DeSean Propelled Eagles Too Much for Giants

After sitting out a week with a mild concussion, DeSean Jackson exploded back onto the scene to lead the Eagles to a 45-38 win over the arch rival Giants. On a night that the NBC experts were predicting would end with 3 NFC East teams standing at 8-5, the Eagles kept lighting up the scoreboard to prove them wrong and take sole possession of first place with a 9-4 record.

Jackson put on a show, scoring twice more from greater than 50 yards to add to his growing collection. Last night's effort tied an NFL seasonal record of 8 touchdowns of that length, with 3 games left on the schedule to add on further. First, he grabbed a punt, momentarily stepped backwards and then exploded up the left sideline 72 yards into the end zone. Later, seconds after the Giants had fought from behind to take a 31-30 lead, Jackson sprinted past defenders on a post pattern and took a 60 yard pass from Donovan McNabb in stride, back peddling the last 15 yards into the end zone.

Neither defense offered much resistance, but both offenses also looked sharp. The combined point total was the highest in 150 meetings over the long history of the match-up. The Giants controlled the ball for almost 35 minutes and racked up 512 yards in a losing effort. While the Eagles accumulated less yardage, this mainly traced to the punt return TD and a defensive score by Sheldon Brown taking them off the field.

With strong protection all night, Eli Manning played far differently than in the team's previous two meetings. Manning hit on 71% of his passes for 391 yards and 3 TD's. The Eagles defense aided his cause with some shoddy tackling, allowing both Hakeem Nicks and Domenik Hixon to score on long catch and run plays. On the flip side, Manning completed some passes as he was being tackled and had a few excellent long throws dropped by his receivers.

As good as he was, Manning did hurt his own cause with a pair of fumbles, the first of which was very costly. After the Giants picked off a McNabb pass while trailing 30-24 in the 3rd quarter, Manning fumbled the ball back on the very next play at the Eagles 15 yard line. Upon getting the ball back, though, he hit Hixon for a 61 yard scoring strike that gave the Giants their first lead at 31-30.

This could have been a major turning point and sent many teams into a downward spiral after surrendering a pair of 14 point leads. McNabb showed his frustration when it occurred, but promptly took the field and fired the bomb to Jackson, and just 15 seconds later they were back on top.

At this point, the defenses stiffened and the teams traded 3 punts, the last of which pinning the Eagles back at their own 9 yard line. After deploying a deep passing game all evening, the Eagles proceeded to use a short passing game and ground attack to methodically move the ball down the field. They chewed up a large amount of the clock before Leonard Weaver pounded the ball in from the one to re-establish a 14 point lead.

For the second consecutive week, Michael Vick was a significant contributor both running and passing. Looking more athletic and faster like his days before being suspended, Vick connected with Jackson for 32 yards on a tight pass on their first drive and ran around left end for a touchdown in the 2nd period. The formation and Vick are both starting to show some promise that could prove helpful down the stretch.

McNabb had another solid game, accurately spreading the ball around, but clearly enjoyed having the home run hitter Jackson back in the line-up. For the game, the speedy receiver hauled in 6 passes for 178 yards. He now leads the NFL averaging a hefty 18.9 yards per reception and 17.8 yards per punt return. He is quickly establishing himself as one of the premier playmakers in the league.

Although the big win gives them sole possession of first place in the NFC East, both the Cowboys and Giants still have a shot. The former due to hosting the Eagles in the season finale, and the latter due to their schedule. It is easy to envision the Giants winning out as they play two losing teams finish with a Vikings team that will probably have no incentive to win. With their previous win in Philadelphia, the Cowboys would hold the tie breaker if they were to defeat the Eagles and end with the same record.

This Eagles offense is looking to be playoff worthy, and with continuing consistency and the possible return of Brian Westbrook, could prove to be Super Bowl worthy. Last night's performance on defense, however, will still keep Andy Reid and staff up at night if they want to have a shot at beating high powered teams like New Orleans, Minnesota or Arizona. The hope would be to get players settled back into normal roles with the return of missing players, but 500-plus yards and 38 points would suggest they have a lot of work to do. After all, as good as he is, it would be unreasonable to expect Jackson to be a highlight show every game...or maybe not.

Eagles Need Selective Amnesia Against the Giants

Several weeks ago, the Eagles and Giants kicked off an unique day/night, football/baseball doubleheader in Philadelphia. It might be more apt to say that the Eagles kicked the Giants all over the field in the opener, striking early and often in rolling to a 40-17 victory and move ahead of them into a tie for first place in the NFC East. The final score actually understated the Birds total domination of their division rival.

Fast forward to today and the two teams are preparing for another game with significant playoff implications. A key for the young Eagles team will be to engage in a little selective amnesia as they get ready and then take the field tomorrow in the Meadowlands. The memories of the easy, decisive just weeks ago can sometimes cloud thinking and delude players into thinking this game will be more of the same. In all likelihood, it will not.

Just two weeks prior to the first Giants game, the Eagles suffered an embarrassing loss in Oakland to a Raiders team that was reeling and in disarray. The same team that rung up 40 points in Week 8 could not push the ball across the goal line even once and settled for 3 field goals in Week 6. By all appearances, the Eagles went into the game flat and not fully prepared, seemingly being caught looking past a struggling team.

Surely, the Giants are much more familiar to them and will have more of their attention. Also, they are coming off a big win against the division-leading Cowboys and lurk just one game behind the Eagles. But, human nature is what it is, so as much as logic suggests that the team will not take them for granted, sometimes the sense of urgency and challenge at hand can be dulled in the minds of players after a recent lopsided win. This is especially true considering the relative inexperience of many players on this Eagles team as well as the transition of leadership that has had to occur with the departure of several influential veterans.

On the opposing sideline, the Giants players seem to enter the contest with renewed hope after a dismal stretch whereby they lost 5 of 6 games. They had started the season 5-0, primarily through the soft portion of their schedule. Nonetheless, football pundits were singing their praises and mentioning them in discussions about the best team in the league and Super Bowl predictions. Fans and experts became increasingly enamored with Eli Manning, loved their running game and marveled over their defense. Then the opponents got tougher and their fortunes took a dramatic turn downward.

After a quick start, Manning has battled a foot injury that has hindered his performance. He went through a particularly rough patch in the middle of the season, completing less than 50% of his passes and tossing 6 interceptions over 3 weeks. He has been playing considerably better of late, and will be looking to redeem himself after two poor games in a row against the Birds.

Brandon Jacobs has been a large disappointment for the Giants this season, both literally and figuratively. After rushing for more than 1,000 yards and a 5.0 yards per carry clip each of the past 2 years, the 264 pound running back is running more with worse results. This year he is averaging less than 4 yards per carry, including only 2.9 yards over the past 3 weeks when he accumulated just over 100 yards in total.

Meanwhile, the once vaunted Giants defense has been giving up points in bunches. Opponents have averaged more than 30 points per game against them over the last 7 seven games. Surprisingly, they are currently 5th best in the league in terms of yards surrendered, yet 25th in points allowed. This is somewhat of a conundrum, but ultimately leads to losses.

Andy Reid's challenge gets a little bit easier with the return of several players. On offense, the team will have wide receiver DeSean Jackson back from a mild concussion along with tackle Jason Peters, who has battled an ankle injury all season. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles will have both talented linebacker Akeem Jordan and nickel back Joselio Hanson back on the field, and improved health for Sheldon Brown and Asante Samuel.

This should be the tough NFC East type game everyone expected in Week 8 and will likely go down to the wire. Playing at home with a scent of the post season, the Giants will be pumped up and looking for revenge. If the Eagles can ward off any level of complacency, they will be a stronger version of the team that has strung together 3 consecutive wins.

Both teams will attempt to lean on their more reliable passing games, especially since they have struggled at times on the ground. As usual, Donovan McNabb will look to stretch the field with Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, work underneath with Brent Celek and Jason Avant, and run screens with LeSean McCoy and Leonard Weaver. Manning will primarily look to his trio of three young receivers, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks, who have impressively filled the void left by Plaxico Burress. He will also look to his large target Kevin Boss down the middle, particularly since the Eagles defense is one of the worst in the league in defending tight ends.

The difference in the game should come down to McNabb being a little better than Manning and the Eagles bolstered pass defense. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott will continue to use a proven formula by keeping pressure on Manning and testing his arm strength and mobility with a series of stunts and blitzes. This should allow the secondary to jump some routes and pick off a couple passes that are lacking in velocity. The Giants rugged front line will also put pressure on McNabb, but he is one of the NFL's best at ball protection.

In their first meeting, the Eagles hit on several big plays, but will likely be limited in opportunities due to adjustments made by Giants' coach Tom Coughlin and staff. Jackson should still be able to slip free for a long score; otherwise, McNabb will do a better job of grinding out more methodical drives. The Eagles hope to force Manning to do the same and look for turnover opportunities along the way. Expect a close, hard hitting game punctuated by three McNabb TD passes and a big game by Celek, with the Eagles running their winning streak to 4 games.

Eagles 24

Giants 20

Eagles Crush Giants in Twin Bill Opener

The Eagles continue to establish their personality as a big play team on both sides of the ball as they hit on multiple long scoring strikes and forced Eli Manning into turnovers. They seized control of the game on the third play from scrimmage when Leonard Weaver burst through the middle on a 41-yard touchdown gallop and never let up on the way to crushing their NFC East rivals by a score of 40-17.

The final score might actually make the game seem closer than it really was, as the Birds dominated the Giants in all phases of the game. If not for a fumble, an onside kick and the Eagles playing conservatively to eat up the clock, it could have been much worse. The Eagles moved the ball easily, seemingly scoring at will while pressuring Manning into erratic throws and mistakes.

Donovan McNabb had his strongest game of the season, completing 17 of 23 passes for 240 yards and 3 touchdowns. And, true to 2009 form, all were from longer range as he hit on a 54-yard strike to DeSean Jackson, a 23-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin and a 17-yard throw to Brent Celek. Adding to their long ball array, were Weaver's run and a 66-yard touchdown sprint by LeSean McCoy.

On defense, the Eagles rotated linemen and used a variety of stunts and blitzes to put pressure on Manning. Similar to last season's playoff game, the tactic exploited Manning's poise and average arm strength. On the Giants third play from scrimmage, Asante Samuel jumped a route to intercept a pass and returned it 37 yards to set up the Eagles second touchdown.

The Giants had many experts singing their praises as they beat up weak opponents in the early part of the season. Yesterday's thorough domination at the hands of the Eagles, along with losses the previous two weeks, has knocked the Giants out of first place and has them questioning their abilities. The soft part of their schedule is behind them and they face a tough slate of games ahead.

Meanwhile, besides their lapse in Oakland, the Eagles reinforced that they are a legitimate Super Bowl contender, possessing possibly the most explosive offense in the NFL. Jackson, Maclin and Celek give McNabb the best array of play making receivers that he has ever had around him. The team has largely been without the services of Brian Westbrook, so his return adds an elusive runner and pass catcher to a running corps that has been bolstered by McCoy and Weaver. Jason Avant and injured Kevin Curtis are nice accessories. This is clearly the greatest set of offensive skill position players the team has ever assembled.

Despite still in a learning mode, Will Witherspoon looks like a considerable upgrade for the defense as he flashes around the field making plays. The pre-season loss of promising Stewart Bradley left a big hole that now seems closed. This allows the defense to be aggressive with their pass rush and re-enage their secondary to concentrate on pass coverage rather than helping with run support.

Next week is the third leg of the NFC East round robin as the Eagles host the Cowboys, who also improved their record to 5-2 with a convincing win yesterday over Seattle. Dallas seems to have found their mojo as QB Tony Romo has gained confidence with the emergence of wide receiver Miles Austin. Marion Barber and Felix Jones have returned from injury, so the Cowboys are feeling like they have their own explosive array of weapons. Next Sunday night's game should prove to worthy of the prime time spot light.

Eagles, Giants Preview

The Eagles kick off the day, night New York doubleheader tomorrow afternoon against the Giants at 1 PM. Although the game does not carry the same import as the evening contest, the two football rivals are vying for the early lead in the NFC East. It is the second of 3 consecutive division games, and will likely be the hardest hitting.

With the Giants having lost two in a row, and still smarting from last year's playoff exit at the hands of the Eagles in their own yard, they will surely be looking to make a statement tomorrow. The Eagles have been a little bit bi-polar this season, which makes it difficult to project which version will show tomorrow. They have had some large margin wins, an improbable upset loss to the Raiders, a resounding loss to the high powered Saints and last week's "enough to win" performance in Washington.

The teams come into the game with some recent strengths and weaknesses going head to head against one another. The Giants boast a huge pass rush, while the Eagles have been struggling to protect Donovan McNabb. Conversely, the Eagles have been effective hitting on some long strikes, while the Giants secondary has been torched. Each could exploit the other in a big way, possibly accentuating more of an all or nothing type game when the Birds have the ball.

On the flip side of the ball, Eli Manning has been great against lesser competition, but has been erratic when under pressure. The Eagles also had success against him last year by keeping a strong pass rush in his face all day long. The Giants have a pair of talented running backs, so it is likely they will try to neutralize the Eagles rush and keep the heat off Manning by handing the ball off a good portion of the day.

With the offensive line a little healthier, the Eagles should be able to buy enough time for McNabb to get the ball down field. Brian Westbrook will most likely sit out after suffering a concussion last week, so LeSean McCoy will be heavily tested as a runner and blocker. Look for the Eagles to use Leonard Weaver in that role, and then hit him on screen plays coming out of the backfield. Overall, McNabb will likely throw a lot of screens to his running backs and Jeremy Maclin, use Brent Celek in the middle of the field and then try to exploit the Giants suspect secondary with a couple long strikes to DeSean Jackson and Maclin.

The addition of linebacker Will Witherspoon will greatly aid the Eagles ability to contain the Giants running game. His quickness also helps with putting pressure on Manning. Sean McDermott will take a page from last year's playoff game by putting the heat on Manning and challenging him to make deep throws to the outside part of the field, where his arm strength can sometimes be exposed.

I expect the Eagles to continue the lack of offensive consistency that we have seen, but still be able to hit on some big plays. On defense, they should be able to force some turnovers. At the end of the day, I expect to see the Eagles to feed off the electric atmosphere in Philly and move ahead of the Giants in the NFC East.

Eagles 23

Giants 20

Philly in a New York State of Mind

Everywhere you go, everywhere you look this weekend, the Philadelphia area is in a "New York State of Mind." The Yankees arrived in town yesterday to resume what could prove to be an epic World Series battle with games the next three nights. And, as if that weren't enough to consume the minds of Philly sports fans, the Giants visit the Linc tomorrow afternoon to square off against the Eagles with first place in the NFC East on the line.

Tomorrow could prove to be one of the greatest days in the history of Philadelphia sports with the day/night, football/baseball twin bill to be played in side-by-side venues. Some lucky fans will find themselves starting their day wearing midnight green attire, then making a short trek across the parking lot to finish their day in Phillies red at the Bank. Although it makes for a special day regardless of the respective outcome of the games, it goes without saying that a couple of wins by the Eagles and Phillies would forever etch November 1, 2009 as a special day in the annals of Philadelphia historians.

While x's and o's and balls and strikes are in the fore front of everyone's mind as the two Gotham City sports teams come to town, there is another overarching story line that hovers in the background. Simply put, as Philadelphia sports fans, these are the best of times. These are times to cherish, a truly remarkable sports era for any city, but particularly this city. In many ways, it could be almost unimaginable to fans who have suffered through the many disappointments and lean years that have almost conditioned them to expect the worst.

The current Phillies team has been instrumental in creating a powerful mind shift throughout the fan base with its body of work over the past few years. Good things really can happen for our beloved teams- and it not too treacherous to actually believe that they will. Expecting failure is no longer a necessary tactic to ease the pain of disappointment, the agony of defeat.

First, it was fighting through long odds with great play down the stretch to snatch the National League Eastern Division away from the arch rival Mets two consecutive years. It was a reversal of fortune- the anti-1964. Then, it was last year's magical run to a World Championship after a 25 year drought. And now, an even better Phillies team is poised to make another strong stand to repeat that feat against the most storied team in baseball history.

Of course, Philly sports fans still await a similar breakthrough for their neighbors in black, silver and green residing a few hundred yards away. The team has enjoyed a decade of winning and getting close, but has not been able to pull off the city's first Super Bowl Championship that fans so desperately covet.

Owner Jeffrey Lurie and Coach Andy Reid have brought a philosophy, know how and mentality to the team that has created a contending team, year in and year out. To the chagrin of fans and the team itself, though, they have not been able to cross that final threshold. Five times in ten years they have reached the NFC Championship Game, but have only moved on to the Super Bowl once and have never been able to grasp the Lombardi Trophy.

It would surely be great to see the Eagles take that huge step to garner Philadelphia's first Super Bowl title. And, here they are again with a collection of talent that gives them a legitimate shot this season, but the task remains daunting. Even if this year the Eagles end the season like 30 other teams with a loss or watching rivals participate in the post season, isn't it great to be in a position to anticipate and even contemplate the possibility of a championship?

Some might say "no" thinking the disappointment is worse, but I would have to think Lions or Browns fans might passionately try to convince them otherwise. As an English poet said a couple centuries ago, its "better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all." Surely, poetry and football don't often mix, but maybe just this once it works as an analogy?

Back in the new millennium, a couple of big wins by Philly teams tomorrow sure would be nice. And, wouldn't it be poetic justice if they came against two teams from the biggest revenue market just to the north that holds itself in higher regard than the fine city in its shadow?