Eagles Fry Fish 17-7

McNabb Hurt Again:

After throwing two early interceptions, Donovan McNabb got knocked out of the game by a take down from a blitzing Dolphins corner. McNabb sprained his right ankle, almost exactly one year away from when he tore his ACL in the same leg. X-rays were negative, but Donovan sat out the rest of the game. Right now his status for next week is uncertain.

Feeley Gets Revenge:

A.J. Feeley stepped in for the injured McNabb, and threw the third Eagles interception of the game. After that mistake Feeley settled down. He completed 13 of 19 passes, for 116 yards, and 1 touch down. Feeley did a good job of spreading the ball around, hitting eight different receivers.

A.J. was traded to Miami in 2004 for a second round pick(ended up being Reggie Brown), and was once considered the franchise QB. Feeley struggled in Miami, and was traded away to San Diego. After a brief stint there Feeley was released in 2006, and the Eagles quickly brought him back to Philadelphia. Now Feeley got his chance to stick it to his former team, and succeeded in defeating them. Dolphins fans must really hate him.

Another Huge Goal Line Stand:

For the second week in a row, the Eagles defense was put to the test. The Dolphins had a first-and-goal from the one yard line, and things looked bad for Philadelphia.

On first down they ran Jesse Chatman up the middle, but the Eagles defense burst through the line, and tackled him for a 1 yard loss. On second down John Beck dropped back, and made a pretty nice pass, but Takeo Spikes was able to break it up. The Dolphins chose to run again on third down, and the Eagles gang tackle Jesse Chatman.

After a timeout, Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron decided to go for it on 4th-and-goal down 10 points late in the fourth quarter. The play was an outside toss to Chatman, and DE Juqua Thomas was all over it. Chatman danced backwards, and was tackled for a 13 yard loss.

The Eagles took over on downs, and this great defensive series basically sealed the game.

Career Day For B-West:

Brian Westbrook is just amazing. He continues to show how valuable he is to the team every week. Andy Reid fed Westbrook the ball early, and often. So much so, that he rushed for 148 yards, a career best. Westbrook broke a few big runs, and is simply just the best player on the team. I don't know where this team would be without Westbrook.

Kearse Deactivated:

The news had come out earlier in the week, that Juqua Thomas would be starting over Kearse, but I really did not think they would not play Kearse at all. He may be a little banged up, but it seems he has completely fallen out of favor with the coaching staff. It will be interesting to see if Kearse plays next week against New England.

Starting in his place, Juqua Thomas has done a nice job. He really has become a great pick up for the Eagles. Thomas was on the streets looking for a job a few years ago, and now is a starter. Ironically it was Jevon Kearse who convinced the Eagles to try out Thomas, as Juqua was an old friend of his back in Tennessee.

Stupid Penalties By Smith:

On the Eagles first possession, Andy Reid called a flea-flicker play, that was perfectly executed for a touch down to Reggie Brown. Except the play was called back by a stupid holding penalty on L.J. Smith. Smith had help outside from Brent Celek, and there was no reason to grab onto Jason Taylor's jersey. The drive then ended in a McNabb interception.

Later in the game Smith made another bonehead play. A.J. Feeley fired a touch down pass to wide receiver Jason Avant, and after the play L.J. was called for a 15 yard personal foul penalty. Luckily the penalty was after the play, and enforced on the kickoff, but it still hurt the team. The Dolphins then got great field position, and were almost able to score on that drive.

If L.J. wants more money, he needs to stop killing this team with stupid mistakes. A big fumble last week, and this week he makes 2 stupid penalties. That is just unacceptable.

Special Teams Still Suck:

The special teams coverage teams showed that they still suck today. Early in the second quarter, speedy return man Tedd Ginn made one man miss, got some good blocks, and out ran the punter for an 87 yard punt return touch down. It was Ginn's first return TD of his short career.

The special teams has been terrible at covering kickoffs, and punts most of the season. I don't get how it has gotten so bad, because they used to be great at it(a few years ago). Now I see why Dawkins went out to cover the kickoff against Washington. Even he knows they suck.

Jevon Kearse Benched

He spent the first three years of his career as a backup to Jevon Kearse in Tennessee. For most of the past two-and-a-half seasons, he's been Kearse's backup in Philadelphia.

Now, Juqua Thomas replaces Kearse as the starter at left defensive end. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson made the announcement at his press conference Thursday.

"Trent (Cole) is playing at a high caliber, no question about it. J.T. is playing very well. Those two right now they're two of our better ends in the pass rush. It's as simple as that and they're getting more time than (Darren) Howard and Jevon. No secret. J.T. is getting good pressure and so is Trent," Johnson said.

For all intents and purposes, the 29-year-old Thomas has been the unofficial starter for weeks. The Redskins opened in a two tight-end set last week, a formation which called for rookie Victor Abiamiri to start in only his second NFL game. However, Thomas took most of the snaps. He's totaled four sacks this season and since 2006 he is second among all undrafted players with 11.5 sacks (Chicago's Adewale Ogunleye, 16.5), according to Stats Inc.

"It's going to be a big challenge," said Thomas.

Kearse started the first eight games of the season. The three-time Pro Bowl end battled back from a left knee injury which sidelined him for all but two games last year. However, he is not 100 percent healthy. Kearse has had to have his knee drained twice this season, the last time was prior to the Dallas game.

"It's football. That's how it was when I came in. That's how it will be when I'm gone. It's a part of the game," Kearse said after Thursday's practice.

Thomas originally signed with the Titans as a rookie free agent in 2001. He accumulated five sacks over four years as the backup to Kearse, Carlos Hall and Kevin Carter. Thomas joined the Eagles during training camp in 2005 and had a phenomenal 10-tackle performance in the season finale. Thomas re-upped for one more season and had a career-high six sacks with another 1.5 in the two playoff games. On the first day of free agency in 2007, Thomas was re-signed by the Eagles to a five-year deal.

Johnson added that Howard, who has primarily played as a defensive tackle in the nickel package, is strictly a right defensive end and should see more snaps this week as Cole's backup. Howard made two big stops during the goal line stand in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's win that held the Redskins to a field goal and allowed the Eagles the opportunity to come back and win.

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A Stand To Save A Season

It was three plays to save a season. Yes, even if the Eagles had lost in Washington this weekend they would have had a chance to make the playoffs, but realistically, every member of the defense knew what was at stake.

With its back against its own end zone – and the wall – and the Redskins only seven yards away from all but putting the game out of reach, the Eagles defense had to make a stand.

Three plays to save a season.

Eventually, three plays turned to six. Six snaps from inside the 10-yard line. Six times the Redskins attacked the goal line, trying to put the game – and maybe the Eagles – away. Six times, the defense stood firm, setting up Philadelphia's dramatic 33-25 win on Sunday.

"When all of the odds are against you and you are still fighting, that's character. You develop that when nobody is looking," linebacker Takeo Spikes said. "When you look back at the film you'll see a whole lot of guys doing the little things right and that was the emphasis this week. Doing the little things."

When the Redskins got the ball back after a Donovan McNabb fumble with 8:03 remaining and two point lead, the Eagles defense hadn't been doing too many of the little things right.

Washington had physically imposed its will upon the Eagles for much of the afternoon, and when Clinton Portis gashed the defense twice to set up 1st and 10 from the Philadelphia 7-yard line, he moved past the 100-yard mark.

The Redskins were counting on him to get seven more, but the Eagles defense simply wouldn't allow it.

"I was proud of our goal line defense. I thought they did a heck of a job. You don't like being down there but if you are down there you really have to get it after them," head coach Andy Reid said.

First and goal from the seven. The Redskins tried a toss left to Portis that was strung out by defensive tackle Mike Patterson, gaining only one yard.

Second and goal from the 6-yard line. Portis bulls his way off of right tackle Todd Wade, but meets defensive end Trent Cole and defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley after only a gain of 1 yard.

Third-and-goal from the 5-yard line. The Redskins tried their one and only pass of the entire series, and drew a defensive holding call which gave them a first down.

With a new set of downs and the ball on the 3-yard line, the Eagles defense had to do it all over again – with the pressure of a nasty running attack, a two-point deficit, a rapidly declining clock and a potential 3-6 record resting squarely on its shoulders.

"Everyone knew it. You could tell in guys' eyes," Bunkley said. "Even when they got the first down we knew that we could get back on the ball and make something happen and we did."

First and goal from the 3-yard line. Portis went off of left tackle Chris Samuels but is pulled down by Spikes and Darren Howard after only a gain of a yard. Timeout Eagles.

Second and goal from the 2-yard line. Howard and Jevon Kearse met Portis in the backfield for a loss of one. Timeout Eagles.

Third and goal from the 3-yard. A false start penalty on Chris Cooley was followed by a draw play that was snuffed out three yards short of the end zone by Spikes and cornerback Joselio Hanson. Third and final Eagles timeout.

Spikes said that he thought the timeouts, while called to leave as much time as possible for Donovan McNabb and the offense, actually helped the defense immensely.

"When you have a defense backed up against the goal you never want to give them a chance to breathe; get a chance to get together," he said. "We did, so we were able to kind of talk to each other and realize what was at hand."

What was at hand was a defining moment of the season so far. The Redskins settled for a 21-yard Shaun Suisham field goal. Two Brian Westbrook touchdowns later and the Eagles returned home to Philadelphia with a win, and hopefully much more.

"I hope that goal line stand will snowball for us," Spikes said. "I'm not just saying defensively but team-wise."

In the end, they could quite literally turn out to be, six plays to save a season.

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Terry Glenn Ruled Out

INJURY UPDATE: RUNYAN, KEARSE PROBABLE; GLENN OUT FOR DALLAS

For the third day in a row, neither defensive end Jevon Kearse nor right tackle Jon Runyan participated in practice on Friday. Runyan is still battling a tailbone injury that has prevented him from practicing in each of the last two weeks.

He was able to play against both Chicago and Minnesota and is listed as probable for Sunday's game against Dallas, as is Kearse.

Wide receiver Jason Avant is listed as questionable with a groin strain that he suffered during practice this week.

"Jason Avant has a groin strain that he's working through. We think he'll be able to go, but we'll just see how he does here in the next couple days," Reid said.

The Cowboys are once again going to be without the services of wide receiver Terry Glenn, who has missed every game this season with a knee injury. Dallas could, however, get back cornerback Anthony Henry who has missed the last three games with a high ankle sprain. Henry is listed as questionable, but he did have limited participation in practice every day this week. Henry had four interceptions in the first three games of the season. He became only the second Cowboy in franchise history to have back-to-back games with multiple interceptions.

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Young Birds Making Names For Themselves

Trent Cole and Brodrick Bunkley have stepped forward on the Eagles defensive line with their play and they're developing reputations around the league. While they're stepping forward, veteran Jevon Kearse is stepping back.

The play of Brodrick Bunkley has been nothing short of outstanding all season. Bunkely has put away his joy stick, he’s one of the best Madden players on the team. Last year some of the guys thought he was more interested in the Madden game than the real one he was supposed to be playing.

Brodrick with the help of fellow defensive tackle, Mike Patterson who is mature beyond his years, has been focused on football and doing his job. There’s very little kidding around for Bunkley this year. He has beeen able to get consistent penetration against the run and pressure in the face of quarterbacks versus the pass. The key has been his focus. Now Bunkley is showing the quickness, power and explosiveness, which everybody saw at Florida State when he came out of school.

This big meat head is going to be a major help to the Eagles defensive backs and linebackers all year long. The importance of pressure in the face of the quarterback can’t be overemphasized. As I have written many times, penetration in the middle of an offensive line, makes both passing and running impossible.

..Continue reading at GCobb.com>>

Injuries: B-West, B-Dawk Remain Sidelined

Thursday came and went without much of an update on Brian Westbrook. Dressed in his jersey and shorts and wearing an Eagles sideline hat, the running back watched practice much like he did on Wednesday.

"That's a day to day situation," offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said earlier in the day. "We'll see."

The strained knee that Westbrook suffered in Monday night's game was scheduled to be looked at further by team physicians.

Westbrook's official designation for Sunday's game against the Lions will come Friday when head coach Andy Reid holds his final media briefing.

Correll Buckhalter has taken reps with the first-team offense, while Westbrook has undoubtedly gotten plenty of mental reps as a spectator.

Westbrook has accounted for 53 percent of the total net yards the offense has produced over the first two games.

Knee swelling limited Westbrook's practice reps early last season but he missed just one game -- the Monday night win over Green Bay -- and finished the season with a career-high 1,217 rushing yards.

Dawk, Smith, Lito Remain Sidelined

In addition to Westbrook, the team practiced Thursday without cornerback Lito Sheppard, free safety Brian Dawkins and tight end L.J. Smith.

Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson seemed optimistic about having at least one of those defensive starters in the lineup for Sunday.

"We anticipate he's going to be there Sunday," Johnson said of Dawkins. "We don't plan on Lito right now."

Dawkins suffered a neck stinger as a result of a hit he put on Redskins tight end Todd Yoder in the fourth quarter. On Wednesday, Dawkins said his neck was a "little stiff" and that he was not experiencing any headaches or dizziness. Johnson expects to have Dawkins back on the field Friday.

Sheppard remains sidelined with an MCL sprain suffered in the season opener.

Smith, meanwhile, continues to fight a nagging groin strain that has hampered the tight end since training camp. The injury has limited his productivity as evidenced by his numbers through two games -- four catches for 26 yards.

"L.J. is a tough guy. He's been playing hurt," said offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. "Whoever is in there, we expect to play well."

Matt Schobel and rookie Brent Celek could see extended action this weekend depending on Smith's status.

Seven Added; Two Return

Seven players were added to the team's injury report Thursday although all of them participated fully in practice. Those players included kicker David Akers (quadricep), right guard Shawn Andrews (shoulder), receivers Hank Baskett (back), Kevin Curtis (quadricep) and Greg Lewis (hip), quarterback A.J. Feeley (hand) and defensive end Jevon Kearse (shoulder).

Meanwhile, strong safety Sean Considine and left tackle William Thomas were back on the field after sitting out Wednesday. Considine suffered a knee contusion Monday night, but returned to the game. Thomas exited Monday's game with back spasms, a condition he's battled on and off for the last five years.

Lions Injury Update

Starting tight end Dan Campbell missed practice for a second straight day due to an elbow injury. Backup running back T.J. Duckett (ankle) also missed practice again.

Starting defensive end Kalimba Edwards (ankle) sat out Thursday's practice. He was limited in Wednesday's workout.

Sarting nose tackle Shaun Rogers (knee) and running back Kevin Jones (foot), a former first-round pick, were both limited for a second straight day.

Added to Detroit's report were starting left tackle Jeff Backus (knee) and reserve linebacker Anthony Cannon (quad), both of whom did not practice Thursday.

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Lightning rod of criticism

It was a typical early August day at training camp for the Philadelphia Eagles, and it had brought the usual summer swirl of media. Amateur doctors by trade, many had passed through to eye Donovan McNabb's surgically repaired knee and ponder whether he was walking with a limp, was looking right, or in some cases, whether he'd ever be the same player again.

That night, as McNabb and defensive end Jevon Kearse flopped down on couches in the players lounge before heading out to a local sports bar, Kearse looked at the quarterback and shook his head.

"Man, I love my job," Kearse told McNabb. "I love the stuff I get. I like the recognition. And sometimes I think I have it hard with little stuff that happens here and there. But you. Man, I could not be you. You get a whole lotta (stuff). I don't ever want that."

Recounted to him later, Kearse's words prompted McNabb to muster a soft laugh.

"Story of my life," he said.

More accurately, this is the story of McNabb's life in the city of Philadelphia. And it is a tome flush with dark, highly publicized chapters. He's been booed on draft day and labeled a "company man" by former teammate Freddie Mitchell. He's been trashed on national television by Rush Limbaugh and incinerated by Terrell Owens. He's even been criticized for his mother's opinion.

Indeed, while all NFL quarterbacks have to deal with the steady burn of the spotlight, McNabb's tenure has been the essence of controversy. Despite being one of the league's most successful signal-callers over the last eight years, he's also become arguably the most consistent lightning-rod athlete in the NFL since the turn of the millennium. But as essayist William Hazlitt one wrote, "When a thing ceases to be the subject of controversy, it ceases to be a subject of interest." Framed in that light, McNabb might be the most interesting sports figure the city of Philadelphia has ever seen.

LOW-KEY PROFILE

What Frank Lenti can't understand is how one of the most affable athletes he's ever coached has become such a hotly debated entity. When the Mount Carmel High School football coach looks at Donovan Jamal McNabb, he still sees the same bouncing, gregarious kid that he coached on Chicago's south side almost 15 years ago.

McNabb was rarely, if ever, the one to raise the ire of the coaching staff. Playing at an all-boys Catholic high school, he didn't get into any more trouble than any other teenaged kid. Even in the framework of the team he rarely caused waves, patiently waiting his turn as a backup sophomore quarterback on a state championship team, then ascending to a nationally recruited prospect as a junior and senior.

About the only buzz or biting McNabb in those days was whether he could find a college that would allow him to develop as a pocket quarterback. And even then, once Syracuse was chosen, the only hullabaloo on the coaching staff was a few friendly wagers centering on how long it would take Donovan to draw Heisman Trophy consideration in college.

"He never did anything to negatively attract attention to himself," Lenti said. "He always worked hard and even with his talent, he was always one of the guys. There was never any controversy at all. Never."

Even now, Lenti has a hard time grasping where it all comes from; why McNabb bears the brunt of so much criticism. Maybe he would understand if McNabb were a loudmouth or a basket case or a player who couldn't cut it at the NFL level. But McNabb has been none of those things. Despite the money and stature he's acquired, he's retained a remarkably low profile in his private life.

While the dating and mating habits of Tom Brady and the marital bliss of Brett Favre have been discussed ad-nauseam by the national media, few outside of Philadelphia know that McNabb married his first college love, Raquel. And while Peyton Manning's exploits during Hurricane Katrina became a national headline, McNabb's league-leading work with the United Way and his own foundation to fight diabetes have been a footnote.

This is what Lenti sees. The kid that made good, made millions, and then grew into the man who would visit Mount Carmel High and spend time sitting with Lenti's secretary, Peggy Kienzle, before she passed several years ago. And the same kid that proved he could make it as a pocket passing quarterback despite only Syracuse offering to groom him in that type of system.

In fact, McNabb's success has been almost unparalleled since he entered the league. He's been far and away the jewel of the 1999 quarterback class, a group that included five first-round picks: McNabb, Tim Couch, Akili Smith, Cade McNown and Daunte Culpepper. Beyond McNabb and the roller-coaster career of Culpepper, it's a group marked by utter failure.

SEEDS OF DOUBT

A little over a week ago, Troy Vincent sat watching Sunday night football on NBC, and couldn't believe his ears. The former Eagles cornerback listened to the broadcast talk about the family struggles of Philadelphia head coach Andy Reid, relating how Reid had been such a successful coach over the years. And then, in what Vincent considered "the same breath," he listened to NBC's analysts question whether McNabb could still be a successful quarterback after last season's torn anterior cruciate ligament.

The next morning, Vincent picked up his phone and called McNabb with a resounding message of support.

"What I was seeing and hearing while I watched that game was that someone was trying to break Donovan," Vincent said. "I heard Al Michaels – and I'm not being critical of Al and John Madden and Andrea Kramer, they're doing what they are supposed to do – but I heard them have so much compassion for Andy Reid and his family and what a great coaching job he's done and how many games he's won.

"Well, let me tell you something. There has been one guy behind the center for almost all of those wins. The reality is No. 5 created a bunch of those wins. … They were basically questioning Donovan McNabb's ability to play. And I was like 'Are you kidding me?' If anybody was listening to that, that's what you heard."

Partially because of last season's season-ending knee injury, his age (30) and the franchise's decision to use its second-round pick during April's NFL draft to tab a future successor at the position in Kevin Kolb, McNabb's ability to successfully get over the injury has been a common theme this preseason.

When Vincent hears the annual criticism of McNabb, it forces him to wonder why the quarterback has never truly gotten credit for the success he has delivered to the Eagles franchise. Such success is undeniable.

In the regular season and playoffs combined, McNabb has won 65.1-percent of the games he has started. That's better than Peyton Manning (63-percent), Brett Favre (61.4), Matt Hasselbeck (57.4), Carson Palmer (54.3) and Drew Brees (53.2). He also has a better winning percentage in the playoffs (58.3 percent) than every other active NFL starter aside from Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger.

But, the obvious criticism – and it's something McNabb readily points out himself – is that Brady, Manning and Favre own Super Bowl rings. And for the fans of Philadelphia, little has been more frustrating than seeing the Eagles advance to four straight NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl, only to walk away without a world championship.

That lack of a Super Bowl ring has typically fallen squarely on McNabb's shoulders. It can be heard on talk radio from angry fans on an annual basis, and it has been blasted at full volume in the Philadelphia media.

Despite being the most successful quarterback in the franchise's modern-era history, his greatness has also been as hotly debated as any other.

When the Philadelphia Inquirer unveiled its 75th Anniversary section and named the top 75 Eagles of all time, McNabb barely made the top 10, coming in at No. 9. To put it in perspective, safety Brian Dawkins got a far better nod at No. 5. The reasoning behind McNabb's slot was punctuated by columnist Ashley Fox, who weaved the phrase "And yet …" throughout McNabb's entry. As in, he's got great statistics and a fine winning percentage, and yet he's never won a Super Bowl:

"In 2004, McNabb threw for 3,875 yards and 31 TDs in 15 regular-season games, leading the Eagles to their first Super Bowl since 1980. And yet … Rush Limbaugh. Terrell Owens. The draft. The last few minutes of the Super Bowl loss to New England. The sports hernia. The knee. McNabb is one of the greatest Eagles of all time, and yet his career to date is, as the 30-year-old readily admitted, incomplete."

And yet, such words only begin to sum up why McNabb has continually been a topic of debate since landing with the Eagles.

"Man, that's Philly for you," Kearse said. "He's in a situation where he can't win for losing. Everything that we do, it comes back to Donovan in one form or another, because he's our leader. People here have to put the blame on somebody. And it just so happens that he's always the guy."

POINTS OF CONTENTION

Ultimately, it begs one question: How much of the controversy is truly McNabb's fault? He couldn't control it when he was booed on draft day by Eagles fans and then-Philadelphia mayor Ed Rendell, who in what can now be considered a cringe of hindsight, favored Ricky Williams as the No. 2 overall pick.

And McNabb couldn't be held responsible for the flap in 2003, when Rush Limbaugh said from the set of ESPN's "NFL Sunday Countdown" that McNabb's prestige had been drummed up by media that had "… been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve."

It was a comment that caused a national uproar and ultimately ended Limbaugh's career at ESPN. And for most players, such a moment would represent the high-water mark in career controversy. But for McNabb, it was destined to be a footnote. Next would come Terrell Owens, and a meltdown that would spew megatons of radioactive innuendo into the atmosphere in Philadelphia.

By the time Owens had come and gone, a number of issues regarding McNabb would be publicly debated. Did he go soft in the final quarter of the Super Bowl against New England? Was he a "company man" who went silent as the Eagles nickel and dimed other players? Had McNabb, who signed a 12-year contract extension in 2002 potentially worth $115 million, insulated himself from the media to protect his own image?

At least some of those issues stem from being the leader of a team with a hard-edged roster ideology. Historically, the Eagles have been very prudent about the players that eat their salary cap dollars. For various reasons – mostly a mix between age and finances – players such as Owens, Jeremiah Trotter, Hugh Douglas, Duce Staley and Vincent have failed to land the mega contract from the Eagles. And that has typically put McNabb into the line of fire from teammates who expected him to go to bat for them with management.

But Vincent pointed out that there are other franchises, such as the New England Patriots, that have the same ideologies and yet McNabb rarely gets the same consideration as Tom Brady. That's a distinction Vincent draws between McNabb and several other quarterbacks in the league. Brady gets a free pass from responsibility when the Patriots go into cost-cutting mode, Brett Favre gets the benefit of the doubt when he makes demands to Green Bay Packers management, and meanwhile, McNabb stays silent and gets dragged into someone else's debate.

"Can someone please talk about that double standard because it does exist?" Vincent asked."

Brett Favre speaks out. Does he get criticized? Does he get criticized when he says he wants this or that or isn't going to do this or that? Does he ever get criticized? Absolutely not.

"I've got two quarterbacks – No. 4 (Favre) and No. 5 (McNabb). I've got one guy who is 37 and another guy who is 30 and coming off an injury. And you're telling me that Donovan can't play anymore? That he can't operate an offense anymore? Are you kidding me?"

Added Kearse: "Donovan gets into a lot of no-win situations. If he says something, he's getting into someone else's business. If he doesn't say something, he's not sticking up for someone. When he wins, they celebrate him, but if he doesn't win it all, they tear him down. He's damned if he do, and he's damned if he don't."

Perhaps no situation underscored those points like the events of late last season when McNabb was drawn into another controversy when his mother Wilma posted a comment on her blog that fans might "crucify" her son if the Eagles were to win a Super Bowl with Jeff Garcia at the helm. A few months later, the Eagles drafted Kolb to groom as McNabb's successor, and suddenly speculation turned to whether his days with the franchise were numbered.

"In Philadelphia, the head coach and the quarterback are under the microscope, and that's understandable," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "Donovan understands that. He deals with that better than anybody in the National Football League. What happens in this city is the sounding board ends up being the bad ear.

"If you took a poll in the city of Philadelphia, 99 percent of the people, if you asked them who they want as their quarterback, they are going to tell you Donovan McNabb. They love the guy. It's maybe one percent that doesn't support him. And that's the one percent that gets out there."

"NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO LOVE YOU"

Of course, Reid has no factual basis to support his "one-percent" theory. But if that is the only place the doubt is coming from, it certainly has a remarkable way of manifesting itself in the national media.

If the topic of conversation isn't his record, then it's his health. If it's not his health, it's something he said. If it's not something he said, it's something he didn't say. And if it's none of those things, then it's someone else's opinion that he has to address.

"Early on, I wouldn't say things like that were a shock, but it was something you had to get used to," McNabb said. "Somehow I always seem to be the story. During the year, I'm the story. When the season's over, I'm the story. When nothing is going on, I'm the story. I don't know why. … I never know. And you'll never have the answer. But if it wasn't me, it was Allen Iverson. If it wasn't Iverson, it was Scott Rolen or Jimmy Rollins or Philly's pitching or the Flyers not winning games.

"It's a love-hate relationship in Philadelphia, and that's not a bad thing. You have your 85 percent who love you. You have your 10 percent of the people who say 'He's great, but …' Then you have your five percent who say 'I can't stand him.' It just goes like that. But that's what drives you. Not everybody is going to love you."

Not everybody is going to understand you, either, which is why McNabb has tried to be more proactive about getting his voice to the public – even if it means going it alone. And McNabb has done just that, hiring former Eagles public relations staffer Rich Burg to be his publicist. A relationship which got off to a bang in May when McNabb essentially called his own press conference after the team drafted Kolb. And McNabb raised a few more eyebrows last month, when he spoke candidly about his shock over the team's release of linebacker Jeremiah Trotter.

With Kolb in the fold and his prime years dwindling, perhaps McNabb feels it's time for him to be heard more clearly than ever.

"You know why he's that vocal now? Because he's on the outside looking in," Vincent said.

"Before, you heard those things about how Donovan was close to management and people were calling him a company man. Well now that things are shifting and all of the sudden you're the guy they are attacking, you sing a different tune. It shows he's more mature now. It shows he understands his own voice. He's always had a strong voice."

Remarkably, despite so many years as one of the league's biggest lighting rods, it was common to hear McNabb's voice last. And undoubtedly it won't be his last controversy. As McNabb said himself, this is the story of his life.

Maybe now he figures it's time he's the one telling it.

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One line solid, but the other is dotted

In 2006, the Eagles' two lines of trench warriors could not have contrasted more.

Where the offensive line was a model of consistency and cohesion by both design and circumstance, the defensive line trafficked in chaos and got more than it bargained for.

The training camp that begins when rookies and selected veterans report to Lehigh University on Friday will be a direct reflection of that dichotomy.

Barring injuries, the next few weeks should be straightforward for the offensive line, where the starting five played every single game last year.

Right tackle Jon Runyan and left tackle William Thomas have lined up together more than 100 times now, both have made Pro Bowls and neither showed a significant dropoff in ability in 2006.
..Read more at CourierPostOnline>>

Run Defense is Key to Success

I think more than any other area, the Eagles run defense will decide how successful they are this year.

Here's an interesting article by Dave Spadaro of PhiladelphiaEagles.com about Jim Johnson and the Eagles run defense .

The Eagles will run the football well if they choose to do so. If they run it well they will destroy teams on the ground and in the air. McNabb has an outstanding group of young recievers, who I think will turn heads this year. I've got a lot of confidence in the Eagles offense. But the defense I'm not as sure about. They will destroy teams on 3rd down with their coverage and pass rush but they'll struggle if they can't stop the run, so I consider the run defense, the key to their season.

Jim doesn't plan on making any major changes when it comes to stopping the run. He's going to rely on bigger, better players doing a better job of executing their defensive assignments in order to stop opposing running games. Jim plans on rotating his defensive linemen and he'd better follow through with it. The run defense went into the tank when Johnson stopped rotating his smallish defensive line. If the Eagles defensive line unit gets tired, they'll get destroyed because they're undersized. Andy needs to look over Jim's shoulder and make sure he rotates that line each and every game.
..Read More at GCobb.com>>

This and That

Apparently Jevon Kearse has been partying too much.[700Level]
Kearse even appeared in a rap video.[700Level]
Looks like the Eagles are not in trouble after all.[Bleeding Green Nation]
Andy Reid's kids however are still facing their problems.[Fanhouse]
Tommie Harris's desire for McNabb to be the Bears QB, was just 'a joke'.[Eye on the Eagles]
A.J. Feeley, and Heather Mitts have thrown in the towel.[Iggles Blog]
The Eagles new website will be launched Monday at 2.[PE.com]

I am always looking for new ways to improve the blog, and recently I added a video widget on the sidebar. Check them out sometime when you are bored. Here is Hank Baskett's 87 yard TD against Dallas Oct. 8th:

Not the best video, but kind of a cool view of things.

Eagles' Kearse anxious to get back in uniform

By LES BOWEN
bowenl@phillynews.com

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20070426_Eagles_Kearse_anxious_to_get_back_in_uniform.html


JEVON KEARSE even taped his wrists when he suited up in the new blue-and-yellow "throwback" uniform for the news conference announcing the Eagles' plans for their 75th anniversary season.

"I wanted to wear [football] gloves, but none of the gloves matched. I gotta
coordinate," said Kearse, who entered the gathering exclaiming that, "it feels
good to be back in a uniform."

Kearse, who hadn't pulled on pads since suffering a season-ending knee injury in overtime of Game 2 last Sept. 17, was ready for action, even though the only thing likely to hit him yesterday was a blizzard of confetti the team shot into the air to make the most of its photo op.
"I want to get to the quarterback, man. I'm a quarterback-eater, and I'm hungry.
I need to eat," Kearse said, relating a locker room conversation with strong safety Sean Considine, who had allowed that the current sculpted, 240-pound "Freak" might be better suited for the secondary.

Kearse explained that his rehab regimen has focused almost exclusively on cardio work lately; he's in great shape, but he expects to add 20 pounds or so before training camp opens July 27 at Lehigh.

It will be interesting to see if the Eagles draft a defensive end early this weekend. On paper, there is little room, with Kearse and Darren Howard signed to long-term, big-money deals, along with Trent Cole and Juqua Thomas. Jerome McDougle remains under contract, as well. But the Eagles really need Kearse to stay healthy this year and for Howard to be much better than he was last season, in his initial tour with the Birds. If you aren't confident in those scenarios, then you need a defensive end, maybe even in the first round. General manager Tom Heckert recently cautioned against ruling out that possibility.

There likely will be some intriguing DE talent still on the board when the Eagles select 26th overall Saturday. Perhaps Purdue's Anthony Spencer, or Florida's Jarvis Moss, who is built a lot like Kearse? Maybe Moss' teammate, Ray McDonald.

Kearse recalled his draft day, when the Tennessee Titans took him 16th overall in the first round of the 1999 draft. Kearse validated that selection by notching a career-high 14 1/2 sacks in his rookie season.

"Some people might be happy just to go in the first round, or the first day, but I was a little ticked that I got picked No. 16," he said. "I felt like I was good enough to go anywhere in the top 10 . . . I used that as motivation against the teams that didn't pick me."

Many observers think the Eagles will come out of the first day of the 2007 draft with a safety or corner, a running back and either a linebacker or a defensive end. But even though Kearse turns 31 in September, he feels the team doesn't need to worry about drafting for his spot.

"With 2 or 3 more weeks of rehab, I should be ready to come back 100 percent," Kearse said. "I'm trying to come back 110 percent . . . Me coming back healthy, and if everyone comes back healthy, they can do what they're going to do in the draft, because we're going to already pretty much have the guys here."

He said there was a time, a few months ago, when he felt he'd hit a plateau in his recovery, but he was able to work through those worries. The season also was very difficult for Kearse, especially the stretch when the Birds lost five of six games.

"When we were losing, I was putting the blame on me, because I was injured. I felt there were a lot of things I could have done to help the team out," he said.
Kearse was off to an amazing start last season, having rededicated himself in the offseason. He had 3 1/2 sacks in the two games he played.

"That was the most daunting part of it," he said. "I was off to the best start of my career. But I've been talking to other athletes, former athletes, and they tell me if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. I'm expecting to start right back where I left off."

Last season, the Eagles couldn't get consistent pass rush pressure after Kearse went down and they couldn't stop the run, finishing 26th in the NFL in that category.

"At the end [of the season, when the Eagles won six in a row before losing to New Orleans in the second round of the playoffs] I saw that we do have the talent, we do have what it takes," Kearse said. "It's just a matter of keeping everybody healthy and doing it every game, every play."

Kearse has heard speculation that he is washed up, after turning 30, losing last season to injury, and playing poorly in 2005.

"I can't even talk about how bad I want to get back on that field and prove people wrong," he said. "I've always been a man of action. I'll let my actions speak."

Because he was modeling the new/old uniform, Kearse was asked his thoughts on it. He said he liked the color scheme, and is looking forward to the Sept. 23 game against Detroit in which the Eagles will wear the throwbacks.

"I'm looking forward to any game, really," he said. *

Get well soon FREEEEAK! We really need you. He must dying to play football, if he was excited to put on that ugly UCLA jersey on.