Archive: December, 2011
Jonathan Tamari
Bobby April and the Eagles special teams units have been very lucky lately, and he knows it.
In the past two games the special teams units have had three turnovers and a blocked punt. The defense helped limit the damage, getting the ball right back after two of the mistakes, but the other two led directly to 14 points for the opposition and could have been huge momentum swings if the offense and defense hadn't been playing better.
"Those were major, major gaffes and without a dominant performance by the defense in both games, really dominant, and really a dominant performance by the offense, we probably," April began, then quickly shifted gears, "you can’t do those two things in a game and generally win. Those are major gaffes, you just can’t have a blocked punt."
Philly.com Sports
Join the Inquirer's Jonathan Tamari for his weekly chat about all the latest Eagles news, today at 2 p.m.
If you're on a mobile device, click here to follow along and post questions.
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Cornerback Asante Samuel said that he practiced on Tuesday despite the hamstring strain that drove him from Sunday's game against the New York Jets.
"Hammy's good, hammy's good," Samuel said.
The Eagles' Tuesday practice was a light one with one less day of rest before Saturday's game at Dallas. The team's slim playoff chances remain alive but could be squelched by the time they kick off at 4:15. If the New York Giants beat the Jets in a 1 p.m. game the Eagles will be eliminated from the postseason.
Philly.com sports
Video: Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles still have a chance at making the NFL playoffs with some help from the Cowboys and Giants. CineSport's Noah Coslov and the Inquirer's Jeff McLane discuss.
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
There are still two games to play, and the Eagles still have what has increasingly become a legitimate shot at sneaking into the playoffs, so questions about the offseason aren't especially pertinent at this juncture.
But after the Eagles won their last two games, largely behind the effort of their defense, many want to know: Has Juan Castillo reversed his prospects and done enough to return next season as defensive coordinator?
Eagles coach Andy Reid, a day after the Eagles stomped on the New York Jets, 45-19, was asked if he believed Castillo, with a full offseason, would mature into the coordinator he originally envisioned.
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Inquirer’s look at some of the highs, lows, odds and ends from Sunday’s game:
Unsung defensive player of the game: He needs to work on his celebration, but defensive end Phillip Hunt recorded a sack for the second straight week and led the Eagles with six total tackles. Jason Babin’s three sacks will get the attention – as they should – but Hunt’s play over the last two weeks has softened the unrest over Brandon Graham’s ineffectiveness.
Luckiest player: For the second straight week Eagles cornerback Curtis Marsh was saved by the defense after he made a dubious play on special teams. Last week it was Babin forcing a fumble after Marsh coughed up the football on an ill-advised lateral on a punt return. This week it was Asante Samuel pulling in an interception after a punt bounced off Marsh and to the Jets.
Jonathan Tamari
The Eagles defense has come alive. The question now is: did it happen too late?
After struggling for most of the season, and contributing a large share to a 4-8 start, Juan Castillo’s defense has powered the Eagles to two consecutive wins, including Sunday’s 45-19 blow out of the Jets.
With the offense often gifted excellent field position, the Eagles ran wild on a Ryan-led defense for the second time this year. After scorching Rob Ryan’s Cowboys unit for 34 points Oct. 30, the Eagles took apart Rex Ryan’s group Sunday and get another shot at Rob this coming Saturday.
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Giants lost and the Eagles are still ticking.
With a 4:15 p.m. kickoff against the New York Jets only minutes away, the Eagles know they can keep their slim chances of winning the NFC East alive with a win at Lincoln Financial Field.
That other New York team – the Giants – came up small in a 1 o’clock game against the Redskins and fell, 23-10, at the Meadowlands. If the Giants had won, the Eagles would have been eliminated from having any shot at winning the division because Dallas had beaten Tampa Bay, 31-15, on Saturday night.
Jonathan Tamari
Brandon Graham is active after all this week, days after saying he thought he might be shut down for the season. The next question is if last year's first round pick actually plays against the Jets.
Graham has been inactive three of the last four weeks. In Seattle two weeks ago he was active but did not play a single snap. The Eagles are going heavy at defensive end, with Juqua Parker and Phillip Hunt both active Sunday as well, along with starters Trent Cole and Jason Babin. Darryl Tapp is out with broken ribs.
It's possible that one of the ends will have to play inside at some point because the Eagles are light at defensive tackle, with only three dressed. Trevor Laws (knee) was downgraded from probable to questionable Saturday and won't play. That leaves only Cullen Jenkins, Mike Patterson and Derek Landri to play tackle. Rookie Cedric Thornton is inactive. It will be important to watch wear and tear on the tackles as the game goes on. The Jets love to run the ball inside, so the interior linemen could have a busy day.
Philly.com Sports
The Inquirer's Jeff McLane catches up with Eagles defensive end Jason Babin and discusses the play of the defensive line with philly.com's Sheil Kapadia.
