other side of the ball. Running the ball would have allowed a shaky defense to stay off the field and rest.

Right after Vick's touchdown, the Cowboys easily marched 77 yards down the field in 10 plays, aided by a personal foul penalty by the Eagles, scoring on a 1-yard pass to Jason Witten. The game did settle down a little after that, with both defenses surprisingly getting stops, but that wouldn't last long. Vick hit DeSean for another big gain, a 37-yarder, in the second quarter, which set up his first touchdown pass … to Todd Herremans. Yes, Todd Herremans.



The Cowboys answered at the end of the half with a 50-yard field goal after Vick and Jon Kitna exchanged interceptions, but before all of that, Stewart Bradley dislocated his elbow in horrid fashion.



Stew was done for the game, replaced by Jamar Chaney, and I'd be surprised if we see him again in 2010. An elbow's not supposed to bend that way.

Although Bradley has hardly played his best football this year, his absence was felt in the second half. Tashard Choice, Felix Jones and the Dallas tight ends carved up the Eagles on the first two possessions, putting up a field goal to make it 14-13 after the opening drive, then scoring a touchdown thanks to three straight runs by Jones (35 yards, -1 and 3) after Vick was intercepted on a pass that went right through Jeremy Maclin's hands. Despite an explosive start, the Eagles now found themselves down 20-14 without Stewart Bradley, with their star wide receiver banged up and with their quarterback getting killed every other play.

Then something amazing happened, something odd that has been happening a lot this season. Trailing in the 2nd half, Andy and Marty turned to the run. Big time. And it worked. LeSean McCoy ripped off a 56-yard run on the first play after Jones' touchdown, leading to an Akers field goal to make it 20-17. Then after the Eagles miraculously forced a three and out, Akers added another field goal, this one from 50 yards, to tie the game.

After another shocking three and out forced by the Birds, DeSean exploded for 91 yards, Dmitri Patterson picked off Kitna, and LeSean ripped off 16 more yards rushing to set up another Akers field goal, 30-20 Birds. The defense did allow Dallas right back in it with a touchdown — the killer play being a 4th-and-8 where it looked like they had Kitna dead to rights, only to see him escape the pressure and pick up a first down with his ancient legs — but then it was all LeSean all the time. The Eagles ran out the clock almost exclusively using McCoy in the final 4:22 — 6-yard pass, followed by runs of 12, 19, 13 and 6. The offensive line was opening gaping holes for McCoy to run through. Jason Peters, Todd Herremans and Max Jean-Gilles were particularly mauling. McCoy took advantage. When it was all said and done, Shady finished with 149 yards on 16 carries, good for a 9.3 average.



Reid and Marty have used the running game in an unconventional way all season long. Against the Colts and Texans (maybe even the Giants, I don't recall off-hand) and again last night, the play-calling skewed heavily toward pass plays in the first half with the team leading. Then, when the team fell behind in the second half, the Eagles turned to the run and took control of the game. It's been so bizarre and goes against all conventional wisdom. Historically, teams like to run the ball when they have the lead to bleed the clock and keep the other team's offense off the field. This season, the Eagles have been doing the opposite. And as maddening as it is to see pass play after pass play called early on as Vick takes a beating, the strategy has worked. The Eagles beat the Colts, Texans and Cowboys that way, and they sit atop the NFC East at 9-4. It's hard to say it's not working no matter how badly you want to reach through the TV and choke Marty and Andy while screaming, "RUN THE BALL!!!!!" early on.

The game certainly wasn't pretty. The Eagles committed costly penalties, something that's been all too common this year. The defense struggled at times, though admittedly the secondary really tightened up to the surprise of everyone at times too. Stewart Bradley was lost. Oh, and Jorrick Calvin and Chad Hall got way too much time.

For starters, I don't know what in the hell Andy Reid was trying to prove last night with all the snaps he gave Chad Hall. Chad Hall is an absolutely awful football player. He doesn't belong anywhere near the field. I know Bill Belichick can get short white guys like Wes Welker and Danny Woodhead to become stars, but that doesn't mean every short white guy will become one. Why do you think there are so few of them?



Hall has not done one damn thing all season. He's too small to do anything. And he has no business even being on this roster, let alone actually seeing the field.

Though compared to Jorrick Calvin, Hall looks like the best player in the NFL.



First off, Calvin has one job and one job only, to return kickoffs. Yet he sucks at it. Like really, really sucks at it. He doesn't follow his blockers, rarely hits the hole with any speed and makes absolutely no one miss. This is not a lie. He's averaging just 22.6 yards per return, good for 45th in the NFL. Some of that can be attributed to the terrible blocking, but still: Forty-freakin-fifth.

On top of that, the rookie out of Troy listed as a defensive back has not seen one snap in the secondary for the Eagles. This despite injuries to both starting corners, an injury to a starting safety and continued struggles by Joselio Hanson and especially fellow rookie Trevard Lindley. Jorrick Calvin is a fucking worthless player.

When you take into consideration that he didn't know the rule on the clock not starting on a kick return until you leave the end zone, then exacerbating that mistake by stupidly hitting a Cowboy all sorts of late right in front of the referee to draw a personal foul and back the Eagles up in a tight game late, his ass should be cut. Today.

I hate him so very much. What a useless player.

Basically, Jorrick Calvin is the complete opposite of DeSean Jackson.



Oh, and I almost forgot: Underwhelming rookie defensive end Brandon Graham got hurt last night too, and it turns out he's done for the season with a torn ACL.

Looks like the Eagles' best defense will be a good offense from here on out, and it probably was already. Luckily, the have plenty of swagger and talent on that side of the ball, led by none other than DeSean Jackson, who can still outrun everyone on the planet while going at just 60 percent speed.

Oh yeah, and Dallas Sucks!

Pro Bowling

Well, the list of the NFL's Pro Bowlers are in, and the Eagles did quite well for themselves. Six Eagles in all were named to the team. Yesterday, before the teams were announced, I told Adam EatShit that four would definitely make it and potentially six could. True story. That doesn't mean I got all the guys right. Let's take a look.

Defense: Asante Samuel, Trent Cole


Asante was one of my four locks to make the team. He's tied for the NFL lead in interceptions with nine (along with Jarius Byrd and Darren Sharper), and he has a reputation of being a big-play corner, which he is. No surprise in him making it. However, truth be told, I don't think Asante Samuel necessarily deserves to be on the team. Don't get me wrong, he's a fine player and just about every one of his 9 interceptions have been huge, but you watch the guy play week in and week out and he's certainly no shutdown guy. Very good, yes. Great, great playmaker. But he offsets that with the worst tackling in the NFL. As good as he's been taking the ball away, he's been just as bad giving up big plays by horribly missing tackles. Still, the guy has 9 interceptions, leading the league, so of course he was going to make it. Hard to argue.

As far as Cole goes, he was on my could make it list. Not a lock, but a guy I thought had a good shot. The reason I didn't have him as a lock? I had no idea that he was third in the NFC in sacks and fifth in the entire NFL. Had I known that, I would have definitely called him a lock. His 12.5 sacks are even more impressive if you get to watch this team every week. This is not exactly the Eagles defense we've grown accustomed to over the years, the one that punishes opposing quarterbacks. The Eagles struggle at times to get any pass rush from anyone not named Trent Cole, and the blitzes seem to have lost their luster with the passing of Jim Johnson. That leaves opposing offenses with one guy and one guy only to key on in passing situations, yet every week, Trent Cole has wreaked havoc on quarterbacks, running backs and every single offensive lineman he's lined up against. I used to be a guy who knocked Cole a bit early in his career, saying he was a bit overrated and nothing more than rush specialist. Over the past few years, he's proven that sentiment wrong, becoming one of the most dominant ends in the NFC. He's been a master this season both against the pass and the run, snuffing out screens, running down plays … basically, Trent Cole has been a beast. He most definitely earned this bid.

Offense: DeSean Jackson, Jason Peters, Leonard Weaver


DeSean and Weaver were two more of my locks. Let's face the facts, DeSean Jackson is the best wide receiver in the NFC East, and frankly, he's every bit as dangerous as any player in the entire league. His 8 touchdown plays of 50 yards or more this year are tied for the NFL record, and he still has the game against Dallas to make that record all his own. He more than any other player has made this offense impossible to stop, because his speed and big-play threat demand attention, opening up the rest of the field. And sometimes, DeSean simply can't be stopped. He's just too damn good. His selection was a no-brainer.

As was Leonard Weaver's, which I'm sure no one would have ever guessed heading into the season. Now, the Eagles' fullback woes from a season ago were well-documented, so it was no surprise when they went out and got themselves a true fullback this offseason. And by all accounts, Leonard Weaver was the best available one out there. When the Birds signed him, everyone was happy, but everyone also sort of questioned how big of a deal it would be. After all, the Eagles run a ton of empty or one-back sets, meaning a fullback can only have a minimal impact. Yes, as last season showed, that minimal impact is still very important, but chances were Weaver wouldn't be a key cog on most downs. Boy did that change in a hurry. Of course Weaver is an excellent blocker who has created holes for Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy all season long, not to mention done a great job helping keep Donovan McNabb clean. That alone doesn't get you to the Pro Bowl though, unless you're the lead blocking back for a 1,500-yard rusher. Weaver was not. No, what he became was the most versatile fullback in the entire NFL. The former college tight end showcased his sick hands throughout the season, making clutch catches and huge plays. When Westbrook went down, he displayed his deceptive speed and running skills, lightening the load of the passing game. He has arguably been one of the most valuable players on this explosive offense, and he certainly has been the most dynamic, most versatile fullback in the entire NFL. Again, no-brainer.

Jason Peters on the other hand was a bit of a shocker to me. In the first few games, Peters was less than stellar, committing a slew of false start and holding penalties. He looked a bit slow and a bit out of shape. He's certainly progressed as the season has gone on, and frankly, he's been damn good. Well worth the big contract, and making everyone forget about Tra Thomas. But Pro Bowl good? I don't think so. He wasn't especially good on Sunday, and he's had more moments where he's gotten beat than you'd expect from one of the best tackles in the game. In the run game, he's a complete mauler, a truly dominant force, and he's good as a pass blocker, but honestly, he didn't completely wow me. Again, he's very good, and he's been great in a good number of games as well, but I was a bit surprised at his inclusion.

Special teams: David Akers, DeSean Jackson


Akers was my fourth and final lock. The guy is leading the NFL in scoring with 139 points, has made an NFL-best 32 field goals and has missed just four kicks all season, going 32 of 36. He's shown he still has it from long distance, making a 52-yarder and having no trouble getting the ball there, he's a perfect 11-11 from 20-29 yards, 8-9 from 30-39 and 11-13 from 40-49. Basically, David Akers has been brilliant this year. Rumors of his demise the past few seasons were grossly exaggerated, including by yours truly. Most points and field goals gets you to the Pro Bowl every time. And rightfully so.

DeSean was also named as the punt returner, which was another lock. He leads the NFL in punt return average at 16 yards per return, has the longest punt return in the league at 85 yards, and is tied with Patrick Crayton with two returns for scores. Basically, he's the best punt returner in the league.

Who should have made it: Sheldon Brown and Brent Celek




In the words of Matt Mosley:

For the Eagles, I think cornerback Sheldon Brown and tight end Brent Celek should have been on the team. They're both alternates, but that doesn't cut it. Brown has played through injuries and been excellent this season. Celek simply had to overcome too many big names. Vernon Davis had an excellent season for the 49ers and Witten finished strong for the Cowboys. I could make an argument that Celek should've made it in front of Witten. Just look at the huge discrepancy in touchdowns.

In my humble opinion, Sheldon has been the best player on the entire Eagles defense. Better than Asante. Better than Cole. Better than anyone. As Mosley pointed out, he's played through injury, and it hasn't slowed him down one bit. The guy has five interceptions, a forced fumble, a recovered fumble and two touchdowns — one an interception return and one a fumble return. He's third in the NFL in interception return yards with 152, and more importantly, he's one of the few Eagles who rarely misses a tackle. He's a big hitter, sure tackler and excellent player. He's been so good that Asante has been able to get his 9 picks because a lot of teams have been throwing Asante's way more than Sheldon's. It's not the first time Brown should have made the Pro Bowl. For years, he was the better corner while Lito Sheppard was getting the picks and return touchdowns, thus going to Pro Bowls. But this may have been Sheldon's finest season. I thought he had a shot to make it, and I really thought he should have. With the loss of Jim Johnson and Brian Dawkins, not to mention the injuries in the secondary and the poor play at the safety position, Sheldon has been the guy back there that has held everything together. He really deserved a trip to the Pro Bowl this year. He really did. It's a shame that he doesn't seem to get the acknowledgment he deserves across the league.

As far as Brent Celek is concerned, he was the other Eagle I though had a chance but probably wouldn't make it. Vernon Davis scored a league-high 12 touchdowns from the tight end spot, more than anyone, so he was a lock. Then you had to assume Jason Witten would be named on name recognition alone. Plus, he is a damn good player. But as Mosely pointed out, Celek probably deserved it over Witten. Just look at the TDs. Celek has 8, Witten just one. Yes, Witten is a better blocker, but Celek vastly improved on that this season, turning it from a weakness to becoming more than adequate. And yes, Witten caught 88 balls to Celek's 69, but even with 19 fewer catches, Celek has just 79 less yards. Celek's 12.7 yards per catch is nearly two full yards more than Witten's. And those eight touchdowns to just one are hard to ignore. Throw in the fact that I had Jason Witten on one of my fantasy teams and Brent Celek on the other, and I can attest to the fact that Celek has been far more valuable this season than Witten. By all accounts, Celek has had a more productive year than Jason Witten. But Witten has the rep. Those are the breaks. I'm just glad Tony Gonzalez didn't make it over him, because Celek definitely had a better year than him.

The Reverend Rankings — My 5 Favorite Players: Eagles Special Teams

With basketball and hockey on hiatus for the summer and football still a month away from real games that count, there's nothing happening except the dog days of summer. So I'll be publishing my own personal lists of my five favorite players of the four major Philadelphia sports franchises.

View the first installment on the Phillies here, the second installment on the Sixers here, the third installment on the Flyers here, the fourth installment on the Eagles defense here and the fifth installment on the Eagles offense here.

Today we tackle the third phase of football, special teams. There are guys who I would have liked to add to the list — guys like Brian Westbrook and Jeremiah Trotter — but this is guys strictly known as special teamers, guys who played most of their careers covering punts and kicks, actually doing the punting or kicking, or being part of the return teams. So without further ado, here's the list.

1. Vai Sikahema



Vai Sikahema spent just two seasons of his career in Philadelphia, his final two in fact, and didn't exactly put up huge numbers. But Vai was a very solid return man with sure hands and great vision. And the reason he's tops on my list is plain and simple … his touchdown return against in the Giants in Giants Stadium, where he then let loose on the goal posts for one of the most awesome touchdown celebrations of all time.



Clearly Vai loved his time here because the former punt and kick returner has made Philadelphia his post-football home, working at NBC 10 covering sports. Oh, and he also likes to knock people the fuck out.



2. Ike Reese



Ike was simply a special teams machine, serving as the Eagles special teams captain most of his years with the Eagles. Drafted in the fifth round of the 1998 draft out of Michigan State, Ike was a four-year starter at linebacker for the Spartans. In Philadelphia, he'd never become a starter on defense, but he quickly established himself as the leader on the special teams, becoming one of the best special team coverage tacklers in the league. He was so good, in fact, that he was named to the Pro Bowl in 2004, the year the Eagles went to the Super Bowl.

His playmaking ability became so apparent that Ike not only led the special teams, but he became an integral part of the Birds' nickel package on defense, thanks to his speed and coverage abilities. And the thing about Ike that was so special and unique was that the media would go to him, a special teamer, for quotes. His passion was unquestioned, and his confidence brought a strong presence to that locker room.



After two forgettable seasons in Atlanta to wrap up his career, Ike has returned to Philadelphia, working for 610 WIP as a sports talk radio host. While his work on radio is rather unimpressive, Ike is still a beloved character here in the city, and you can see him just about anywhere. Personally, I've seen the guy at the Wachovia Center during Sixers games more times than I can count, and he always takes the time to embrace fans.

3. Brian MItchell



I'm not quite sure how I should feel about having a guy who will forever be remembered as a Washington Redskin on the list, but Brian Mitchell's three seasons with the Eagles were enough to make me really appreciate this former Eagle killer.

Used to a return game that was stale, Mitchell came here and helped transform the Eagles special teams. In first season, he returned a punt and kickoff for touchdowns, setting the tone for what was to come. In all, he finished with four touchdown returns in three seasons, more than any other Eagle I can remember. And he led the way on coverage teams as well, showing no fear.

And for a brief moment in the final game at the Vet, Brian Mitchell had us all believing the Eagles were going to the Super Bowl, taking the opening kickoff 70 yards to set up Duce Staley's 20-yard touchdown run.

Never flashy, Mitchell was a north-south return man who would run by you or over you. He is the all-time leader in punt return yards with 4,999, second in punt return touchdowns with 9 (behind Eric Metcalf's 10), first in kickoff yards with 14,014, nearly 3,500 more than the next closest guy, and he's second all time in most combined yards gained ever, sitting at 23,330 yards, trailing only Jerry Rice's 23,546. I know special teamers don't often make the Hall of Fame, but Brian Mitchell should.

4. David Akers



David Akers is the most accomplished kicker in Eagles history. He's the franchise leader in field goals made, blowing everyone else out of the water with his 230 makes. He's among the all-time NFL leaders in field goal percentage, currently sitting at 81 percent, and he's made three Pro Bowls and been named First Team All-Pro once.

In recent years, Akers has had some troublesome stretches, but he's been damn good for a long time, and for a long while, he had one of the most reliable legs from 50-plus yards. That David Akers isn't around anymore, but he's still a very good kicker that rarely misses the big kick.



Plus, the guy isn't afraid to get dirty. How many times has Akers made a touchdown-saving tackle? And who can forget his dive when he was already well past the first down marker on that awesome fake field goal flip? David Akers isn't your typical kicker.

5. Vaughn Hebron



Vaughn Hebron had a short career in the NFL, playing just five seasons. His first two were as an Eagle, where he played for a not so great team, seeing most of his time as a kick returner, and also getting some spot duty in the backfield. To be honest, Hebron's numbers aren't very impressive, at least not with the Eagles. But I remember really liking the guy because he seemed to give a damn, and frankly, his name was pretty sweet.

Of course, Vaughn left Philadelphia in 1996, spending his final three seasons in Denver as their kick returner, winning a Super Bowl in 1998 and putting up good numbers each of his three seasons out west.

Now Vaughn, much like Vai, is back in town working for the Eagles pre- and post-game shows, proving that if you were a return man for the Eagles and your first name begins with a V, you will spend your retired days talking sports in Philadelphia.



Special shoutout to Koy Detmer, who is rumored to be the greatest holder in franchise history.



David Akers misses you Koy.

Well, That Sucked

The Phillies may have ended the drought and cleared the aura of doom and gloom that previously engulfed Philadelphia, but at the end of the day, the Philadelphia Eagles are still the Philadelphia Eagles.



No Super Bowls victories. Ever. And that won't change this year either. Off the opening kickoff, the Cardinals marched down the field 80 yards and made it look easy. At halftime the score was 24-6 Arizona. Someone forgot to tell the Eagles the game started at 3, not 5.

It's hard to win a game when you only show up for half of it. In the first half, nothing went right. The defense was awful. Just awful. For some reason, Jim Johnson had Sheldon Brown covering Larry Fitzgerald most of the opening 30 minutes, and Fitz went nuts.



The man is absolute beast. But Sheldon wasn't the only one sucking it up. The line got no pressure, the linebackers made no plays and the safeties were embarrassed. It was almost as if this defense that had dominated for weeks didn't feel like playing. They said, "Screw it, this one's on the offense."

Well, the offense had its own struggles in the first half. Donovan was inaccurate, receivers were dropping the ball like it had the HIV, and the refs sure didn't help out. If that 3rd down pass in the red zone to Jason Avant wasn't pass interference then that penalty doesn't exist.



Oh, and David Akers. David Akers. What a game to pick to finally miss a field goal, which led to the gadget play touchdown to Fitz by the way, and miss an extra point (nice hold, Sav. Haven't you ever seen Ace Ventura?). By missing the field goal and the extra point, Akers left 5 points on the board, because the Eagles would have only went for one instead of two on their last score. That means, all the Birds would have needed was a field goal to take the lead on their final drive that ended with a Kevin Curtis drop on a perfectly thrown ball, as Curtis was interfered with.

Nothing went right. Sure, the Eagles came out gangbusters in the second, going touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, and I have to admit, when DeSean caught the bomb by McNabb to take the lead, I thought the Eagles were going to win. But they didn't deserve to win. The defense, which was well rested and healthy, gave up another long drive with ease right after taking the lead. Then Donovan couldn't bring them back.



And that's what we're going to hear. Donovan can't get it done. He chokes in big games. Well, guess what? After struggling in the first half, McNabb woke up and brought his team all the way back. He got them the lead late. He set up his defense to win the game. And the defense couldn't. I have no qualms with Andy Reid yesterday. No qualms even with the offense. They put up 25 points against a defense that had come around. Truth be told, it should have been more had Akers just done his job.

No, the offense didn't lose that game. Jim Johnson and the defense did. They were embarrassed. They were embarrassing. And now, Eagles fans are left in a familiar place. Out in the cold.



Thank God for the Phillies.

Brett Myers Hits, Penn State Rolls, Juqua Parker Runs and Jamie Moyer Stinks

You know what? It's Monday, I barely got any sleep this weekend and I really don't feel like writing shit for shit. So basically, I'll sum up my weekend in a few short lines.

Brett Myers hits gooder than Ryan Howard.



Shane Victorino plays some D and the Phils win, go up 2-0.

Saturday, I attended the football game between Muhlenberg College and Juniata up in Allentown, and the Mules absolutely kicked some ass. While the game may not be all that interesting in the eyes of many, going to Division 3 games is all sorts of fun because it's still very good football, and there are no TV timeouts.

After a quick nap at my parents' house, I watched as the Flyers got destroyed in the first period, going down 4-0 and resulting in the benching of Marty Biron, only to dominate the next two periods (from the little I saw) and lose 4-3.



Antero Niittymaki played pretty awesome.

I didn't see much of the Flyers past the early debacle because I was watching Penn State, my alma mater, rise to No. 3 in the country by absolutely spanking Wisconsin. Tough game my ass.



And yesterday, well, that was a dumb day. Can we please not trot out David Akers for any kicks past 40 yards anymore? Please? I mean, I know it wasn't his fault that thing got blocked, after all, no one decided to block any 49ers on the play, but did anyone think he would actually make it? No.

Still, the Eagles won, thanks in large part to the defense, who forced 3 turnovers including Juqua Parker's interception return for the touchdown.



Nice win … against the Niners.

Um, and about that game last night, Jamie Moyer stinks. See you later.