Brian Westbrook Ruled Out for Sunday’s Game at Chicago

After suffering his second concussion in only three weeks, the Eagles are being very, very cautious with their star running back, Brian Westbrook. Reid has continuously said that Westbrook’s health is their primary concern, and now he’s proven it by ruling Westbrook out for Sunday’s game.

Even when healthy, Westbrook has not been very impressive this season and has lost some carries to the rookie LeSean McCoy and newcomer fullback Leonard Weaver.

With only 381 total yards and two total touchdowns, Westbrook’s production has been worse than it was even last season. The concussions and other knee/ankle problems, along with his age, have taken their toll and we may never see the old Westbrook again.

The whispers around the city are that Reid could very well shut Westbrook down for the entire season, perhaps opening the door for a veteran running back to enter the mix. However, the odds are better that Reid would use the roster spot on the defensive side of the ball for a unit that has been decimated by injuries this season.

With LeSean McCoy, Eldra Buckley, Leonard Weaver, and newcomer P.J. Hill all on the roster, odds are good that Reid will be content with his backfield. Considering that he hasn’t used them a whole lot this season anyway.

Expect a decision to made on Westbrook sometime early next week, most likely Monday or Tuesday, giving the Eagles enough time to bring in another player if need be.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL’s Joselio Hanson Suspension Is Nonsense

When is the NFL going to finally just admit that a diuretic in no way improves the performance of a player, and that even the idea of a diuretic being used to mask steroids is a rare occurrence at best?

Well, the short answer is never. The NFL, while a juggernaut that could easily use its size to shape public opinion, constantly seems to be bowing to the court of such opinion.

Because of the circus taking place in the MLB under the incompetent rule of Bud Selig, the word “steroids” has gotten such a negative connotation that the major sports leagues are doing all they can to make sure the word is not even brought up.

Therefore, by banning diuretics that could possibly at some point in time perhaps be used to mask the presence of steroids, the NFL and other sports leagues are able to quiet the uninformed and ignorant yells of the media.

Enter Joselio Hanson.

Even riding on the coattails of the blocking of the StarCaps suspensions, the NFL can’t open their eyes long enough to see that what they’re doing is absolutely wrong. They’re giving in to nothing more than a sophisticated form of peer pressure from the media and other outside sources.

Should Hanson have known better than to take a diuretic? Probably. But if someone walks down a dark alley at night in a bad neighborhood and gets beaten and mugged, people don’t shrug their shoulders and say, “Oh well, they should have known better.”

Instead, they go out and get the guy who did the mugging.

Right now, the NFL is the mugger and it’s time to put a stop to it. Allowing themselves to be influenced by a bunch of know-nothing media members should be embarrassing and is actually quite dangerous for their business moving forward.

It’s time for the NFLPA to put pressure on the owners and get this nonsense sorted out.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Ignorance of Eagles Fans Shines On Day After Loss

They say ignorance is bliss, but in the circle of Eagles fans it’s become more of an epidemic.

This city used to be populated with the most knowledgeable of fans who could back up their beliefs with real football insight and nothing but a love for the Eagles. Whether they agreed or disagreed with the coaches or management, someone could always look forward to a well-informed discussion with an Eagles fan.

Unfortunately, those days are long gone. The city has become populated with people who wear midnight green with more of a mob mentality than an actual love for the game and for their team.

Don’t get me wrong, the passion is there, and it’s there in abundance. Unfortunately the knowledge of the game has been completely thrown out the window.

When the Eagles are winning, the city is ready to put Andy Reid in the Hall of Fame and already have their Super Bowl parties planned.

The Eagles are the best team in the league, and there’s no one who will tell them otherwise.

However, lose a game that drops them to a respectable 5-3 and only one game out of the NFC East lead with eight games left to play and it’s time to fire the coach, change quarterbacks, and break out the petition to have Jeff Lurie sell the team.

It’s disgusting to listen to, and embarrassing to have to address.

But with this new age of instant opinion, anyone with a keyboard is able to hop on any site and give their uninformed and off-base opinion.

Then to make matters worse, these are the same people who are employed to fuel the fire that’s been started by the village buffoon.

The writers that populate the newspapers and websites covering the Eagles, for the most part, are ignorant to the way football is played because they’ve never played. They don’t understand the intricacies of the game and only see the shell of what is happening.

They see wins and losses, and they see the stat lines. That’s it. Outside of that, they’re completely oblivious to what goes into even the most fundamental of plays.

These people write the stories with the intention of stirring up an uninformed fanbase; a fanbase uninformed because of the writers who are uninformed in their own right.

See the circle? It’s vicious, and has trapped an entire city.

The worst part is that there are people out there in the media who are informed, and do understand what they’re talking about, but get brushed to the side in the firestorm of ignorance and downright stupidity that floods the profession.

The cast on NFL Network (Marshall Faulk, Jamie Dukes, Mooch, Rod Woodson, etc.), for example, all speak of Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb as a Hall of Fame duo who are among the top five in the league at their respective positions.

These are all people who have played, or coached, the game and understand what they’re talking about. Rather than listen to the people who have experience and an understanding of the game, the masses would rather listen to journalism majors who just happened to get stuck covering the Eagles.

There are still a handful of good Eagles fans who have not been influenced by the hacks hyping themselves as “experts,” but at this point it’s the minority.

Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb are one of the winningest head coach-quarterback combinations in the league and currently are manning a 5-3 football team. With eight weeks to go, and a 2-1 record in the division, the Eagles are very much alive in the NFC East race and are still in great position for, at the very minimum, a playoff berth.

But by all means ignorant and uninformed masses, hit the panic button. Fire Reid and release McNabb for a quarterback with two career starts.

I’m sure that will work out for the best.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Reid’s Eagles Fielding the Most Perplexing Offense of the Decade

The only thing we really know after this game is that the Raiders are really not as good as the Eagles made them look. Well, that, and there’s no way that the Eagles could possibly be as bad as they played against the Raiders.

All in all, this game screams “Aberration!”

This is the NFL, after all, and every team has at least one game where they let down the way the Eagles did. Actually, most teams still win their let-down games. The Eagles, however, always seem to lose those games.

So here’s what it comes down to: the play-calling was awful, but the execution of the terrible plays being called was even worse. The line was not blocking, the receivers weren’t getting open, and McNabb was having a difficult time hitting an open receiver.

The line play was doomed the second that Jason Peters went down. King Dunlap is far too light to be a lineman in this league, and just didn’t have the power it would have taken to stop Richard Seymour.

Nick Cole and Max Jean-Gilles have been disappointing all season, and this game was really a microcosm of their entire year. They just got beat play after play as the Raiders defensive line, which really is not all that impressive, moved the line of scrimmage two and three yards back every play.

It goes without saying, but an offense cannot execute when the defense is playing in the backfield all game long, which is exactly what happened.

The receivers seemed lazy. Many times, McNabb was flushed from the pocket only to stare at the back of his receivers. They were not running back toward the line in order to help McNabb, and he was forced to either take the sack, take a chance, or just toss the ball away.

Even with Nnamdi Asomugha out, the receivers could not beat a pedestrian corner like Stanford Routt, and even Chris Johnson, who is a good player, but not good enough to stick with the speed the Eagles have in Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson, handled them.

They dropped passes, they didn’t block, and they just didn’t seem to be in the game.

McNabb was having accuracy issues, but I attribute that more to the lack of protection he was getting all game long. There was always a guy in his face; then add in the lazy play of his receivers and you’ll have a long day for any quarterback.

That said, he did miss some throws of his own.

What this really comes down to was the awful play-calling.

You’ve seen the numbers, you saw what happened, and it’s just ridiculous. It’s absolutely insane. The protection was shoddy all game long, and the running game was working. Brian Westbrook was averaging nearly 10 yards per carry on the ground, but still, Andy refused to feed him.

It’s to the point of disaster with this playcalling. In fact, if I’m Jeff Lurie, I would sit Reid down and tell him that I would love to have him as the head coach of this team for another 10 years, but with one condition; he’s either got to find a coordinator that he trusts to call the plays, or he’s got to balance it out more.

Simple as that. Do it or move on.

Andy is a fantastic teacher. He can mold a young player into a superstar better than most coaches in the league past or present. However, his play-calling is downright atrocious. He doesn’t remember what worked and what didn’t, and his affinity for the play-action when he hasn’t called a single running play is maddening to watch.

Andy is good for Philadelphia. Eventually, he will get this team where they want to be. But there’s a reason he was never an offensive coordinator. He’s been doing the same thing now for just over 10 years and it’s not working.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Coaches Who Could, and Should, Lose Their Jobs

Every year there’s a turnover of about five or six NFL head coaches, and this year should be no different.

This league is about instant success more than it is about being able to sustain a team. College coaches will get chance after chance and will have losing seasons excused because they’re attempting to build a culture of winning and build a team the way they’d like.

In the NFL, that’s certainly not the case as some coaches get the boot after only one year. Cam Cameron, for instance, has a 1-15 record as a head coach in the NFL, and it will probably stay that way. One bad year with the Dolphins had him back to being a coordinator and most likely will ensure he never sees a head coaching job again.

Of course, that’s not guaranteed. I mean, Norv Turner, Dick Jauron, and Wade Phillips all have jobs, don’t they?

Well, for now they do.

Norv Turner (San Diego)

Why the Chargers ever brought Turner in as their head coach in the first place is beyond me. I thought he proved he wasn’t capable of running an entire team during his days in Washington and Oakland, but apparently A.J. Smith is just smarter than the rest of us.

Ya know, or not.

The truth is that Turner is the only thing standing in the way of this team reaching the Super Bowl. They have a great young quarterback, a very good receiving core, a hall of fame running back, and a solid defense. However, he is unable to prepare them for a game and can’t win consistently. It’s time for the Chargers to ditch Turner.

As an offensive coordinator, he’s one of the best in the league. As a head coach, he’s awful. The Chargers will continue to see seven, eight, and nine-win seasons as long as he stays.

Dick Jauron (Buffalo Bills)

Like Turner, Jauron does not know how to run a team. He can’t get them to even perform up to their talent level much less coach them into the playoffs and beyond. As long as he sticks around, Buffalo will be doomed to seasons below .500, and will be nothing more than a team of under-achievers.

Realistically, the only hope of this Bills franchise staying in Buffalo is if Ralph Wilson hires a coach that can help Trent Edwards in his maturation as a quarterback, and get this group of talented individuals to play as a team. Dick Jauron is not that go, and it’s time for him to go.

Wade Phillips (Dallas Cowboys)

Phillips is a fantastic defensive coordinator. However, he’s not a head coach. He proved that in Denver, but for some reason, Jerry Jones thought he knew more than anyone else.

Am I the only one seeing a pattern with these three coaches?

Anyway, if Phillips wants to stay in Dallas as the defensive coordinator, I think any head coach would love to have him. But that is where he belongs. He’s always been underrated as a defensive coordinator, as he was probably only a half-notch below Monte Kiffin, Dick LeBeau, and the late Jim Johnson.

It’s time for a coach who can handle everything that comes along with Dallas.

Jim Zorn (Washington Redskins)

The genius that is Danny Snyder decided it would be a good idea to first hire Jim Zorn as an offensive coordinator (absent a head coach), then when he couldn’t find a real head coach, decided to just promote Zorn and be done with it.

After an impressive 6-2 start in the first half of his first season, his team did a complete 180, finishing the year 2-6 for an unimpressive 8-8 result. Little did anyone know, that would be the highlight of his head coaching career.

His team is now 2-3 despite playing five consecutive teams without a win at the time, meaning that the Redskins are responsible for three teams getting off the schneid already this year. It appears as though they’re going to do it for the Kansas City Chiefs next week, and Zorn could see his way out of D.C. before the halfway point of 2009.

Eric Mangini (Cleveland Browns)

Yes, it’s only Mangini’s first season as the Browns head coach, but he’s already lost the locker room. The players don’t like him, and worse yet I don’t believe they respect him as a head coach. This is really a team that should have lost every game this season were it not for the Bills imploding on themselves.

Braylon Edwards has already been traded for what turns out to be peanuts, and it appears as though Brady Quinn will either be moving in the next few days, or during the offseason. Mangini wasn’t even smart enough to know that when he declared Quinn the starter before the season that he had to stick with him no matter what.

Quinn is now officially ruined in Cleveland, marking up just another string of first-round misses that has buried this team.

Jeff Fisher (Tennessee Titans)

This may come as a surprise, but just one season removed from Mike Shanahan’s surprise firing, it appears as though it’s Fisher’s time to go as well.

He’s had great success as the coach of Titans, and of the Houston Oilers for that matter, but with this recent debacle in Tennessee, it appears as though his message in Tennessee has grown stale, and that it is time for a change.

Because he’s been around so long and has had a lot of success, he gets a pass on a lot of things because you just assume that he’ll fix it eventually. However, this winless start has to be throwing red flags into the face of the front office.

I’m a fan of Jeff Fisher, and think he could still be a successful head coach. Unfortunately it looks like it’s got to be somewhere other than Tennessee.

Other coaches who may get the boot: Jack Del Rio (Jacksonville Jaguars), Jon Fox (Carolina Panthers), Raheem Morris (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Tom Cable (Oakland Raiders)

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Eagles Week Five Report Card

There was a lot working in favor of the Eagles today.

First off, Andy Reid and his teams do not lose after the bye week; coming into this game, they were 10-0 coming off the bye. Add that to the fact that they were playing the lowly Bucs, Reid was going for his 100th win, and Donovan McNabb was making his return, and you have a fairly obvious outcome.

33-14 gave the Eagles a 19-point, and seemingly decisive, victory. However, the fact of the matter is that this game could have been a whole lot closer than what the score would indicate.

Quarterback | Grade: A

Donovan McNabb could not have been more perfect in his first game back since breaking a rib in Week One. Well, he could have been a little bit better judging by his 157.2 quarterback rating. One or two more completions and he probably would have had it.

Anyway, quarterback rating aside, McNabb looked absolutely phenomenal. It didn’t take him real long to get going, either. A nice long run on his first play back, then a 51-yard strike to Jeremy Maclin is how his day got started, and it didn’t end real shabby, either.

16-for-21 for 264 yards and three touchdowns compared to zero interceptions was the end result as he picked apart a patchwork Tampa Bay defense.

Michael Vick threw the ball three times, completing one for one yard, so not a whole lot to discuss there. He did toss one deep intended for Maclin that was a bit underthrown, but it was a nice show of arm strength as he tossed the ball downfield with that signature flick of the wrist.

Isn’t it sad that Vick gets discussed for a 1-for-3 day as much as McNabb gets discussed for throwing three touchdowns? It’s the world we live in, God help us all.

Running Backs | Grade: Incomplete

I’m going to do my rant about the play-calling when I grade the coaches, so I’ll try to leave that aspect of it out for the moment.

The fact is that there just was not a body of work for the running backs to really give an accurate grade. 12 carries total by Westbrook and McCoy is just not enough to see what kind of day they had. Westbrook averaged three yards per carry, and McCoy averaged a little over two yards per carry, but it was the play-calling more than bad execution.

See, I couldn’t help myself. The playcalling was just putrid.

So the grade stays as an incomplete until Andy Reid and Mary Mornhinweg can call some running plays and let us see what a Westbrook-McCoy combination could do.

Receivers/Tight Ends | Grade: B+

As much as I want to give them an “A” just because of the outstanding day that Jeremy Maclin had, it’s tough to do so when the only other catches made by receivers was one catch for 12 yards by Jason Avant, and one catch for one yard by DeSean Jackson.

Brent Celek had four catches for 58 yards, which ends his 100-plus-yard receiving games streak at two, but he has been so impressive this season, and Maclin was so dominate all day, it’s tough to give him a lower grade because he just wasn’t targeted as much as he was while Kolb was playing in Weeks Two and Three.

And wasn’t that leap just incredible? Wow.

DeSean Jackson, while accounting for only one yard today, actually had a good game beyond the stats. His play this season and the way he gives 100 percent on every play is a big reason why Maclin was able to succeed.

The Bucs respected Jackson to the point that they were double-teaming him, which allowed man coverage on Maclin. Then Jackson, unlike most receivers who get double-covered, ran his routes every single play expecting to get the ball. That drew even more attention to himself, and even less from Maclin.

The Maclin-Jackson combination is going to be a force to be reckoned with this season.

Brian Westbrook, LeSean McCoy, and Leonard Weaver pitched into the passing game with a combined five receptions for 52 yards and one touchdown (Weaver). Well, at least they were able to pitch in somewhere.

Offensive Line | Grade: C

Once again, there wasn’t much of a push for the running game, and McNabb was sacked three times, all by Jimmy Wilkerson. If you’re scratching your head and wondering, “who?!,” you’re not alone. A role player with three sacks? Not a good day for the offensive line.

However, it’s still not time to panic. Todd Herremans should be back next week, and Stacy Andrews is coming around slowly but surely. With those two back and playing (in Andrews’ case, playing full time), the line should start to get some much-needed continuity back.

That continuity will lead to much better offensive line play. The Eagles have the Oakland Raiders next week, so that’s a great opportunity to work on playing together and working out the kinks.

Defensive Line | Grade: B-

While there was not much of a pass rush all day long, the line did do a great job of stuffing the run all day long. Cadillac Williams was held to 10 carries for eight yards, and even though Derrick Ward had six carries for 37 yards, 28 of that came on one carry. So if you remove that run as just an aberration, he had five carries for nine yards.

As far as I’m concerned, that’s a pretty impressive day for a stout defensive line, and really it was mostly the defensive line. Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson may be the best, and are at the very least one of the best, defensive tackle combinations in the entire league and they put it on display today.

The line will have to get more of a pass rush on its own before the entire defense can take that next step, but the feeling is that the pressure will come as the season progresses. They had a good day today, but will have to step up because a better offensive line won’t get manhandled like the Bucs line did today.

Linebackers | Grade: C+

The linebackers played off of the defensive line today and really didn’t make many plays of their own. All in all, Jeremiah Trotter was unspectacular in his first game back as an Eagle, and was even outplayed by Omar Gaither. Gaither made a nice play against the pass, nearly coming up with an interception, and had four solo tackles, compared to Trotter’s two.

Chris Gocong was able to come up with a sack, and Akeem Jordan got jipped out of a fumble recovery for a touchdown, but overall they haven’t been impressive this season, and this game didn’t do anything to reverse that.

This is the obvious weak-point of the defense, as the unit is made up with four middle-of-the-road (four because of Gaither/Trotter) players. Jordan, Gaither, and Gocong all have the potential to make that next step, while Trotter is in his decline, but as of now, it’s nothing but unrealized potential.

Secondary | Grade: B+

Three interceptions isn’t enough to earn an “A”? No, I don’t believe so.

Two of the interceptions landed right in the gut of the corners (Sheldon Brown and Asante Samuel), and the other interception fell into Samuel’s lap after the ball was tipped into the air.

The coverage was okay, not great, as the corners got burnt a couple of times by Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton down the field. Were it not for the inexperience of Josh Johnson, both guys likely would have given up long touchdown passes.

The safeties were not much better as Kellen Winslow, Jr. was able to exploit the middle of the defense for over 100 yards and two touchdowns. Macho Harris was especially victimized and will have to pick it up as far as covering tight ends goes if he expects to remain the starter for the rest of this season, much less next year.

Special Teams | Grade: B-

David Akers was money all day long. He was booting the ball like we have never seen before. I got the chance to listen to him speak this year at training camp and he said he had worked on his leg strength, and it has officially paid off.

Sav Rocca has been lights out since I called him out after the Saints game and continued that today as he continuously booted the Eagles out of trouble. Now, I’m not saying it’s my fault he’s playing well now, just a coincidence, but honestly I couldn’t care less why he’s playing well, just as long as he keeps it up.

The return game is what it is. Ellis Hobbs offers little explosion returning kicks, and Jackson was swallowed up as soon as he caught the ball today. The blocking for both players has to get better.

Covering kicks and punts was actually pretty good today. They gave up a long return to Clifton Smith, but it was called back for a ticky-tack holding penalty, so they got lucky on that one. If that aspect of the game doesn’t get better, the Eagles will eventually lose because of it.

Coaching | Grade: C-

The only reason the grade is this high is because while I didn’t agree with all of the blitzing that Sean McDermott was doing, it’s hard to argue against and really just goes down to a defensive philosophy. I’m not going to argue too much with blitzing, although in this game I thought it was unnecessary, and actually wound up hurting the defense.

Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg, on the other hand, need to have their play-calling sheets taken away from them. I don’t care if they hand it to Doug Pederson or the towel boy, but the play-calling was absolutely hideous and tough to watch.

Why do they feel that it is impossible to just call a running play? Why does everything have to be out of this flippin’ Wildcat formation all of a sudden?

I was on board with running it with Vick because it exposes his strengths and hides his weakness, but when they use it in place of a running game, I have a real problem with it. It’s unbelievable that Reid, a former offensive lineman, doesn’t understand the mentality that goes along with running the ball.

The Wildcat is not a replacement for running the ball. If Reid doesn’t realize that, the Eagles won’t make the playoffs, much less make a Super Bowl run. It’s absolutely insane and it needs to stop. So Reid, we love you, and the knowledgeable Philly fans want you to sign that extension, but for the love of everything will you please run the ball?

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green, NFL Spin Zone, and the brand new Blog Blitz on NFL.com! (That’s right! NFL.com!)

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Eagles-New Orleans Saints: Keys to the Game

Getting a win in Week One is vital, but getting a win in Week One can start a roll that can last deep into the season. Every season at least one team does it, and both of these teams are prime candidates to get on such a roll.

The Saints come into Philadelphia toting possibly the most explosive offense in the entire NFL. They’ll face off against the Eagles, who boast one of the most suffocating defenses in the league over the past 10 years. Even without the late, great Jim Johnson, the Eagles defense proved they could dominate last week against the Panthers.

With that said, let’s take a look at what the Philadelphia Eagles must do to take this Week Two game and walk out 2-0.

Health of Donovan McNabb

While I believe the Eagles could beat the Saints with or without McNabb, having him makes the task much easier.

There’s not much debate regarding McNabb’s status as an elite top-five quarterback, so it’s obvious the Eagles are a much better team with him. On the other side of that, Kevin Kolb—who would start in his absence—is unproven, and in fact has done nothing but show that he is incapable of making a push for McNabb’s job.

Just having McNabb on the field adds a new aspect to the offense the Saints defense must worry about, which in itself makes him a vital piece of the game. Broken rib or not, he gives this offense the best opportunity to score points.

Disrupt Drew Brees’ Timing

If the Eagles defense is going to stop the Saints’ high-powered offense, they’re going to have to disrupt Brees’ timing. How do they do that? They do it by blitzing, blitzing, and when all else fails, just blitzing some more.

It does, however, have to be precise and well-planned blitzing, or Brees will pick the defense apart. By this, I mean blitzing a corner from Brees’ blind side, stunting along the line, and just simply blitzing effectively. If the blitzers are getting stone-walled, then Brees will have an easy day.

If Brees has an easy day, the Eagles will lose.

Control the Clock—Keep Brees & Co. On the Sideline

This is the simplest key to achieve, as it should be easy for Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy to run behind Leonard Weaver and this athletic offensive line. The Saints’ defense is below average, and should struggle mightily against the run if the Eagles will commit to it.

This will be a key for every team facing off against the Saints this season, as the defense is obviously nothing to be worried about, but the offense can win games all by itself. Teams will certainly rather have their offense playing the same squad that gave up 27 points to the Detroit Lions rather than the quarterback those nearly beat Dan Marino’s passing yards record last season.

Reid should have Eldra Buckley active this week, as a power back would certainly go a long way in wearing down this defense even further.

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green and NFL Spin Zone!

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Official 2MinutestoMidnightGreen.com NFL Power Rankings: Week 2

Every week throughout the season, myself and Derek Peiffer will be doing a run-down of the best and worst teams in the NFL in our power rankings. These are the official 2M2MG.com power rankings heading into Week 2 of the NFL season.

No. 1)

Derek: Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week: 1)

They did just enough to pull out a win on opening night. Hines Ward nearly fumbled the game away in the 4th quarter, but unlike Leodis McKelvin, luck was on his side that night. They have the tough Bears this week, but Cutler looked awful and Urlacher is gone for the season. It might be an easier game than you think.

Bob: Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week: 2)

The defending champs found a way to win when things looked bleak for them at the end. Hines Ward nearly fumbled away their first win of 2009, but they bounced back and won in overtime. It wasn’t pretty, but they got the job done. It’s tough to keep them out of the No. 1 spot when they find a way to win like that against a good team like Tennessee.

No. 2)

Derek: New England Patriots (Last Week: 2)

I just couldn’t drop them. After all, they did pull out the win. As ugly as it was, they did what you always expect from the Patriots. They capitalized on a Leodis McKelvin fumble to set up the game winning touchdown. Tom Brady wasted no time as he threw 53 times in his first game since the season opener last season, and he looked fine. I’m sure the Patriots will take two touchdowns and a win every game.

Bob: Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: 3)

The Eagles showed that they can score points on offense and defense during an absolute destruction of the Carolina Panthers. There’s not much worry over Sean McDermott anymore, and the offense averaged 5.8 yards per rushing attempt. McNabb is hurt, sure, but I don’t see him missing any time and with an easy next few games, they should keep rolling.

No. 3)

Derek: Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: 6)

I could hear the collective groans as the Eagles defense shot themselves in the foot numerous times on the opening drive and the Panthers scored. It was going to be a long day as is the case almost every opening day the past few years. Until the defense was notified that this one actually counts. Seven turnovers and 3 quarterbacks later, the Eagles found themselves up 38-10. Oh, and don’t worry Philadelphia, McNabb will play.

Bob: New England Patriots (Last Week: 1)
They did pull out the win, but anyone who thinks they did anything other than steal that game from the Bills is dead wrong. Leodis McKelvin fumbled that game away. Had he just held onto the ball, the Bills would have won and the Pats would have done a barrel-roll down this list.

No. 4)

Derek: Indianapolis Colts (Last Week: 3)

They didn’t show me anything. Two turnovers down at the goal line and a near upset by the Jaguars. Not want you see from a Peyton Manning led offense. Could it be attributed to the loss of Marvin Harrison? The loss of offensive coordinator and head coach? The loss of Anthony Gonzalez in the first quarter? Only time will tell if the Colts will bounce back. They started off slow last year then ripped off nine straight.

Bob: Atlanta Falcons (Last Week: 6)

The Falcons had a good showing from Matt Ryan and Tony Gonzalez, and could see a wonderful connection beginning there. Michael Turner will have to pick it up, along with the entire running game, but their defense did a good job containing that Wildcat offense and good showing from Chad Pennington.

No. 5)

Derek: San Diego Chargers (Last Week: 4)

Another team that was hopped by the Eagles this week. They almost blew it last night at the hands of the Oakland Raiders. San Diego has the talent to get to the Super Bowl, but as far as I’m concerned, Norv Turner just cannot get a team prepared to play properly.

Bob: San Diego Chargers (Last Week: 4)

The Raiders looked good Monday night, but they still looked inferior to the Chargers when San Diego was actually on their game. It was a sloppy game for San Diego, and it took them a bit to get started, but once they did they showed that they can put a game away. This was more the Chargers not playing well than it was the Raiders outplaying them.

No. 6)

Derek: Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: 5)

Yes, you read the box score correctly. The Ravens offense accounted for over 400 yards of total offense. Joe Flacco will not be the victim of the legendary sophomore slump. At least he didn’t show any signs of it on Sunday. The defense didn’t look that good, which is the reason for the one spot drop. 24 points to the Brodie Croyle led Kansas City Chiefs without Tony Gonzalez. Yeah, it does sounds as bad as I thought.

Bob: New York Giants (Last Week: 5)

The Giants defense looked good — especially Osi Umenyiora. However, the offense was only decent. While the numbers may say they were good, it was more about the Redskin defense not being able to tackle, well, anyone. Giants are a good team, but let’s see that offense against a good defense before getting too carried away.

No. 7)

Derek: New York Giants (Last Week: 7)

The defense was stout as you would expect from the Giants. The thing that caught me off guard was that the running game struggled and the receivers actually performed quite well. Aside from 2 or 3 decent runs, Jacobs and Bradshaw were held in check by an upgraded Redskins defense. These receivers won’t make that many plays every week, and they even lost Nicks for a few weeks.

Bob: Tennessee Titans (Last Week: 7)

The Titans lost a tough game to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday. It’s a game they could have won, but a lackluster offensive performance doomed them. Kerry Collins was good last year, but I don’t have much faith that he can duplicate his 2008 season this year.

No. 8)

Derek: Atlanta Falcons (Last Week: 9)

Tony Gonzalez looked good in his Falcons debut. He shredded the Dolphins defense, but aside from Tony G, the Falcons were flat on offense. Turner struggled and Jerious Norwood was your second leading receiver behind Gonzalez. Defense kept them in the lead by shutting out the Dolphins until late.

Bob: Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: 12)

For those not paying attention, I have a newsflash: Joe Flacco is the real deal. The kid had his first 300-yard game, and did everything he needed to do in order to overcome a letdown by the defense and pull out the win. Many would be worried that the defense allowed 24 points, but until it happens again, I’m calling it an aberration.

No. 9)

Derek: Minnesota Vikings (Last Week: 16)

I was shocked when I saw that Adrian Peterson had only 40 yards at the half. The Browns were shutting him down! That didn’t last too long as Peterson hit his groove in the second half. If Peterson can put up 180 yards every game, Favre might get a 5-year extension. he can hand-off until he’s at least 46, right?

Bob: Minnesota Vikings (Last Week: 11)
Brett Favre wins his first game as a Minnesota Vikings by managing the game. That’s right, he managed them to a win and even managed to toss a touchdown to rookie Percy Harvin. Adrian Peterson went nuts on the Browns and carried the Vikings to a win, which he could do all year long.

No. 10)

Derek: Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: 14)

The 3rd NFC East team in the top 10, and rightfully so. The most competitive division in football every year. Dallas looked good hitting three long pass plays without Terrell Owens who was cut this off-season. I mean, were still in September so Tony Romo has about 10 weeks of good football in him

Bob: Indianapolis Colts (Last Week: 10)

The Colts didn’t do enough to move up, but they certainly were not very impressive. They played a sloppy game and nearly let a division rival knock them off in the first week. However, the still have Peyton Manning, which is enough.

No. 11)

Derek: Tennesee Titans (Last Week: 10)

They almost pulled it off on opening night, but the defending champs were too much. Look for Tennessee to bounce back and play well this year.

Bob: Green Bay Packers (Last Week: 15)

Their offense was disappointing for the first three quarters of the game, but the defense was phenomenal throughout. They forced Jay Cutler into four interceptions and did a good job containing Matt Forte. Aaron Rodgers did a good job of leading them back and getting the win over a division rival, which should give them momentum for the rest of the season.

No. 12)

Derek: New Orleans Saints (Last Week: 12)

Drew Brees threw for 6 touchdowns. Bad news? He was playing against the Lions and they put up 27. No defense kills the Saints all year.

Bob: New Orleans Saints (Last Week: 16)

Drew Brees is an absolutely phenomenal quarterback, and there’s really to argument to the contrary. If that defense can find its stride, this will be a dangerous team. If not, they’re destined for .500 yet again. However, for now, they deserve this spot.

No. 13)

Derek: Green Bay Packers (Last Week: 15)

Four turnovers for this defense, but it still took late game heroics by Aaron Rodgers and Greg Jennings to pull it off.

Bob: Houston Texans (Last Week: 8)

Last week I had the Texans in the top 10, but a poor offensive performance and a defense that got burnt by a rookie has me thinking twice about the Texans. I still think they could challenge for the playoffs, but that game against the Jets was just bad.

No. 14)

Derek: Buffalo Bills (Last Week: 20)

The game was given away by special teams. They almost pulled it off with T.O. only getting two catches. When he heats up, look for the Bills to be a force.

Bob: Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: 14)

Tony Romo had a good game, but let’s not get carried away. He was playing against a poor pass defense in Tampa Bay, and most of his yardage came from the receivers running after the catch. They won’t be able to do that against good teams, so for now they don’t move one way or the other.

No. 15)

Derek: New York Jets (Last Week: 23)

Mark Sanchez looked like he settled into his starting role quite comfortably, against a good Texan defense too. The Jets could be the real deal this year with Thomas Jones and Leon Washington.

Bob: New York Jets (Last Week: 20)

I have the Jets ranked below the team they beat simply because it’s Week One, and I want to see Sanchez do it again before we get carried away. He looked good, but it’s only one game. I mean, the Texans beat the Cowboys in their first game, so anything can happen opening day.

No. 16)

Derek: San Francisco 49ers (Last Week: 25)

“I want winners!” Well you got ’em Coach. Mike Singletary expressed a team effort and got just that as the 49ers shut down Fitzgerald, Boldin and the defending NFC Champions.

Bob: San Francisco 49ers (Last Week: 23)

Coach Singletary apparently can play, coach, and win with this team. He wants winners, and it looks like that’s what he’s gotten. He’s instilled a discipline in this team and has presented a gameplan for how to win games. The team has bought into his plan, and don’t be surprised if this team is contending for the NFC West at the end of the year.

No. 17)

Derek: Arizona Cardinals (Last Week: 8)

Shut down completely by the 49ers. Starting to look more and more like a fluke as we go on. Maybe it is time for Kurt to step away from football.

Bob: Seattle Seahawks (Last Week: 17)

They beat the St. Louis Rams, possibly the very worst team in the league. For that, you don’t move up. However, 28 points is convincing enough that they also won’t be moving down.

No. 18)

Derek: Houston Texans (Last Week: 17)

This team has a good defense, but still couldn’t slow down Thomas Jones, Leon Washington or Mark Sanchez. I was high on Houston going into the season. Maybe they can bounce back.

Bob: Jacksonville Jaguars (Last Week: 21)

They were able to stick with the Indianapolis Colts, but fell short by two points. They deserve to get some love, as it appears they’re heading in the right direction. Right now their offense is the problem, and I’m not sure they can overcome their lack of explosiveness.

No. 19)

Derek: Seattle Seahawks (Last Week: 18)

They almost went into halftime with the worst team in the NFL tied at 7. Of course the Rams screwed that up, and Hasselbeck showed up in the second half. Still not convinced.

Bob: Arizona Cardinals (Last Week: 9)

The Cardinals take the most significant dive after looking completely incompetent in all phases of the game. It could be the Super Bowl hangover, or it could just be an off day against a division opponent but whatever it is they need to fix it and quickly.

No. 20)

Derek: Chicago Bears (Last Week: 11)

18 interceptions while throwing to Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal. 4 in one game while throwing to next to nobody sounds right. Should’ve stuck with Orton, Chicago.

Bob: Miami Dolphins (Last Week: 19)

As I said, the Wildcat is showing itself to only be a gimmick offense. If they try to rely on it as their primary source of offense, they will continue to lose. They need to find more conventional ways to win, or they’re going to be at the bottom of the AFC East.

No. 21)

Derek: Denver Broncos (Last Week: 26)

They won, but didn’t really deserve it. The “Immaculate Deflection” as it is now known was one of the craziest plays I’ve ever seen. Luck running wild in Denver.

Bob: Chicago Bears (Last Week: 18)

Jay Cutler did not play well, at all, and now the face of that franchise is out for the remainder of the season. If Cutler continues to miss his mark, the defense is going to be on the field a whole lot, getting beat a whole lot.

No. 22)

Derek: Jacksonville Jaguars (Last Week: 24)

Looked real good against the Colts, but couldn’t pull it out late. Failed a 2-point conversion to tie it, and then failed to move into field goal range.

Bob: Buffalo Bills (Last Week: 25)

They played a good game against the Patriots for about 3 1/2 quarters, but last I checked a game takes four quarters. If they can’t close out games and win the close ones, they’ll be right back to 7-9 for the fourth straight year. Slightly less impressive consistency than the Bills of old.

No. 23)

Derek: Carolina Panthers (Last Week: 13)

I have nothing to say here. 7 turnovers, and you’re lucky to be at 23. A.J. Feeley will start for this team come season end.

Bob: Washington Redskins (Last Week: 22)

They stuck with the Giants fairly well, but when it comes down to it they just don’t have anyone who can step up and make a play. On paper, they’re a fairly decent team, however they’re a team without a leader and that leads to losses.

No. 24)

Derek: Oakland Raiders (Last Week: 30)

Oakland should be glad Richard Seymour showed up. He looked good, and the whole Raider defense looked good. Jamarcus Russell is still all over the place, but looks to have two good rookie targets.

Bob: Carolina Panthers (Last Week: 13)

A team that was thought to be a contender had a rude awakening against the Philadelphia Eagles this past Sunday. They got abused in every aspect of the game and looked like a team looking for answers. Jake Delhomme will soon lose his starting spot, but even the running game couldn’t get going. The Eagles are a good team, so this could be a bit of an overreaction.

No. 25)

Derek: Washington Redskins (Last Week: 19)

Maybe there was method to the madness of trading Jason Campbell this off-season. He didn’t make many good reads and just looked out of sync completely.

Bob: Oakland Raiders (Last Week: 28)

They gave a valient effort against the Chargers, but their defense let them down when it mattered most. On top of that, JaMarcus Russel is still unbelievably inaccurate. If he can turn into a real quarterback, I think this team could be playoff caliber (seriously). However, until then, they stay in the cellar.

No. 26)

Derek: Cincinnati Bengals (Last Week: 22)

Ochocinco showed up. Cedric Benson showed up. Problem: Football is played with 22 people. They were short 20 for this game.

Bob: Cincinnati Bengals (Last Week: 26)

They were clearly the better team this past Sunday, but dumb luck got them the loss with Brandon Stokely’s outstanding play. Some will say dumb luck, but others will say that a team creates their own luck. That’s a bit hard to argue, especially with the team lovingly referred to as the “Bungals.”

No. 27)

Derek: Miami Dolphins (Last Week: 21)

Last year’s feel good story and AFC East Champions looked completely flat on offense. It took them until the 4th quarter in garbage time to score.

Bob: Denver Broncos (Last Week: 27)

Yes, they won. No, they didn’t look good doing it and no, they didn’t deserve the win. They caught a break this week, but odds are it won’t happen more than two or three times after this.

No. 28)

Derek: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Week: 27)

They looked real good until the second half. Cadillac was cruising and they looked poised to pull off and upset. I still believe in Byron Leftwich, but I’m sure we’ll see Freeman by season end.

Bob: Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: 29)

They put up 24 points against a good Ravens defense with a backup quarterback, but top to bottom this is still a very bad team. Todd Haley and Scott Pioli have a lot of work to do before this team can even “back in” to the playoffs.

No. 29)

Derek: Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: 28)

I don’t care who you are, but if you give up over 400 yards to the Ravens, you’re a bad defense. We’ll see what this team is made of when starter Matt Cassel comes back.

Bob: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Week: 24)

They are not officially back to the “Yucs.” As I’ve said, I’m a fan of Byron Leftwich and he played well, but the defense, particularly the pass defense, was absolutely pathetic. They could not stop anyone and won’t be able to all year.

No. 30)

Derek: Cleveland Browns (Last Week: 29)

They almost looked good on Sunday. Too bad they forgot we play four quarters in football, not two.

Bob: Cleveland Browns (Last Week: 30)

Is Brady Quinn the answer for this team? Well, I’m not sure, but it sure doesn’t look like it at this point. In his defense, this team has a lot of holes and have a good two or three years before they’re even respectable. It’s time to trade one of the quarterbacks and Braylon Edwards for some picks to start this rebuilding process properly.

No. 31)

Derek: Detroit Lions (Last Week: 32)

Only the Detroit Lions could give up 6 touchdown passes and move up a spot. Sorry Detroit, it’s nothing you did right…

Bob: Detroit Lions (Last Week: 31)

They played a pretty decent game against the Saints, but Detroit’s defense is still awful. The offense was able to put up 27 points, but that was against a Saints defense nearly as bad as their own. Stafford might be a good quarterback, but it will take a while before it pays off.

No. 32)

Derek: St. Louis Rams (Last Week: 31)

…It’s what the Rams did wrong, which was everything. They had a blocked field goal and tied the game at 7. Good right? Well not if you need 12 people on the field to do it. Simple mistakes.

Bob: St. Louis Rams (Last Week: 32)

The Rams are the worst team in the league. They can’t play offense, they can’t play defense, and usually that leads to being a bad team. I’d be surprised if this team wins two games this year.

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green, Now a part of the YardBarker network!

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

How The Philadelphia Eagles’ Roster Should Look For The 2009-2010 Season V2.0

With the first round of cuts taking place today in about 15 minutes and the final round of cuts taking place on Saturday, it’s about the right time to take a look at how the Philadelphia Eagles roster will look for the 2009-2010 season.

Earlier in the year—about two months before training camp even began—I laid out my 53 guys to make the roster. Now that the preseason is just about over (the fourth game is looming, but it’s understood that if you didn’t produce in the first three games, you’re only holding a tryout for the other 31 teams in the fourth), it’s time to take a look at the roster again.

Note: this is more an article of how the roster should look, rather than what the roster will exactly look like. Reid’s moves will be taken into consideration, however, such as Kolb staying and A.J. Feeley most likely being moved.

Quarterback (3)

QB 1 – Donovan McNabb

Despite the talk about Vick, this is an obvious choice. McNabb will not lose his job this year or the next. The only way McNabb is not the quarterback of this team is if his contract runs out, or he retires.

QB 2 – Michael Vick

No matter what Reid says, Vick is the second-best quarterback on this roster. Putting him as the third-string quarterback would kill the gameday rosters and really put the Eagles in a bind if McNabb was to go down.

QB 3 – Kevin Kolb

Even though I’m not a fan of Kolb and believe A.J. Feeley should still be the third-string guy for this team, it’s just not going to happen. Kolb will be an Eagle in 2009—next season is up in the air, but for this year, he’s the third guy.

Overall: A.J. Feeley will either be cut or traded, most likely traded. I think the Eagles will carry four quarterbacks for a short while if they’re unable to move Feeley by Saturday. Look for the Eagles to expect about a fifth or sixth-round pick for Feeley.

Running Back (3)

RB 1 – Brian Westbrook

Again, not exactly a surprising option as the No. 1 guy here. Westbrook appears to be heading into this season at 100 percent and could very well have a career year if he’s able to stay healthy throughout the entire season. Many expected him to become a member of the 1,000-1,000 club—perhaps this is the year.

RB 2 – LeSean McCoy

Personally, I believe that McCoy should probably be the No. 1 guy in terms of getting more carries and playing more snaps. Doing that will keep Westbrook fresh for the playoffs and get the rookie some incredibly valuable playing time, which will help when he takes over in two years or so. His blocking will prevent that, but he should be a playmaker.

RB 3 – Eldra Buckley

Buckley has significantly outperformed Lorenzo Booker on offense and contributed on special teams. Buckley is a good third running back and a wonderful option as the second guy were Westbrook to go down for a lengthy period of time.

Overall: Lorenzo Booker has not looked bad on offense, but Buckley has just looked better. Booker should find a team, however. If Westbrook can stay healthy, this may be the best year that the Reid era has ever seen in terms of effective rushing.

Fullback (1)

FB 1 – Leonard Weaver

Weaver is a very good blocker, runner, and can also catch the ball out of the backfield. He’s the first real fullback the Eagles have had since Jon Ritchie was roaming the backfield what seems like an eternity ago. Hopefully he can be the difference-maker the Eagles expect him to be.

Overall: Kyle Eckel is a good player who could—and should—find a starting job with a team desperate for a fullback. He’s a good run-blocker, and can run the ball. He’s not great catching the ball out of the backfield, but not many teams ask that of their fullback.

Wide Receiver (6)

WR 1 – DeSean Jackson

Earlier, I had Jackson listed as the second receiver but with the way he played in camp and the way he has played in the preseason, he’s obviously the best receiver on this team. He’s making the tough catches and showing his first season—with accompanying rookie mistakes—is far behind him.

WR 2 – Kevin Curtis

This could change if Curtis is unable to get healthy, but for now he gives the Eagles a great option either stretching the defense deep or getting some yards after the catch on a simple slant or dig pattern. Hopefully he can get to 100 percent before the season and get back to 2007 form.

WR 3 – Jason Avant

Avant is certainly coming into his own as the slot receiver. He is able to go up after the ball, and may have a pair of the strongest hands in the entire league. He’s very good at extending and snagging the ball out of the air and going across the middle, something you like to see in a slot receiver.

WR 4 – Jeremy Maclin

This will of course depend on how much of the playbook he has perfected by the time the season begins, but if he can get the plays down he will be the fourth receiver. Given the “receiver-by-committee” approach the Eagles use, the fourth receiver still sees plenty of playing time. Hopefully Maclin is up to it and moves up the depth chart throughout the season.

WR 5 – Reggie Brown

Yes, that’s right. Reggie Brown. Word is there’s not much interest for Brown as far as a trade goes, so he will be the guy to stay. The lack of interest is probably not as much about a perceived lack of talent as it is a fairly big contract for a fifth receiver, and the fact that he has been a bit injury-prone over the past couple of seasons.

WR 6 – Brandon Gibson

Gibson is a guy who I wished could stay since day one, and his training camp/preseason has done nothing to make me think otherwise. In fact, I like him even more. He’s a smart guy who uses his physical abilities to put himself in position to make the catch. He will be a playmaker in this league one day, hopefully very soon.

Overall: Hank Baskett will more than likely wind up getting traded. Word is that their is some interest but that the offers have not “blown the Eagles away.” A fourth-round pick would probably blow them away, but they may have to settle for a conditional sixth, or at most a fifth-round pick for Baskett.

Tight End (3)

TE 1 – Brent Celek

By allowing L.J. Smith to leave via free agency, the Eagles were making Celek the No. 1 by default. He showed up huge in the NFC Championship game and should be able to continue that success into the 2009 season. Look for Celek to be a favorite target for McNabb in the redzone.

TE 2 – Rob Myers

The rookie free agent, who is only getting a shot on this team because of the injury to Cornelius Ingram, is certainly making the most of it by showing some speed and good hands. He proved a surprise this offseason, and hopefully can keep surprising into the season.

TE 3 – Matt Schobel

Much like you, the reader, I’m not a fan of Matt Schobel. He has good hands, but unfortunately he can’t get off the line or get open long enough to be able to use those hands. However, even with the signing of Tony Curtis, Schobel will probably be the choice here because he knows the offense and the Eagles would like a veteran presence around for a rookie and a first-year starter.

Overall: While Tony Curtis is the best choice for the third tight end position, he doesn’t know the Eagles’ offense and came in rather late. He could still make the team in place of Schobel—and my hope is he will—but at this point I don’t see it happening. Eugene Bright is still on the team, but he hasn’t shown enough to warrant a place on the final roster. Maybe a practice squad guy.

Offensive Line (9)

LT 1 – Jason Peters

The Eagles traded for Peters this offseason so he could come in and be the team’s starting left tackle, and that’s just what he’s going to do. He’s had some issues in the preseason with his speed off the line and picking up blitzes, so we’ll just have to wait and see how he does.

LG 1 – Todd Herremans

Herremans will be the guy when he returns from foot surgery. So, technically, he’s the No. 1 left guard heading into the season. He made some strides during training camp, so it was a real setback when he was hit with this injury. He should, however, be able to make a full recovery and be just fine after missing about two or three games.

C 1 – Jamaal Jackson

Many people have been calling for a demotion for Jackson, but the fact is he’s the best center on this roster by a long shot. He knows how to put his guys into position, and is a big reason why the Eagles can shuffle their offensive linemen in and out (because of injuries) and still be successful. In short, he does a whole lot more than you’d think.

RG 1 – Stacy Andrews

Stacy has been impressive when he’s been able to line up and play. He’s at 100 percent right now, and isn’t a health concern heading into the season. He won’t play this week, so he’ll have plenty of time to rest up and prepare for Week One against Carolina.

RT 1 – Shawn Andrews

To hear that Shawn was back at practice and feeling good may have been the best news of the entire preseason. With him on the field, the offensive line is just a different unit. He adds an attitude to the line that is incredible to watch. Let’s also not forget that as far as pure talent goes, he’s one of the best in the league.

LT 1 – King Dunlap

A seventh-round pick a year ago, Dunlap has stuck on with the Eagles because of his athleticism and potential. However, he won’t be an Eagle much longer if he can’t keep his weight under control, which—oddly enough for a linemen—is too low, and be able to use his feet better in pass protection. For now, he’s a project worth keeping.

LG 2 – Max Jean-Gilles

The former fourth-round pick has slimmed down a bit and increased his athleticism so he could become the linemen the Eagles wanted him to be. The loss of weight will help his ankle problems and should help him be a better pass protector. He’s a road-grater and a great guy to run behind, so that’s not a problem. He’ll probably get the start until Herremans is healthy.

C/RG 2 – Nick Cole

Cole, on most other teams in the NFL, is a borderline starter at right guard and a serviceable backup at center. Versatility is something that Andy Reid loves, and loves is so much he requires it of his linemen. Cole brings that and will keep a spot on this team because of it.

RT 2 – Winston Justice

Justice has picked up his play so much it’s really incredible to watch. Seeing him play during training camp was like watching a different guy. He’s not the same puppy he was when Hugh Douglas called him out a couple years back. This guy has realized it’s time to pick up his game, and could be a starter if Shawn Andrews is not ready for the season.

Overall: Mike Gibson, Mike McGlynn, and Fenuki Tupou are all guys the Eagles would like to keep, but unfortunately some of them are destined for the practice squad as they lose a numbers game.

Defensive Line (10)

RE 1 – Trent Cole

Cole is a top-flight NFL talent, so it’s obvious he would be the starter at right end. Hopefully, Cole can get some more help from the rotation at left end in order to get him some more sacks. Even without a whole lot of help, he’s put himself into the elite for defensive ends.

DT 1 – Brodrick Bunkley

Bunkley has become a dominant run-stuffing defensive tackle, but he can also get after the quarterback on occasion. He put on some weight in order to become the space-eater he is, but still has held on to the athleticism he had at Florida State that caused the Eagles to draft him with the 14th overall pick in 2006.

DT 2 – Mike Patterson

Another former first-round pick, Patterson has really stepped up his game. After being a good starter for a couple years, Patterson is now a guy who is expected to make the Pro Bowl this year after getting snubbed last year. Like Bunkley, he’s a space-eater with the ability to get to the quarterback.

LE 1 – Juqua Parker

The Eagles wanted the job to go to Victor Abiamiri, but with his injury it’s not going to happen this year. Parker will be the starter for Week One and beyond, but—if Abiamiri outplays him—Sean McDermott certainly wouldn’t hesitate to start Abiamiri. Parker has done well at starting fast, but then he disappears after Week Eight. If he can finish strong as well, the Eagles are in good shape.

RE 2 – Jason Babin

Babin has gone from an outcast first-round pick to Trent Cole’s backup on the right side. Usually, a first-round pick being a backup isn’t a good thing. However, when you can pick that first-round pick up off the scrap heap and put him behind one the best ends in the league, you’ve got yourself a good deal.

DT 3 – Trevor Laws

The second-round pick from last year (picked two spots before DeSean Jackson) didn’t get a whole lot of playing time, so it’s difficult to judge where he’s at in his NFL career. He also spent a good portion of training camp with the training staff, so he may not be counted on too much this year either.

LE 2 – Victor Abiamiri

To this point, Abiamiri has been a disappointment. A second-round pick is supposed to contribute a lot more than what he has produced to this point. Injury after injury has hampered his progress, but even with the injuries he probably only has this season and the next to show he has what it takes to keep him around.

RE 3 – Bryan Smith

The former third-round pick probably doesn’t belong on this team. He didn’t suit up for a single game last season and hasn’t shown much progress this year, but given that he’s a third-round pick Reid will probably keep him on board one more season to see if he has any surprises.

LE 3 – Chris Clemons

To put Clemons on one side or the other—or to call him the third guy—is probably a bit deceiving. He will play much more than a normal third-string guy would, as he’ll be called upon in passing situations to get after the quarterback on whichever side McDermott needs him to play.

LE/RE/DT 4 – Darren Howard

It’s difficult to give Howard a position or a number depth-wise. He’s all over the line, literally playing everywhere. He would come in before guys like Clemons and Smith, but may also come in before Trevor Laws at defensive tackle. Howard is incredibly important to this team, and—no matter where you list him—he’s going to be an Eagle.

Overall: If the Eagles pull a surprise move and cut Bryan Smith, it will only be so that they can keep Dan Klecko as the fourth defensive tackle. However, because of Howard’s versatility, the fan-favorite Klecko could be on his way out.

Linebackers (6)

SAM 1 – Chris Gocong

Personally, I don’t believe Gocong has progressed the way he should have at this point in his career. He still can’t cover a tight end to save his life and just doesn’t make enough big plays to be a starting linebacker for this team. He may never be any better than this, and if that’s the case then it’s time for the Eagles to look elsewhere. Let’s hope I’m wrong.

MIKE 1 – Omar Gaither

Gaither showed some ability in 2007, and it should lead to a successful stopgap for 2009 until Stewart Bradley can come back in 2010 from a torn ACL. Gaither isn’t the prototypical middle linebacker, but it’s the position he wants to play, and he’s certainly intelligent enough to do it. Players see him as a leader and he embraces the role.

WILL 1 – Akeem Jordan

Jordan is fast and good at shedding blocks. However, he needs to focus on tackling and reading an offense better in his first full season as a starter. If he can do that, he could quickly be in talks for a Pro Bowl bid. The physical ability is there, so if he can tie-in the mental aspect of it he should have a very bright NFL career.

SAM 2 – Moise Fukou

The seventh-round pick was an afterthought without much of a chance to make the team, but now is looking at becoming the primary backup at all three positions. He’s gotten some reps at MIKE and looked pretty good during them, but he’s young and not ready to “drive the car,” as Omar Gaither put it.

MIKE 2 – Joe Mays

Mays was supposed to be the starter entering the year, but a poor preseason has doomed him to backup yet again as Omar Gaither looks to take the starting role for the Birds. If he can pick up the defense a little better to the point he doesn’t need to think as much, he may be able to supplant Gaither at some point. It will be a continuing battle.

WILL 2 – Tracy White

White makes the team because of his contributions to special teams, but if Akeem Jordan were to go down there would probably be a shuffling of linebackers to take over the spot rather than making White the starter. Perhaps a move for Gaither to WILL and Mays would step in at MIKE.

Overall: Matt Wilhelm is the wild card here. If he can play WILL he might take White’s spot, but if he can’t then I don’t forsee him getting a spot on this roster. The Eagles are already cutting it close, so Wilhelm will have to really show something in the final preseason game.

Defensive Backs (9)

CB 1 – Asante Samuel

Outside of Nnamdi Asomugha and possibly Champ Bailey, Samuel is the best cornerback in the league. He’s a ballhawk and should be able to top his six interceptions (including postseason) from last year with another year in this defense under his belt.

CB 2 – Sheldon Brown

Brown may be unhappy with his contract, but he’s a professional and has acted as such. He’s not whining and crying like many other players will do, instead showing up to practice, do his job, and not let his personal issues with the front office affect his relationship with the players or in the lockerroom. He’s the obvious No. 2 option.

*SS 1 – Quintin Mikell

Mikell made some All-Pro teams last season, but got snubbed for the Pro Bowl. He’s shown that his time under Brian Dawkins has really paid off as he’s made his mark as one of the hardest hitters in the league at the safety position. He can also make some good plays in the passing game and should get his first Pro Bowl nod this season.

FS 1 – Sean Jones

Demps has been the starter, but Reid said the competition for the free safety spot will extend into the fourth preseason game. Jones just needs to make a couple plays and he’ll have the starting spot wrapped up. The Eagles obviously don’t have faith in Demps for this year any longer, so Jones should be able to step right in.

FS 2 – Quintin Demps

Demps is a good backup and will probably return kicks as well, but if you’re familiar with my writings, you’ll know that I’m not a fan of Demps as a starter—at least for right now, and perhaps ever. He’ll have to show that he’s not afraid of contact first.

FS 3 – Victor “Macho” Harris

Harris is a ‘tweener as either a safety or a corner, so the Eagles will probably utilize him as a backup as both positions. He should be a good safety one day, and the Eagles are excited at the prospect of seeing Harris grow into that role.

*Note: The reason that there is no backup for strong safety is because in the event Quintin Mikell were to go down, the Eagles would slide Sean Jones over to strong, and play Demps at free. Macho Harris would then become the backup at both spots.

CB 3 – Ellis Hobbs

Hobbs was traded from New England because he was unhappy about his contract, but now all he has is the same contract  in a different city—and a demotion on top of everything else. I’m sure he’s not happy about his role as the team’s nickel corner, but as such he gives the Eagles the best nickel corner in the league.

CB 4 – Joselio Hanson

A shiny new 4-year $20 million contract for your dime corner? Well, it’s only because they don’t anticipate him being a dime corner past this season. Hobbs is more than likely going to walk after the season for a starting job, and Hanson will resume his duties as nickel corner. Until then, there’s not a fourth receiver in the league that Hanson can’t cover.

CB 5 — Dimitri Patterson

Patterson has been incredibly physical during his time with the Eagles, and has gone from long-shot to the probable fifth corner. He’s a guy who’s not afraid to hit anyone, whether it be a receiver, running back, quarterback, or even scrap with an offensive lineman. He’s oddly reminiscent of Al Harris during his time in Philadelphia.

Overall: Jack Ikegwuonu has just not shown enough to warrant a spot on this team. Once thought of as the steal of the draft, he has not been able to regain his speed after tearing his ACL, which is evident watching receviers run away from—and around—him all preseason and training camp. The Eagles may not keep a fifth corner if they decide to keep 10 offensive linemen.

Special Teams

K 1 – David Akers

P 1 – Sav Rocca

LS 1 – Jon Dorenbos

Overall: No surprises here. The only competition for the three was Ken Parrish as a kicker/punter, but he was cut in order to bring in Rob Myers.

Official 2minutestomidnightgreen.com NFL Power Rankings: Week 1

Every week throughout the season, Derek Peiffer and I will be doing a run-down of the best and worst teams in the NFL in our power rankings. These are the official 2minutestomidnightgreen.com power rankings heading into Week 1 of the NFL season.

No. 1

Derek: Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: New England Patriots (Last Week: N/A)

Derek’s take: The defending Super Bowl champions. There’s really no one else who deserves the No. 1 spot in the following season’s opening power rankings. They bring back almost the exact same team as 2008. Look for the Steelers to fight hard to defend their title.

Bob’s take: The Steelers may be the defending champs, but rankings shouldn’t be given by default. If that were the case, everyone would be ranked in exactly the same order in which they finished last year, wouldn’t they? The Patriots, with Tom Brady, are the most complete team in the entire league.

No. 2

Derek: New England Patriots (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week: N/A)

Derek’s take: The Matt Cassell-led Patriots missed the playoffs, but that is a misleading statement. The Pats finished the season at 11-5, but still lost out on the playoffs. Tom Brady returns and the team brought in Fred Taylor and Joey Galloway to an already fantastic offense. Look for the Patriots to be back in the playoffs in 2009.

Bob’s take: This is a difficult spot to peg because really after the Patriots, there’s not much separation between the second-best team all the way down to around the eighth-ranked team. The Steelers are a solid team, no doubt, and if they get that offensive line in order, they’ll be scary again in 2009.

No. 3

Derek: Indianapolis Colts (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: N/A)

Derek’s take: If you have Peyton Manning on your roster, you’re in good shape. Even after a slow start to last season after missing majority of the off-season with a knee injury, Manning led the Colts on an eight-game win streak to end the season, and a trip to the playoffs. They would fall short to San Diego, but look for a full-season of Peyton to make it back.

Bob’s take: If it all comes together for the Eagles, they can be one of the most explosive teams in the entire league. They’re stacked on both sides of the ball and should certainly contend with the NFL’s elite. Bringing in Vick gives them an extra weapon to add to an already impressive arsenal. Grab your coffee, defensive coordinators, it’s going to be a long night.

No. 4

Derek: San Diego Chargers (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: San Diego Chargers (Last Week: N/A)

Derek’s take: After a disappointing 8-8 season had the Chargers on the verge of missing the playoffs, the team was one game away from the AFC championship. Injuries being the story of the Chargers’ 2008, they will look to stay healthy in 2009. Phillip Rivers got a new deal, and if they can stay healthy, the Chargers should be a top contender in the NFL.

Bob’s take: Top to bottom, the Chargers might have the best stockpile of talent in the entire league. That being said, I’m not a believer in Norv Turner. He hasn’t shown the capability to get a team where they need to be. His teams will never overachieve, but instead will win one or two games fewer than they should.

No. 5

Derek: Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: New York Giants (Last Week: N/A)

Derek’s take: The team that seemingly never ages. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed have been the staples of this team forever, it seems. Bart Scott and defensive coordinator Rex Ryan are now in New York, but I think they can hold up just fine.

Young DT Haloti Ngata will anchor the defensive line, while second-year quarterback Joe Flacco looks to repeat his rookie season and lead the Ravens back to the playoffs.

Bob’s take: While I’m not a fan of this offense, the depth and talent of the defense is just too much to overlook. They’re not only good at every position on defense, but they’re deep as well, which is what a contending team needs.

If Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs can allow Manning to only throw 20-25 times a game, they’re still scary for the rest of the league.

 

No. 6

Derek: Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Atlanta Falcons (Last Week: N/A)

Derek’s take: The loss of Stewart Bradley will certainly hurt this defense a lot. Add in the loss of defensive leader Brian Dawkins and you would think the Eagles were doomed.

Not so fast. Second year linebacker Joe Mays should step in and help shore up the middle, while young safety Quentin Demps will provide some better coverage skills than our beloved Dawk.

Donovan McNabb will continue to be one of the better quarterbacks in this league and finally has some weapons in Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. Look for Westbrook to stay healthy with the opportunity to rest up and give way to rookie LeSean McCoy.

Bob’s take: The Atlanta Falcons, though getting some respect, are extremely overlooked when it comes to talking about elite teams in not only the NFC, but the NFL.

Second-year quarterback Matt Ryan will be even better than last year, which is a scary prospect in itself. Give him an emerging Roddy White and the best tight end to ever play in Tony Gonzalez and you’ve got the makings of a championship team.

No. 7

Derek: New York Giants (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Tennessee Titans (Last Week: N/A)

Derek’s take: The Giants may have the best defense in the NFC East, and the defending NFC East champs will need that defense to carry them. The loss of Plaxico Burress is a huge one. There aren’t many 6’6″ wide receivers with that kind of talent running around.

Brandon Jacobs is still a force at running back, and is always tough to bring down. Kenny Britt, Domenik Hixon, and Steve Smith will all need to pick up the slack left behind by Plax. Combining all three, they might come close. Still, look for the Giants to compete with the elite of the NFL.

Bob’s take: Personally, I don’t think that the Titans will miss Albert Haynesworth as much as others may think. Let’s not forget the thing that really carried this team was their running game.

Chris Johnson was phenomenal, and should only be better in his second year. LenDale White has trimmed down and will help Johnson create the best 1-2 punch in the NFL.

No. 8

Derek: Arizona Cardinals (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Houston Texans (Last Week: N/A)

Derek’s take: They fell just a few plays short of a Super Bowl trophy. The first 9-7 team to ever make the big game returns its starting quarterback, three 1,000 yard receivers and drafted stud running back out of Ohio State, Beanie Wells.

Larry Fitzgerald will be huge once again for the Cardinals and even after the debacle that was Anquan Boldin this off-season, he’s still in Arizona. If the defense can play as well as they did last season, the offense will surely be better.

Bob’s take: No seriously, I’m not crazy. Hear me out. The Texans offense has been one of the best in the league for the past two seasons, and the only thing that’s kept them from being the best has been inopportune injuries to quarterback Matt Schaub. If he can finally stay healthy, they are the best offense in the league.

Defensively, they’re nothing to scoff at, either. With star players such as Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans, and Dunta Robinson, as well as an emerging star in Amobi Okoye, this Texans defense will surprise a lot of people.

Even though I believe the Titans win the South, I think the Texans are a Wild Card team that could surprise in the playoffs. Think 2008 Cardinals.

No. 9

Derek: Atlanta Falcons (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Arizona Cardinals (Last Week: N/A)

Derek’s take: A team that came from out of nowhere last season. Rookie Matt Ryan threw a touchdown on his first NFL pass, and you knew it was meant to be from then on.

First year starter Michael Turner proved that he is indeed worthy to return to that starting status, and Roddy White seemed to finally mature at WR and posted a break-out season.

John Abraham still anchors the defense and the Falcons are a very well-rounded team that could very well find themselves atop the entire NFC come January.

Bob’s take: While expectations in Arizona, and around the country, for the Cardinals may be a bit high, that offense is far too good to ignore. Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston make up the very best wide receiver corps in the entire league.

Let’s also not count out former third-round pick Early Doucet, who’s looking to get in on the fun.

If Beanie Wells can supply the running game that they were missing last year, and if that defense can take another step forward, the Cardinals will be a very scary team.

They’re going to score a lot of points and if that defense can hold teams under 30 points, that should be all it takes for them to win a lot of games.

No. 10

Derek: Tennessee Titans (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Indianapolis Colts (Last Week: N/A)

Derek’s take: A gaping hole is present in the Titans defensive line, but throughout the pre-season, they seemed fine. Keith Bulluck returns to a very stout defense along with the likes of Cortland Finnegan.

Speedster Chris Johnson will look to follow up a stellar rookie season while LenDale White looks to follow up on a stellar weight loss and turn that into something positive. Kerry Collins is still the starter at quarterback and can still get it done.

The Titans may be under the radar after the loss of Haynesworth, and the heavy media exposure of the Texans inside the division.

Bob’s take: While having Peyton Manning still makes them a good team, I don’t have any faith in the Colts defense.

Bob Sanders can’t stay healthy, and the rest of the defense is very undersized and outside of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, aren’t really anything special.

If the defense can prove me wrong and play well, the Colts may just reclaim their spot on top of the AFC South.

At this point, however, I see the Colts as the AFC version of the New Orleans Saints. A lot of offense, but little defensive help makes them a 9-7 team, and third in the South.

No. 11

Derek: Chicago Bears (Last Week: N/A): Jay Cutler gives the Bears a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback. Pair that with a strong defense and you’ve gotta take a second look at Chicago this season.

Bob: Minnesota Vikings (Last Week: N/A): Brett Favre will open it up for AP, and vice versa. That defense is still scary, but they may lack the firepower to contend with the elite teams.

No. 12

Derek: New Orleans Saints (Last Week: N/A): Over 5,000 yards last season for Drew Brees, and that high-powered offense should be back in 2009. A little shaky on the defensive side, but the offense should be able to handle.

Bob: Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: N/A): Losing Ryan and Scott will hurt more than they think, but they’re still a playoff team as long as Ray Lewis anchors that defense.

No. 13

Derek: Carolina Panthers (Last Week: N/A): They have one of, if not the best running back tandem in the NFL. Delhomme is shaky, and they lost Ma’Ake Kemoeatu for the year.

Bob: Carolina Panthers (Last Week: N/A): The Panthers would be ranked higher than this, but I’m not a fan of Jake Delhomme as a quarterback. I think defenses adjust to him, but he won’t adjust to them.

No. 14

Derek: Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: N/A): The cut of T.O. is what will hurt this team the most. Romo already couldn’t win in December, now it becomes that much tougher.

Bob: Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: N/A): Trio of running backs should make for an explosive running game, but until Romo can win when it matters, it’s tough to rank them any higher than this.

No. 15

Derek: Green Bay Packers (Last Week: N/A): I’m very high on Aaron Rodgers and his ability to lead this team. The transition to the 3-4 is going quite smoothly. Look out for B.J. Raji.

Bob: Green Bay Packers (Last Week: N/A): Aaron Rodgers isn’t taking strides, he’s taking leaps. He’s quickly entering the “top 10 quarterbacks” discussion and with those receivers, they’ll be tough.

No. 16

Derek: Minnesota Vikings (Last Week: N/A): They still got the Williams Wall. They still got the best running back in the NFL, Adrian Peterson. Add in sure Hall of Famer Brett Favre, and you got a heck of a football team.

Bob: New Orleans Saints (Last Week: N/A): No. 16 makes sense for the a team with one of the best offenses, one of the worst defenses, and an 8-8 record that reflects just that.

 

Find 17-32 at 2 Minutes to Midnight Green! (Just Click!)

« Previous Page — Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010