Archive: October, 2011
Philly.com Sports
Video: After a dominating defensive performance against the Redskins, the Eagles head into the bye week at 2-4. With the players getting the week off, are the Eagles on the verge of turning around their season?
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Andy Reid said that the Eagles have had discussions with other teams about potential trades with the NFL's trade deadline looming Tuesday at 4 p.m.
"Everybody’s calling everybody right now," the Eagles coach said. "That’s what takes place. So to tell you that we haven’t talked to anybody, I can’t tell you that."
The Eagles are seen as both potential sellers and buyers in the market because they do have depth at certain spots, but are also light in other areas. For instance, with defensive end Brandon Graham eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list next week, a veteran like Juqua Parker could be expendable.
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Presenting the Inky's: A look at some of the highs, lows, odds and ends from the Eagles' 20-13 win over the Redskins:
Best premature celebration: Yeah, LeSean McCoy was ruled short of the first down on a late fourth quarter run that would have iced the game for the Eagles, but how much fun was it to see the running back giddily punch Andy Reid in the stomach after the play? Last week many Eagles fans wished they could have done the same to the coach, although with much more force.
Player of the game for the Eagles: Redskins quarterback Rex Grossmanwas awful, throwing one ill-advised pass after the other. All told Grossman tossed four interceptions, three to Eagles safety Kurt Coleman. Backup John Beck was a little better, but the Redskins’ quarterback play had Washington fans fondly recalling the Donovan McNabb era.
Jonathan Tamari and Jeff McLane
LANDOVER, MD -- They're not dead yet.
Not this week. Not after a much needed 20 to 13 victory over the Redskins.
This week the Eagles created the turnovers, rather than giving them up. This week the Eagles tackled surely and with some force. This week the Eagles defensive backs made plays -- from Nnamdi Asomugha delivering a big early hit to Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman combining for four interceptions (including three by Coleman) to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie breaking up a deep pass that could have been a Redskins score.
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
LANDOVER, Md. -- King Dunlap is out for Sunday's game against the Redskins and Winston Justice will make his first start of the season as a result.
Dunlap was slated to start at left tackle for the injured Jason Peters but will be sidelined because of back spasms. Dunlap tested out his back pre-game at FedEx Field with Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder but obviously didn't feel right.
With Dunlap out Todd Herremans will move from right tackle to left tackle and Justice will take his place at right tackle. Justice was inactive for the first four games of the season, but did dress last week as a reserve. He missed all of the preseason as he recovered from off-season knee surgery. He still doesn't appear to be 100 percent.
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Who’s hot, who’s not and who’s anywhere in between heading into Sunday’s matchup:
Eagles
3 – Its like picking a needle out of a haystack of ineptitude, but Nate Allen was the lone positive on defense last week against the Bills. The safety recorded 13 tackles – 10 of which were solo – and didn’t look as if his surgically-repaired knee was holding him back. Allen’s got to show he can do it two games in a row, however, before he can be declared completely back.
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
King Dunlap missed his second practice in a row Friday and was listed as questionable on the Eagles' injury report for Sunday's game at Washington.
Dunlap has had back spasms and if they don't calm down by Sunday Todd Herremans will move from right tackle to left tackle and Winston Justice will get his first start of the season at right tackle, Andy Reid said.
Justice underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in February but the recovery period has been longer than many originally expected.
Jeff McLane and Jonathan Tamari
JEFF MCLANE
Record, 2-3
Have the Eagles quit? That is the question. Judging by their second half performance against the Bills and the sentiment emanating from the locker room this week Andy Reid still has the attention of his charges and will get a full effort Sunday at the Redskins. But there's evidence that not everyone is buying into what he is selling. Just watch the tape. Certain defensive players simply aren't hustling all the time. It's inexcusable. And then there are the little things that few see behind closed doors. Are players staying after practice to lift? Are they showing up at the NovaCare on their off days? Are they more concerned with accountability than what the media and fans are saying? Do they even care? I still think there's some pride in that locker room. If they have any now is about the time to show it.
This is as must of a must-win as Reid has ever had in terms of saving his coaching hide. There's no reason to think he can't save it at least for another week. The Eagles have won 15 of 24 against the Redskins under Reid and at times have done so convincingly. They have won 9 of their last 11 at Washington by an average margin of 10 points. The last time the teams met the Eagles embarrassed Washington at home on Monday night racking up 59 points to the Redskins’ inconsequential 28 points. But that game, when Michael Vick put on a dazzling show, seems like eons ago. Over the last three weeks I've picked the Eagles and they've lost in heartbreaking fashion. Maybe it's time I give up on picking the Eagles, but I think desperate times call for a desperate team. Eagles, 27-20.
Jeff McLane and Jonathan Tamari
UPDATE: Eagles left tackle King Dunlap was out of practice Thursday with low back spasms, according to the team.
Winston Justice, who has played most of his career at right tackle, took snaps there during practice. That move would require sliding Todd Herremans from right tackle to left, where Jason Peters is out with a hamstring injury. (Herremans, a guard most of his career, has played left tackle before).
Justice was active last week -- and indication that he could play if needed -- but said he was limited in what he could say because coach Andy Reid told him not to talk about injuries.
Jonathan Tamari
Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce, caught up in a storm of radio and internet criticism today after asking fans to take down a sign calling for Andy Reid's head, defended their actions today.
Each said that fans are free to express their opinions, but that they did not want to see such sentiments "on our front yard" outside the NovaCare Complex.
Some background: on Monday the two came to the team facility to watch film and lift. On their way out in Kelce's truck they saw three or so fans holding a sign that read "Andy, the Time's .... to Go." The protesters were across the street from the NovaCare entrance, according to Mathis. That would place them at a public park, not on Eagles property.
