Official Cuts

Well it looks like that list was not completely accurate. Ian Scott did not get cut, and neither did Nick Graham. Both Rashad Barksdale, and CJ Gaddis were cut. I expect they will end up on the practice squad. Rookie free agent Marcus Paschal also made it as the teams 4th safety. Here is the full list of cut downs:

Bloom, Johnson Among 22 Cuts
Wide receiver Jeremy Bloom and punter Dirk Johnson were among the 22 cuts the Philadelphia Eagles made on Saturday to get to the league-mandated roster limit of 53.

Here are the other 21 players released: cornerback Rashad Barksdale, fullback Jeremy Cain, wide receiver Zac Collie, linebacker Tank Daniels, fullback Jason Davis, cornerback Dustin Fox, safety C.J. Gaddis, wide receiver Michael Gasperson, safety Erick Harris, center Jasper Harvey, guard Jacob Hobbs, defensive tackle Mauricio Lopez, running back Nate Ilaoa, defensive end Marques Murrell, wide receiver J.J. Outlaw, tackle Jonathan Palmer, linebacker Dedrick Roper, defensive tackle Jeremy Clark, wide receiver Bill Sampy and tight end Lee Vickers.

>>PE.com

Kolb Shines in Close Loss

There weren’t many answers in the Eagles’ preseason finale Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field.

Luckily for Andy Reid, there weren’t many questions going in.

The best news was rookie quarterback Kevin Kolb looked a lot like a guy that could step in if something happened to A.J. Feeley, which was exactly the case. Feeley’s hand was broken when 6-2, 314-pound defensive tackle C.J. Mosley locked him up with a bear hug and pinned him on the ground in the first quarter.

The other bad news was the New York Jets prevailed, 13-11, on a 35-yard field goal by Mike Nugent as time expired.

Kolb did his part for the second straight game, completing 22 of 33 attempts for 220 yards and a sparkling 95.5 passer rating.

Kolb capped a 13-play, 90-yard scoring march with a 31-yard scoring pass to Zac Collie with 2:50 remaining. Kolb then rolled out and hit running back Nate Ilaoa for the two point conversion and an 11-10 lead.

..Read more at the DelcoTimes>>

Premature Roster Cuts

Edit: This is not the real list of cuts afterall. You can find the actual list here.

Edit: This may be premature, or the list could have been accidently leaked. The link no longer lists the cuts, and says that "Roster Cuts To Be Announced Saturday". Either way I will keep this up until further notice. It is also being reported on WIP that Rocca made the team, and Jeremy Bloom was cut.

Nate Ilaoa (RB) Big back with good hands, needs to develop pass blocking skills
Jason Davis (FB) Good natural runner who worked way back from ACL injury in '06
Jeremy Cain (FB/LS) After playing with the Bears as a linebacker, tried to stick as fullback
Jeremy Bloom (WR) Didn't provide boost in return game as Eagles hoped
J.J. Outlaw (WR) Developed as an outside receiver, but couldn't break numbers crunch
Michael Gasperson (WR) Tall receiver who was practice squad project past two seasons
Zac Collie (WR) Had great touchdown grab vs. Jets and another lost due to penalty
Lee Vickers (TE) Converted defensive end who Eagles took on as project
Jonathan Palmer (T) Too many experienced veterans, even at backup spots
Jasper Harvey © Eagles already have two young, atheltic centers
Jacob Hobbs (G) Small-school product was the lightest O lineman in camp
Pat McCoy (T) Rookie free agent last year, didn't take big enough step in Year 2
Marques Murrell (DE) Great pass-rush ability, but too small to play the run
Mauricio Lopez (DT) Space-eater, but not enough push for what Jim Johnson needs
Ian Scott (DT) Run stuffer whose knee injury hindered his progress
Akeem Jordan (LB) Quick, but undersized for position
Dedrick Roper (LB) Special teams demon, lost time in camp with foot injury
Dustin Fox (CB) Former third-round pick slowed by Achilles injury
Nick Graham (CB) A difficult cut after consistent performance since May
Marcus Paschal (S) Was neck-to-neck with C.J. Gaddis all camp
Erick Harris (S) Seasoned in NFL Europa, couldn't beat out Gaddis for fourth spot
Dirk Johnson (P) A steady force, had some of the best seasons in team history

>>PE.com

My Thoughts:

Rocca wins the punting dual- I am very happy to see this. Even though I am a little nervous about Rocca holding for Akers, I think it is worth it, because he booms 60 yard punts from the end zone, and had a knack for pinning balls inside the 20. He also seems to be getting better at holding, as he got it down, and the laces out properly for Akers successful 43 yard field goal. Akers seemed pleased, and it seems that Rocca will be able to learn this skill.

I feel bad for Dirk, he did have a pretty good camp as well, and it must suck to just have your job taken away from you. That is the reality of the NFL though. I am pretty sure he will get picked up somewhere else in the near future.

Bloom Cut- As I speculated before, Jeremy Bloom was on his way out. Another poor performance against the Jets sealed his fate. He went down at first contact, and tended to run towards the edge, even when the play was not designed to go that way. You might be able to outrun people to that edge in college, but not in the NFL.

Ian Scott- Injuries kept Scott out all of pre season, and most of training camp. His absence gave Jeremy Clark a great opportunity to make the team, which he took full advantage of. In the Jets game he had a sack, a tackle for a loss, and a few stuffs. Scott was considered to be a big pickup for the team, but you can't make the team on the sidelines.

Barksdale in Graham Out- Nick Graham was very solid for the team, but so was Barksdale. Barksdale has more potential, and that was likely the deciding factor. Graham is a great candidate for the practice squad, if he does not get signed anywhere else.

Eagles Panthers Highlights

Thoughts on the Pre Season

The pre-season is winding down, and I thought I would give some of my honest opinions about some players on the team. Outside of the two turnovers forced, the Eagles defense did almost nothing right against Pittsburgh. Jim Johnson's aggressive blitzes, seemed to get destroyed by screen plays. Overall I think the team has been average during the pre-season, and they need a lot of things to come together for this season to be a success.

Things that worry me:

Chris Gocong- He had a terrible game against the Steelers. He took bad angles, missed tackles, did not move well laterally, and just seemed very lost at linebacker. This is very disturbing to see, because he is expected to be a starter, and Jim Johnson has praised him all camp. Maybe he just had a bad game, and he can work some things out for the regular season, but right now he is making me very nervous. I also don't like the fact that his backup is a rookie. They could move Takeo Spikes to SAM, and possibly start Matt McCoy at WILL.

Sean Considine- Did anybody ever explain to Sean how to wrap up, and tackle? I keep seeing this guy jumping on opponents backs, and be taken for a ride. That was terrible, and so was that wimpy hit on tight end Heath Miller. It looked like he hurt himself, more than he did Miller. To his credit, he did have two nice blitzes, one that caused an interception, and the he tipped a pass on the other. I heard all this talk, of Sean bulking up, but it does not seem to make a difference on the field. Every time I even look at him out there, I remember Duece McAlister running him over in the playoffs.

Mike Patterson- Mike got pancaked on that Willie Parker touchdown run. A lot of guys were at fault for Parker to go untouched into the end zone, but it all starts up front, and you can't get pushed around that easily. They paid Patterson a lot of money last year, and I think they may have jumped the gun on this one. Not only has he been a liability against the run, but I have not seen much pressure on the QBs from him. Time to step it up.

Jeremy Bloom- After a good game at Baltimore, Bloom has not played well since. Reports are that he is slowed by a toe injury, and John Madden proclaimed that Bloom "did not belong on the field". Ouch. Rumor is that Andy Reid is fed up with Bloom, and he is on the way out. It was a very bad sign for him, to see Greg Lewis returning punts, and Correll Buckhalter returning kickoffs for the entire first half. Bloom had better do something great on Thursday, or he is out of here.

Deep Threat?- Where is it on this team? Kevin Curtis has looked fairly good so far, but he, and McNabb have not hooked up deep yet. I also have not seen Curtis get any big separation, on any of the deep routes he has run. Reggie Brown has had a very poor pre-season. It almost seems to me like he is disinterested. Jason Avant has done a good job, but he is a possession receiver. The only deep pass, has been that big play to Matt Schobel. I wonder if maybe losing Stallworth is a huge loss for this team. Even though he was injured some of the time, and caught only 37 balls, you always had to respect his speed on the outside. So far I have not seen anybody on the team show they can do that.

Shawn Andrews- How bad is this injury? Are the Eagles just taking the cautious approach? I definitely know that the offensive line has looked really bad without him. Scott Young has looked really bad, and Nick Cole did not seem much better. Right now if Andrews could not go, I would feel best with Max Jean-Gilles in his spot.

Things I am glad to see:

Donovan McNabb- Five is healthy. I don't care if he says he is 75%, or 85%, he looks fine to me. He is throwing fairly well, he is moving fairly well, and most importantly he seems to have no problem planting that right leg. It was also good to see him bounce right back up from getting hit. While the national media may focus in on Donovan's health being a major issue, I think there is nothing to worry about.

Brodrick Bunkley- Despite the defensive woes, Bunk has been impressive. He made yet another tackle for a loss, and got passed All Pro Guard Alan Faneca. I think now that he has his head on straight, we will start to see a big impact from Bunkley on this defensive line.

Takeo Spikes- Some People have ripped Takeo Spikes, but I think he has played really well. I've seen him shed blocks to make tackles, he forced a fumble at the goal line, and has been the best linebacker the Eagles have so far. It is also great to see that he looks 100% healthy, and is running full speed all over the field. I think Spikes is going to be a play maker for this team.

Young Guys Who Have Impressed:

Kevin Kolb- He has really come a long way in such a short time. The kid is accurate, seems very poised, makes smart decisions, goes through all of his reads well, and spreads the ball around. I have have come a full 180 with Kolb. At first I hated the pick, and did not understand. Now I see that whenever Donovan McNabb's time comes, they will have a good QB follow him. I would like to see Kolb connect with somebody deep, but really no receivers have been able to do that so far this pre-season.

Brent Celek- This guy seems for real. Every game he makes some nice grabs, and he has now been running with the first team offense. Celek has made the team, and should be rotating in every now and then with the starting unit this season. This pick falls into the Eagles history of taking risks on late round draft picks, on guys who have a lot of potential. Well this pick looks like it will be paying off big time. I wonder how this will affect L.J. Smith's contract negotiations. Will this be the leverage the Eagles need to get him signed, or is Celek good enough to make the front office just let Smith walk?

Punting Dual:

I am officially on the Sav Rocca bandwagon. The Aussie can just flat out boom the football. Dirk has played very well this pre-season, but Rocca has just been better. He barely even knows the rules, and he seems to be learning very fast. I heard that the winner of the punting job, will get all of the punting duties this Thursday. So if you see Sav out there, then you know he won. I feel bad for Dirk, because no matter how great he does, it seems like fans will hate him, if he wins this job. Andy Reid said it the other day, that no matter what Rocca will have a job in the NFL. If the Eagles cut him, somebody will definitely pick him up.

Eagles vs Steelers

Last Time They Met:
August 25, 2006: Eagles 16, Steelers 7
In their fourth preseason game last season, the Eagles looked sharp in the 16-7 win over Pittsburgh. With nearly all of the starters playing for the final time before the start of the regular season, quarterback Donovan McNabb completed 7 of 9 passes for 79 yards. Kicker David Akers helped the Eagles jump out to a lead with three field goals (40, 49 and 52 yards), and wide receiver Greg Lewis sealed the win with a 61-yard touchdown grab. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles forced Pittsburgh into four turnovers – two fumbles and two interceptions.

2006 Season Review:
After taking home the Lombardi Trophy in 2005, last year was far from super for the Steelers. The defending champs struggled to a 2-6 start, before climbing to mediocrity to end the season at 8-8. In his 15th and final year as head coach, Bill Cowher didn't get the same play out of Ben Rothlisberger. The quarterback followed a 17-touchdown, nine-interception season with an 18-touchdown, 23-interception effort in 2006. The defense was not the dominant force it was a year earlier, but it still ranked ninth in the league in yards per game, 11th in points and sixth in interceptions with 20.

Who's In?
Head coach Mike Tomlin, RB Kevan Barlow, C Sean MahanTomlin is clearly the biggest addition. The 35-year-old was the Vikings defensive coordinator last season, helping a struggling defense rise to eighth in yards per game, as well as fifth in interceptions (21) and ninth in sacks (43). Barlow was once a 1,000-yard back with San Francisco, but only had 370 with the Jets last year.

Who's out?
Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, LB Joey Porter, C Jeff HartingsAs for the losses, coaching may once again be the biggest difference. Wisenhunt departs for Arizona as does assistant Russ Grimm. Porter brings his 451 career tackles and 60 sacks to Miami. Last year he grabbed 55 tackles, 7.0 sacks and forced two turnovers, but Pittsburgh didn't feel it was enough to keep him around. Hartings, the starting center, retired.

When The Eagles Have The Ball
Once again, the focus will be on quarterback Donovan McNabb. He looked fantastic in his debut at home against the Panthers, but he will have to show that his knee is fine after the eventful quarter he played a week ago, and that he can play well for more than a quarter. The Steelers are trying to switch from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3, the type that new coach Tomlin is used to. They may do this gradually, but it will be interesting to see whether they try some knew things out in their fourth preseason game.

When The Steelers Have The Ball
The Eagles defense had a bad outing against Baltimore, and a near-perfect one against Carolina – as the Eagles' first-team surrendered zero points, while playing for nearly an entire half. Now that the veterans have gotten their licks in, take a look at how the young guys are performing. Last week, Pittsburgh's first-team offense got significant playing time for the first time, and will likely play a good amount on Sunday. This matchup of starters will be good for both teams, and especially for Roethlisberger, who can show his coaches that he is back to the level he once was.

Key matchups
Steelers RB Willie Parker vs. Eagles' front seven
With 337 carries for 1,494 yards, Parker has established himself as one of the elite rushers in the league, on a team that has traditionally had great running backs. His 13 touchdowns last year were also particularly notable, considering Jerome Bettis had been a go-to guy the year before, and the Steelers needed someone to step up. The Eagles' defense struggled to stop the run last year, and this will be a good test to see if the front seven has indeed improved. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson's crew is athletic, and every bit of its speed will be tested against the quick Parker.

Eagles G Scott Young and Max Jean-Gilles vs. Steelers NT Casey Hampton
With Shawn Andrews likely out with an ankle injury, Young and Jean-Gilles each have a chance to show why he is the more viable option as a backup. Young is one of the strongest players on the team, and he'll need every ounce of muscle against Hampton, a two-time Pro Bowl nose tackle.

Players To Watch
MLB Omar Gaither
Jeremiah Trotter has officially passed the baton over to Gaither, and this will be the first start in the middle for the second-year player out of Tennessee. This is typically the game in which the starters play the most, so the coaches will get a good look at what Gaither can do. He had a strong run at the end of the season playing on the weak side, but he must show that he can repeat it from the middle linebacker position.

LB Chris Gocong
With the starters likely sitting for the majority of the final preseason against New York, this could be the last chance to take a look at the strongside linebacker. He has gained valuable experience so far, but he will need to continue to play well - this starting spot will not be handed to him on a silver platter. As a big guy at 6-foot-2, 263 pounds, he must show that he can cover the tight end effectively, in this case Heath Miller.

WR Santonio Holmes
As a rookie last year, Holmes reminded the Steelers why he was their top pick last year. His 49 catches and 824 yards were enough to earn him a starting job this year. He still has a lot to prove, though, as only a second-year player. His five fumbles (two lost) and only two touchdowns are numbers to certainly improve upon. With cornerback Lito Sheppard back, the Eagles will have their starting unit intact to cope with the speedy Holmes.

Birds Bounce Back

The Eagles played outstanding against Carolina. What a huge difference from Mondays embarrassing defeat. The biggest news, was the return of quarterback Donovan McNabb, and all eyes were glued to him. There were so many things to touch on from this game, that I will just list them off:

Donovan McNabb- Five was very sharp in his first game action since tearing his ACL last November. On the first play of the game, Donovan stepped up in the pocket, and fired a strike to Kevin Curtis for 27 yards. The very next play, McNabb rolled out to his right, stumbled over Todd Herremans foot, maintained his balance, and hit Jason Avant for 16 more yards. This play showed five still had his mobility, and that was great to see. Later in the game, McNabb layed a ball up with perfect touch over the shoulder of tight end Matt Schobel, who caught the ball in stride, and ran to the 4 yard line. A play of 58 yards, that lead to a Tony Hunt 3 yard touchdown run. McNabb is back, and the rest of the league should take notice. It was also great to see Donovan take a hit, and then bounce right back up.

Lito Sheppard- Jumped an out route by Steve Smith, and dazzled the crowd by returning it 40 yards for a touchdown. This electrifying play seems routine for Lito, as he already has three career INTs returns for TDs. Lito is a big time play maker on this defense, and he did not even need practice, to be able to play well.

Brent Celek- The kid looked very good again. He caught 4 balls for 45 yards, and seems to just fit right into the offense. Celek even made some very nice blocks on the two TD runs from Tony Hunt. If the Eagles had to go a few weeks without L.J. Smith, I believe that Celek, and Schobel would be able to fill in nicely.

Tony Hunt- Tony had a much better game than last week. He did not have very many yards, but he did score two touchdowns. More importantly, the Eagles brought Hunt into the game, in their goal line packages. It appears that the Eagles plan to use Hunt in the role of a short yardage/goal line back. This is something that fans have wanted for a long time. A big physical back for these situations.

Juqua Thomas- With Jevon Kearse out of the game, Juqua stepped it up. It was 3rd down, on the Panthers first possession. The Eagles got killed on third down Monday, and Juqua did not let that happen this time. He quickly beat the man in front of him, chased Jake Delhomme to the sidelines, and forced him to throw the ball away. These are the types of plays the Eagles need to have success defensively. Juqua also forced a fumble, by slapping the ball out of Jake Delhomme's hand. He was very impressive.

Brodrick Bunkley- Bunkley managed to make a few plays again. He had a nice tackle for no gain, and he recovered a fumble. This is what the Eagles want from him. At Florida State, he was always around the ball, and so far this pre-season, he is doing the same.

Kevin Curtis- Had 2 nice catches, and looks like an excellent route runner. He also had a step on a CB during a go route, but Donovan overthrew him. I think Curtis is going to surprise a lot of people this year. He has some speed, and a great knowledge of the game. Learning from Issac Bruce, and Torry Holt, is a huge plus for him.

Kevin Kolb- Kolb had a much better game than he did on Monday. He was pretty poised for a rookie, and made smart choices with the football. He seems to be very accurate with his throws, and he had a nice run for a first down. I am starting to see what Andy Reid liked him so much about him. It's still very early, but it is very good to see that he is playing well.

Max Jean-Gilles- Did a decent job filling in for Shawn Andrews. Had some great blocks on both Hunt TDs. He did get pushed back into QB A.J. Feeley, by Kris Jenkins, but Jenkins is one of the better DTs in the league. You can also see that Gilles has worked hard to drop some weight.

Backup Offensive Line- As a group they played terrible. Pat McCoy was brutal, and so was Chris White. Nick Cole was pretty good, and Winston Justice was excellent. I like how Justice has the versatility to play both right, and left tackle. With Runyan, and Thomas getting old, and more injury prone, this is very important to have Justice for depth.

Jason Davis- Despite a bad spot on the 4th, and inches run, Davis did a poor job on that play. He had a lane to the right, and instead of taking it, he ran right into a pile of guys. If he had just taken the lane there, the refs would not get a chance to screw up the spot. His fumble later in the game will probably end up getting him cut. When you are such a long shot to make the team, you can not afford to make those kind of mistakes.

The Punter Dual- Sav Rocca Boomed some big punts again. He pinned a ball inside the five yard line, and averaged 50 yards per punt. Daid Akers did make a FG when Rocca was the holder, but he failed the spin the laces out. That can be worked on in practice. Dirk Johnson also did a solid job, and it could be tough for him to lose his place on the team, due to his experience. Did anybody notice Carolina's punter Jason Baker? He had 8 punts for an average of 51.9 yards per punt. He was actually an Eagle in 2002, and has really become a very good punter.

Kick Coverage- This was dreadful. I don't have the stats in front of me, but every time the Eagles kicked off, the Panthers returned the ball to the 30-35 yard line. They need to do a much better job in this department. This was also a major problem last year, and there is only a few weeks to get this right.

Matt McCoy- Looked really bad in pass coverage. He lucked out big time when the Carolina Tight End dropped a ball, that he easily could have ran for another 5-10 yards. McCoy was about 5 steps behind him, and had no chance of making any play on the ball, or even making a tackle.

Rashad Barksdale- He got his first interception, on a poorly thrown ball, and returned it 35 yards. You can see that he is a very talented athlete, and with some more coaching could be a very productive pro. He did miss a tackle earlier in the game, but overall all did a good job.

Missed Tackles- I heard that the Eagles had one of the toughest, most physical camps in the league. If this is true, then I can not figure out why there continues to be so many missed tackles. It seems like guys are more worried about laying a big hit, or stripping the ball, then just wrapping up, and taking the ball carrier down.

Hank Baskett- Hank had a good game. He made a sweet over the shoulder catch, and seems to make those look easy. He also had a really nice catch, and run over the middle. If you took your eyes out of focus a little, Baskett almost looked like T.O. out there. He is big, physical, and is quickly learning how to use his size to his advantage. He also has been a very good blocker.

Jeremy Bloom- Was average on returns. Did not make any major mistakes, but did not break anything off big. He did make 2 nice grabs, including taking a nice hit from CB Chris Gamble. Bloom has definitely earned himself a roster spot.

Stewart Bradley- I think it is very interesting, that the Eagles continue to have him lineup at MLB. I wonder if he is in the future plans at that position? They seem to be very high on Chris Gocong at the SAM spot, and if he does well there, then where else would Bradley fit in?

David Akers- Boomed two 50 yard field goals, with two different holders. One even had the laces out. Great job from Akers.

I know I missed some things, but this is becoming a ridiculously long post. So I will just cut it short here. Overall the Eagles did a great job, and it's great to see number five play so well. Let's hope they can keep this going throughout the regular season.

Eagles vs Panthers

Last Time They Met

December 4, 2006; Eagles 27, Panthers 24

In a game that would turn the tide of the squad's 2006 season, the Eagles overcame a seven-point deficit entering the fourth quarter and escaped Lincoln Financial Field with a narrow victory. Starting his second game, quarterback Jeff Garcia shined, completing 21 of 39 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns. Cornerback Lito Sheppard sealed the win with a fine interception in the Eagles end zone in coverage against Keyshawn Johnson. The win was the first of five consecutive victories to end the 2006 regular season.

2006 Season Review

It was a season of streaks for the Panthers, who looked great at times and completely inept at others during a disappointing 8-8 season. Carolina lost its first two games of the season, only to win the next four and appear back on track. The Panthers were 6-4 going into Week 12, only to lose their next four games and drop out of the playoff race. The Carolina defense was strong, finishing seventh in the league in overall defense, but was offset by an inconsistent offense. The Panthers attack finished 24th in the league in total offense and 27th in scoring.

Who's In?

QB David Carr, CB Curtis Deloatch, DT Chad LavalaisCarr is the big name newcomer in Carolina. Even though he is currently slotted behind Jake Delhomme, some fans have become dissatisfied with Delhomme's inability to consistently compile victories. The 28-year-old Carr has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in his five NFL seasons and carries with him a career QB rating of 75.5. Still, some believe that with a better supporting cast the former first-overall pick can be a winner.

Who's Out?

WR Keyshawn Johnson, S Mike Minter, LB Chris Draft, TE Kris MagnumJohnson, Minter and Magnum all retired (Johnson after being released). Minter might be missed the most by the Panthers. Minter spent all ten of his NFL season with the Panthers, finishing the franchise's all-time leader in total tackles with 807

When The Eagles Have The Ball

All eyes will naturally gravitate towards Donovan McNabb should he play. The quarterback is slated to make his debut on Friday, and there's little doubt the Eagles will do whatever they can this early in the preseason to ensure he doesn't get hit, and that could include running the ball or max protect packages. More than McNabb, the Eagles need to show they can move the ball consistently after a poor showing against Baltimore in which the offense produced only 183 total yards. The offensive line failed to hold up against the Ravens' blitz packages, and will need to do a better job against Carolina.

When The Eagles Are On Defense

Once again, the Eagles are looking to improve on Monday's outing. The first-team defense settled down in their second series against Baltimore, but prolonged drives such as the Ravens' first one cannot happen. In particular, the defense needs to do better in third down situations. The Ravens were three-for-three in third down situations on the first drive, and the Eagles defense needs to make a play and get off the field. It's likely the Eagles will be tested in the running game against the likes of DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams, and it will be interesting to see how the new-look defense responds.

Key Matchups

Panthers QB David Carr vs. Panthers QB Jake Delhomme

Though these players are on the same team, there is an interesting competition between the two. Delhomme is coming off a season in which he threw for 2,805 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in just 13 games. Despite that decent season, Delhomme hasn't won as expected since leading Carolina to a Super Bowl appearance in 2003. Enter Carr, who was jettisoned from Houston, where many feel he never truly had a chance to succeed. Carr went 6-for-8 for 83 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers' preseason opening 24-21 win over the Giants. Delhomme is the likely guy here to start the season, but a strong preseason from Carr and/or early Carolina struggles will lead to speculation.

Panthers DE Julius Peppers vs. T Jon Runyan

Runyan has fought his fair share of battles against elite defensive linemen in the past, the most notable of which being Michael Strahan. He'll see another one of the game's best on Friday in Julius Peppers. With Donovan McNabb likely making his return, there will be an added amount of pressure on Runyan to keep the former second-overall pick at bay. Peppers had a career best 13 sacks last year, but none of those came in the Panthers one meeting with Runyan and the Eagles.

Players To Watch

QB Donovan McNabb

The Eagles franchise quarterback is expected to make his return the field following a torn right ACL suffered in Week 11 last season. McNabb returned to practice in the June OTAs, and participated in nearly all of training camp. It's unclear how much McNabb will play or if there will be any rust, but more important than stats from this game will be how well McNabb is able to move and how comfortable the recovering quarterback looks.

TE Brent Celek

The Eagles tight end was by far the most productive player in an otherwise dim effort against the Ravens on Monday. Celek's four receptions and 59 receiving yards were both team highs. Inconsistency is common for rookies, so it will be interesting to see if Celek build on that production in this game. The Eagles need production from the back up tight ends to take pressure off L.J. Smith, and if Celek can continue his fine summer with a good performance is this game, the Eagles really might have a player on their hands.

Carolina WR Steve Smith

One of the most dangerous wide receivers in the league, Smith is coming off another stellar season in which he caught 83 balls for 1,166 yards and eight touchdowns. Smith can stretch the field or take the short pass and accumulate yards after the catch, and the Panthers almost always find ways to get him the ball. Smith will test the Eagles corners, especially if Lito Sheppard is once again absent, and keep the defense as a whole honest against the run.

>>Home Page

Shaky Start For Birds

Not much went right in the Eagles 29-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The starting offense stalled on their only two drives, and the defense gave up a touchdown on the Ravens first possession.

The backups did not fair much better, as poor play, and mistakes filled the rest of the game. The team just appeared flat, and got their butts whipped repeatedly. Luckily it is only the pre-season, because there are many things for the Eagles to improve on.

The Good:

Brent Celek- The rookie tight end was impressive in his Eagles debut, catching 4 balls for 59 yards, including a nice 30 yard catch and run. It was nice to see some good play from the tight end position, because of the questions about L.J. Smith's health. Celek did have one drop on a short pass from Kevin Kolb.

Brodrick Bunkley- While the Eagles defense overall was poor, Bunkley made a few nice plays, and that was good to see. He deflected a pass, made a tackle for a loss, and clogged up the middle on a run play.

Matt McCoy- A guy who is considered by many to be on the bubble, made a statement, by putting together a solid effort. He had five tackles, and one nice hit on QB Kyle Boller. You can see that he is really going to fight for his spot on the team.

Jeremy Bloom- Did a pretty good job in the return game. Fielded every punt, and got every kick return past the 20. He also made a few good grabs at WR, Including one for a first down. He did leave the game to get his toe x-rayed, but the results were negative.

Rashad Barksdale- Made some really nice open field tackles, and helped out well against the run. Had a near interception, and came up with 6 total tackles.

Stewart Bradley- Lead the team with 8 tackles, and played a lot yesterday. He made a very nice play in the run game, and was visibly very vocal on the field. He did have a penalty on punt coverage.

Brian Westbrook- Westbrook looks to be in mid season form, as he made an exciting 23 yard catch, and run.

The Bad:

Jeremiah Trotter- Trotter whiffed on a tackle he should have made on Ravens RB Willis McGahee. Trott has talked a lot this off season, but that play reminded me of the Colts game last year. It was a stretch run, and Trotter has to be able to move better than that, as he was late getting to the ball carrier.

Will James- Another big talker this off season, James got turned around by Ravens receiver Derrick Mason. A critical third down play that a starting NFL CB must not give up so easily.

Tony Hunt- Hunt had 5 carries for no yards. The offensive line did not help at all, as many times the Ravens defense got into the backfield untouched. Hunt also got Kelly Holcomb sacked, with a very weak block on a DB. He did have two catches for 11 yards.

Kevin Kolb- Very rough start for Kolb. His receivers did not help out very much, with a number of drops, but Kolb looked very much like a rookie in his debut. He completed 11 of 20 passes, for 77 yards. Kolb fumbled the ball, on a pass play that he thought was a run.

Tank Daniels- Got sucked into a block by the Ravens FB, which sprung RB Willis McGahee for 16 yards. If you want to make the team, you have to do a better job of shedding that blocker, and containing the back.

David Akers- Missed a 43 yard FG, and has been inconsistent since 2004. I think a lot has to do with Akers not being comfortable with a new holder, and long time long snapper Mike Bartrum has retired.

Offensive Line- From the starters, to the backups, to the third stringers, this group played poorly all game long. They did not get much push in the running game, and had many break downs in protection. The backups especially seemed lost vs the Ravens 3-4 front. Trying to pick up the right guys in pass protection was an adventure the entire game.

The Ugly:

Ryan Moats- Broke his ankle on his second carry during the third quarter. Moats will be placed on the Injured Reserve ending his season. A tough break for Moats, as he really wanted a chance to prove himself this pre-season. He had been considered by many, to be another "bubble guy", and has been having fumbling issues in Training Camp.

Sav Rocca- The Aussie punter welcomed to the NFL in a rude way, as he was the recipient of a violent hit from Ravens LB Antwan Barnes. Sav showed his toughness, as he jumped right off, shook it off, and smiled.

Overall it was a very weak showing from the team, and I am sure the Eagles coaching staff is not very thrilled. The Birds were missing a lot of key players, including Donovan McNabb, Brian Dawkins, Shawn Andrews, L.J. Smith, Lito Sheppard, and others. Not making any excuses for the terrible play, but getting these guys back for the regular season will make a huge difference.

Kolb makes debut tonight

We've talked about him for four months. We've analyzed him, studied him, listened to his every word. Tonight, we'll finally get to see Kevin Kolb actually play football.

Head coach Andy Reid said yesterday Kolb will probably play the entire second half tonight when the Eagles open the preseason with a 7 p.m. game against the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

With Donovan McNabb slated to make his preseason debut Friday on the familiar FieldTurf at the Linc, A.J. Feeley will start at quarterback tonight and Kelly Holcomb will get the second quarter, leaving the entire second half to the Eagles' prize second-round draft pick.

“I'm really looking forward to it,” Kolb said. “With all the publicity, the whole draft situation, you're ready to just play football again. It's a whole different thing from practice, the coaches aren't five feet behind you, they're on the sidelines and you're running the team, you're running the tempo, and that's where you really find out where you are.”
..Continue reading at the Burlington Times>>

McNabb Out. Feeley Gets The Start

After praising Lehigh University for their hospitality and facilities, head coach Andy Reid bluntly delivered the news that the reporters in attendance were waiting for - quarterback Donovan McNabb will not play in Monday night's preseason opener at Baltimore.

McNabb's first game action since he tore the ACL in his right knee last November will come Friday night when the Eagles host Carolina in the home preseason opener.

While Reid stated in his press conferences during training camp that he wasn't sure of whether McNabb would play Monday, he admitted on Sunday that resting McNabb was decided some time ago.

"He worked well and he seemed strong (during training camp)," said Reid. "I'd rather just start him off at our place on grass."

A.J. Feeley will start at quarterback and the first-team offense will play the entire first quarter. Quarterback Kelly Holcomb will run the second-team offense for the second quarter and Kevin Kolb, the team's first draft pick in April, will play the entire second half.
..Read more at the Official Site>>