Archive: September, 2010
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Updating: Michael Vick has indeed been as good as he was last week, even if it took him a while to get going, and aided by a who-cares effort from the host Jacksonville Jaguars, the Eagles are rolling to a victory that will substantially turn down the heat on head coach Andy Reid for abruptly changing quarterbacks last week.
The Birds are up 28-3 as the minutes tick down -- the first time they've held an opponent without a TD since the finale of the 2008 season, the playoff-clinching 44-6 win over Dallas
Wideouts Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson have a combined nine catches for 236 yards and 3 TDs. Watching the Jags' offense, maybe their defense just doesn't get much practice against the "passing' business.
Daily News staff
The Eagles visit Jacksonville today at 4:05 in Michael Vick's first start at quarterback since he was named the starter over Kevin Kolb. The Eagles are a 3-point favorite.
Here are the Daily News' staff predictions:
Les Bowen
Daily News staff
Here are Domo's weekly NFL rankings heading into Week 3
1. Packers 2-0 (1)
2. Saints 2-0 ( 2)
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Video: The Daily News' Les Bowen lists his three keys for success for the Eagles in Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
As The Idle Rich pointed out today, Andy Reid provided a much more illuminating explanation of the quarterback switch to Sports Illustrated's Peter King than the one he has given us locals.
This here Internet thing has been really popular for more than 15 years now, and people often still don't grasp that just because you said something to somebody somewhere else, that doesn't mean people here won't find out.
"A young quarterback needs time to mature as he grows in the game," King quoted Reid as saying. "I don't think Kolb has lost one thing. He's a franchise quarterback. He will win games, and championships, for the Eagles. But I think it's a different deal when you go out there and can't make a mistake or you're going to get crucified, which is the way this thing might have gone if he went back in there now.''
Paul Domowitch, Daily News NFL Columnist
5 things to keep your eyes on during Sunday's Eagles-Jacksonville game:
1. The pass protection. The Eagles have given up 11 sacks in the first 2 games (a sack was changed by the NFL today after reviewing the tape). Mike Vick’s elusiveness may be able to negate some of the protection issues, but they’ve got to do a better job up front, particularly against the blitz, if they expect to win Sunday.
2. Putting Mercedes in park. The Eagles struggled against Lions tight end Brandon Pettitgrew last week. He torched them for 7 catches and 108 yards. Now, they take on yet another very good TE in the Jags’ Mercedes Lewis, a big (6-6, 275), fast and athletic pass-catcher who was targeted 9 times in last week’s loss to the Chargers, catching 5 passes for 70 yards.
3. The run defense. Everything the Jaguars do offensively starts with running back Maurice Jones-Drew. If you want to beat them, you’ve got to neutralize Jones-Drew, as the Chargers did last week, holding him to 31 yards on 12 carries. Last week, with middle linebacker Stewart Bradley on the shelf with a concussion, the Eagles gave up 109 rushing yards to the Lions in the first half. Bradley will be back this week, which should help immensely. But they’ve got to do a better job of swarming to the ball.
4. Third down and red zone. For various reasons, the Eagles’ offense wasn’t very good in either of these departments last year, but have been much improved in the first 2 games. They’ve converted 5 of 6 red-zone opportunities into touchdowns, including 3 rushing TDs by LeSean McCoy. They’ve converted a respectable 40.7 percent of their third-down opportunities, including 4 of 5 from three yards or less. In their last 9 regular-season games last year, the Eagles converted just 17 of 32 third downs of 3 yards or less.
5. Vick’s turnovers. Mike Vick often was a turnover waiting to happen in Atlanta. During his final 3 years with the Falcons, he averaged an interception every 28.8 attempts and had 36 fumbles (15 lost) in 46 games. He hasn’t thrown a pick in 58 attempts this season, but had a couple last week that almost were intercepted. He’s also fumbled twice, but the Eagles recovered both of them.
To read our earlier entry from today, click here.
Daily News staff and Les Bowen
No one on the Eagles' defense was happy with the way the Detroit Lions managed to come back in the fourth quarter and close the final score to 35-32, least of all defensive coordinator Sean McDermott.
"We got sloppy," he said today during his weekly meeting with reporters. "That is going to change."
However, McDermott's belief in his players has not wavered.
Daily News staff
Hank Baskett began the season as an Eagle for the second time. Now he is a Viking for the second time.
Baskett was cut by the Eagles on Tuesday when the team signed running back Joique Bell off Buffalo's practice squad. He signed with the Vikings and was on the field for practice today.
Baskett signed with the Vikings in 2006 as an undrafted free agent and then was traded to the Eagles for Billy McMullen.
Daily News staff and Les Bowen
Barring an injury, Michael Vick will be the quarterback of the Eagles for the rest of the season, coach Andy Reid said.
"I didn't appoint him for one week," Reid said today. "That's not what I did."
Asked whether Kevin Kolb will still be with the team beyond the Oct. 19 trade deadline, Reid said, "We'll just have to see."
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
The morning after Andy Reid's amazing quarterback flip-flop, I still can't get past one thing.
Here it is: The Eagles aren't winning the Super Bowl this season, with or without Michael Vick. They won't say that, of course, but the defense has given up the most points in the NFL through two weeks and the o-line is a sieve.
No way, no how.
