Forget His Talk, Ochocinco Has Matured Into A Team Player for Bengals.

Try telling Chad Ochocinco that last season was a sign that his time as one of the top wide receivers in football is almost up. His response will most likely be “child, please.”

For those of you who have followed the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver over the years, it’s obvious the five-time Pro Bowler likes to have fun with the game of football by running his mouth.

Ochocinco has provided the city of Cincinnati and their fans with plenty of entertainment during his career as a Bengal.

From his touchdown celebrations, to his “Future Hall of Famer” jacket he wore in a Monday Night Football game, Chad has shown us that he can not only play football, but have fun while doing it too.

This offseason, the Bengals were selected by HBO to be featured on their hit series Hard Knocks, which covers and takes an in-depth look at the team through training camp until Week One of the regular season.

Through two episodes, Ochocinco has looked sharp as he looks forward to proving that 2008 was just a fluke.

Last season was the first time since his rookie season that he failed to haul in less than 1,100 yards and five touchdowns. However, he also played most of the season with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback instead of Carson Palmer, which seemed to have a heavy impact.

Not only has Ochocinco looked sharp during training camp, but he seems to be more mature; and those two words usually don’t go together.

Over the last couple of years, there have been numerous reports regarding Ochocinco and how he wanted out of Cincinnati. Numerous times, he would speak to the public about his request to be traded to another team, but owner Mike Brown and Head Coach Marvin Lewis made it clear that Ochocinco would stay put.

Last season, it appeared that teammates and fans were somewhat irritated with Ochocinco running his mouth off the field. It seemed fun during previous seasons when he was producing big numbers, but now it just seemed annoying. However, all of that has changed during the offseason.

During this one, there were no requests for a trade. Instead, Ochocinco has emerged as a team player, and appears to be focused more than ever to do whatever it takes to help his team win.

Don’t believe me? Take a look at what he did last week in the Bengals’ preseason matchup against the New England Patriots.

When kicker Shayne Graham’s groin was hurting, Lewis decided that it would be best to rest him. Since Graham was the Bengals only kicker on the roster, Lewis decided to give Ochocinco a chance, considering soccer is his favorite sport.

In the 7-6 win over the Patriots, Ochocinco not only drilled an extra point after a touchdown, but he booted the ball inside the 10-yard line on the kickoff as well.

Normally, one would expect Ochocinco to do some sort of celebration considering it’s not his job to kick the ball. Instead, he was as mature as any kicker could be, receiving high-fives from teammates as he walked towards the sideline with nothing but a smile on his face.

Ochocinco has shown his value as a Bengal this offseason not only as a wide receiver, but as a kicker too. The fact that he stepped it up and kicked for his team when they desperately need him, just shows that he has developed more into a team player this offseason, which could be a huge boost for the Bengals in 2009.

He has shown us throughout his career what he is capable of doing on the football field. Say what you want about him running his mouth and having fun; the fact is Ochocinco can still back his talk up with his performance on the field.

With his favorite quarterback returning after missing most of last season with an elbow injury, look for Ochocinco to return to his normal form in ’09 and do whatever it takes to help the Bengals win.

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

Be Sure To Check Out WhoDeyBengals.com

Eagles-Colts: Live Notes and Updates From the First Half

 

 

Tonight, the Philadelphia Eagles traveled to Indianapolis for a preseason match-up against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. After falling to the New England Patriots 27-25 last week, the Birds hope to bounce back in their second game of the preseason.

For the first time, I thought it would be fun to run live updates during the game, marking key plays for the Eagles.

Enjoy!

 

First Quarter

15:00—A nice opening kick for David Akers as Akeem Jordan makes the tackle for the Eagles. The Colts will start at their own 19-yard line.

14:50—Peyton Manning throws a quick screen pass to Jacob Tamme for 13 yards. Not the best start for the Eagles defense.

13:13—Dallas Clark just caught a 20-yard reception from Manning to gain the first down and enter Eagles’ territory. The defense is struggling already and we haven’t even played for three minutes. Hopefully, the defense plays better in the first half than they did last week against the New England Patriots.

11:35—Once again, Manning is able to find a wide open receiver as he dumps it off to Reggie Wayne on 3rd-and-4. He gains 14 yards for the first down.

11:01—Manning just threw a nice ball in the end zone to Tamme, who should have hauled it in for a touchdown. Luckily, Jordan was there to deflect it for the Eagles.

10:52—Another third down conversion for Manning and the Colts. This time, he finds running back Joseph Addai on the left side to get inside the five-yard line.

10:22—Manning tries to get Anthony Gonzalez on the slant, but Asante Samuel is there to break up the pass. So close to an interception!

10:17—A missed interception leads to a Manning-Gonzalez touchdown in the corner of the end zone the very next play. Now that Marvin Harrison is gone, Gonzalez has a chance to have a breakout season, which could be dangerous for the rest of the league.

The Colts get on the board first and lead the Eagles 7-0. Manning finishes the drive 7-of-10 for 70 yards and a touchdown. Luckily, this is only a preseason game and means nothing in the standings.

10:13—Quintin Demps returns the kickoff to the 30-yard line. Let’s see if Donovan and the rest of the offense can help tie this game up.

9:25—After running back LeSean Jackson gets stuffed on the first play for the Eagles offense, McNabb finds DeSean Jackson for nice seven-yard gain.

8:54—There is nothing more frustrating than a wasted penalty flag. After McNabb overthrows Kevin Curtis on 3rd-and-2, it appears the Eagles will catch a break and gain an automatic first down for the pass interference. Unfortunately, the refs decided there was no penalty on the play and the Eagles are forced to punt.

7:25—It appeared the Eagles were about to stop the Colts on a 3rd-and-6 after the blitz forced Manning to dump the ball off rookie running back Donald Brown. Brown looked like he was going to fall short until he broke a tackle and ran for the first down.

6:52—Talk about a break! Jason Babin forces a fumble from Manning and Jordan recovers the ball for the Eagles. Hopefully, the offense can take advantage of the turnover.

6:12—McNabb is looking good this drive as he is able to get a couple of short passes to Jason Avant and McCoy.

5:02—Looks like I spoke too soon, as McNabb gets sacked by Dwight Freeney and fumbles the ball. Freeney must feel pretty good causing a fumble on his former Syracuse teammate. Keyunta Dawson recovers and the Colts will take over at their own 24-yard line.

4:50—Wow. First play after the fumble recovery, cornerback Ellis Hobbs falls for Reggie Wayne’s moves who is wide open down the left side of the field. An easy 76-yard touchdown pass and the Colts now lead 14-0. Manning is now 10-of-14 for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Not bad for the first 10 minutes of the game.

4:38—Hobbs tries to make up for his blown coverage and makes a nice kick return to the Eagles 39-yard line.

3:22—McNabb finds Curtis for a gain of 12 yards to get inside the Colts’ territory. Let’s see if the Eagles can take advantage of the drive and put some points up before the Colts run away with the game.

2:17—Nick Cole gets called for a holding after McCoy runs for a short gain. Looks like the Eagles are looking at a 1st-and-20.

1:11—McNabb finds Jackson deep down the middle for the 39-yard touchdown! Looks like all of that hard work and determination to become the No. 1 wide receiver in the offseason is paying off for Jackson. If you think this kid is going to have a sophomore slump, you better think again. Now, the Colts’ lead is cut in half to 14-7.

1:05—Curtis Painter enters the game for Manning at quarterback. Let’s see if the Eagles can handle this Purdue stud better than they did Manning.

00:21—Painter’s first pass of the game is a 12-yard reception to Austin Collie. Looks like that will be the last play of the quarter.

 

Second Quarter

15:00—Nothing like starting off the second quarter with a false-start penalty on the Colts’ Tony Ugoh.

14:12—Painter somehow finds Tamme in the middle of the field on 3rd-and-6 for the first down. The Colts are now a perfect 4-of-4 on third down conversions. Even with Manning resting on the sidelines, the Eagles continue to struggle stopping the Colts offense.

13:06—Ugoh receives his second penalty of the drive as he is called for chop blocking. Now the Colts are looking at a 2nd-and-25.

12:00—Looks like Ugoh’s penalties helped the Eagles as the Colts are forced to punt. Let’s see if A.J. Feeley can help tie this game up at 14 as McNabb rests for the night as he finishes 5-of-7 for 77 yards and a touchdown.

10:30—Surprise, surprise. McNabb gets interviewed on the sideline and the questions surrounding Michael Vick come out and how he is performing. Let it go guys, McNabb wants to focus on the game and worry about Vick when the time comes.

9:20—Not only did Hobbs get hurt on that last drive, but Feeley left the field a little shaky too. If he goes down and Kolb is out, they may be forced to keep Temple’s Adam DiMichele on the roster. The last thing this team needs to deal with is more injuries!

7:39—Tammy just picked up his fourth reception for a gain of 23 yards. Once again, the Eagles fail to stop the Colts on a long third-down possession. If defense wins championships, then the Eagles have a lot of work ahead of them.

6:32—The frustration continues as running back Chad Simpson rushes up the middle to the Eagles 11-yard line for the first down. Looks like the Colts are about to add on to their seven-point lead.

5:05—The Eagles do what they do best on third down by showing blitz. Painter dishes it off to Simpson quickly, who tries to push for extra yards before the ball pops loose. Unfortunately, Ugoh recovers at the six-yard line and the Colts kicker Shane Andrus kicks for three, increasing the lead to 17-7.

4:42—Jeremy Maclin takes the kick back to the 30-yard line. Unfortunately, Charleston Hughes is called for holding and the Eagles will start from their own 20. On a positive note, Feeley is back in the game so his injury must not have been that serious.

4:00—Feeley feels the pressure of the Colts defense as he under-throws a pass to Maclin for the incomplete pass on 2nd-and-5. Luckily, he finds Hank Baskett the next play on the right side of the field for the first down.

3:25—Eldra Buckley makes his first run of the night for the Eagles as he gains four yards. Last week against the Patriots, he finished with two touchdowns, one on the ground and one in the air. As far as making a name for yourself during preseason is concerned…so far so good for Buckley.

2:20—Feeley finds Buckley for a screen pass that turns into a 19-yard gain. Unfortunately, the play means nothing as the Eagles are called for a holding penalty.

2:00—Well, they just took a commercial break for the two-minute warning. They just showed a clip of Jeffrey Lurie’s press conference after the signing of Vick. Does anyone else get the vibe that Lurie sounds unhappy about the Eagles signing Vick?

1:50—Reggie Brown is called for an illegal formation but the Colts decline the penalty since it would have been fourth down. Does anyone else think Brown could be cut by the time the season starts in September? With Jackson, Curtis, Maclin, and Baskett, Brown has a lot to prove if he wants his name to be on the 53-man roster.

1:43—The Colts take over at their own 25-yard line. On a more important note, I saw a commercial for Fox’s “The Cleveland Show,” a spin-off from Seth MacFarlane’s hit show “Family Guy.” All jokes aside, does this mean that Cleveland will no longer be a character in Family Guy and just focus on his new show? I’m quite curious to see how this goes down in the fall.

1:35—Getting off topic again, one of the Fox announcer’s just did an impression of a pirate while the camera was focused on Manning stretching before the game. His impression sounded like, “Arrgh, I want to go back to training camp.” How about fewer pirate impressions and more broadcasting of the game?

1:15—Maclin tries to dazzle away from the defenders, but he gets tackled at the 34-yard line without gaining any yardage.

00:48—Another unnecessary penalty for the Eagles as they called for having only six men on the line while trying to run a quick two-minute drill.

00:34—See what happens when I call out Brown? He hauls in a 27-yard reception from Feeley to get the Eagles in field-goal range. Looks like they will be able to get one more play off before a field goal attempt, assuming they don’t accidentally run the clock out.

00:00: Well, looks like I spoke too soon. Feeley has been playing long enough to know that if your team has no time outs as the clock is winding down, find the receivers near the sidelines. Instead, he dumps the ball off to Buckley in the middle of the field for a nine-yard gain as time expires. The half ends with the Colts leading 17-7.

 

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:”Cambria Math”; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:””; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; mso-themecolor:hyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

This article was originally published on NFCEastFootball.com

Dan Parzych is the Eagles Fan Voice For NFLTouchdown.com

 

Brett Favre and Brad Childress Act Unprofessional In Recent Signing

What’s bugging me this week? How about the whole story behind QB Brett Favre’s return to the NFL.

For the last couple of months, anyone who follows the NFL has been trying to figure out whether or not Favre was going to show up for training camp with the Minnesota Vikings.

After he came out with a statement at the end of July claiming he would stay retired and not sign with the team, it appeared the Favre roller coaster came to a complete halt and we would not have to worry about hearing his name involved with playing in the NFL again.

Wrong!

Favre is similar to those Chuck Norris jokes, where only he is capable of performing tasks that no other human being could perform. In a way, Favre has become the Chuck Norris of the NFL.

Favre may be the only player in NFL history capable of convincing the NFL and the rest of the world that he planned on staying retired, only to come back weeks later and sign a two-year deal worth $25 million—with the division rival of the Green Bay Packers, a team he played for 16 years.

The one thing about Favre and football that no one will ever be able to take away is his passion for the game.

The man has shed tears and played through numerous injuries because of his love for the game. Unfortunately, Favre has one major flaw that has made fans across the country love to hate him—his inability to make a firm decision on whether or not to continue playing football.

The whole issue about Favre never being able to make up his mind may be more of the media’s fault than his own. Still, the future Hall of Fame quarterback has gone from one of the most loved players in NFL history to a guy that nobody can stand to hear about anymore.

It’s hard to deny Favre the right to want to play football one more season. However, with the legacy he established with the Packers throughout his career, signing with the Vikings—who are apparently one of the most hated teams in Wisconsin according to fans—may have turned some of the long-time Favre fans into absolute Favre-haters.

It’s easy to understand Favre’s frustration with the Packers after the way things ended between him and GM Ted Thompson. Before the beginning of last season, Thompson said he didn’t want Favre returning to the Packers after he retired for the first time, simply because he wanted to “move on” and begin the Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay.

Despite the excitement that has been going on for the Vikings and the city of Minnesota in the last 24 hours with the recent Favre signing, there is still one issue that is not only bugging me, but a lot of players around the organization as well.

According to a report from ESPN‘s Chris Mortensen from Tuesday, Favre decided to sign with the Vikings on Tuesday because he didn’t want to put himself through the two weeks of training camp and sleep overnight in the dorms with the rest of the team.

As a kid who played sports growing up, my coaches always stuck with a policy that if you didn’t show up to practice, you will never play in the game. Apparently, Childress does not believe in this type of policy.

So while the rest of the players have busted their butts for the last two weeks while trying to make a name for themselves on the Vikings’ squad, Favre gets to show up when he wants and misses arguably one of the most intense parts of the season. Not to mention that he does all this and still gets the privilege of being named the starting quarterback for the upcoming season.

From the non-stop stories on ESPN Tuesday, it seems as if Favre and Childress knew that this was how the situation was going to go down. If this is the case, then no players must feel worse than Vikings’ QBs Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels.

The Vikings traded for Rosenfels in the offseason in hopes that he would give Jackson some competition for the starting job. Now that Favre is on the roster, it appears the Vikings will shop Jackson around. It would be foolish to trade for Rosenfels since his contract guarantees him $3 million.

Before Favre signed with the Vikings, Rosenfels was hoping to finally receive a chance to be a starter, after playing the backup role in Houston for so many years. Now that Favre is on the squad, that dream will have to wait a little longer.

However, one can’t help but feel bad for Rosenfels if Childress knew Favre was going to sign with the Vikings the entire time. All this time believing that the coach is finally giving you the chance to shine as the starting quarterback—only to find out that it was never really going to happen.

After today, it’s safe to say that Favre may be judged for purposely waiting until now to sign with the Vikings, all so he could miss out on an intense two weeks of training camp. As far as Childress is concerned, if he did know about Favre’s plan the entire time, he may be facing some trust issues with his players and staff.

Look Out Bengals Fans: Chase Coffman Could Have a Major Impact in 2009

From a fan’s perspective, the Cincinnati Bengals seem to disappoint consistantly when it comes to taking advantage of the NFL Draft over the last couple of seasons. However, the Bengals made selections last April that helped improve their needs on offense and defense, leaving fans with nothing but excitement for the upcoming 2009 season.

The Bengals used their first two draft picks on offensive lineman Andre Smith (Alabama) and linebacker Rey Maualuga (USC). The team hopes Smith can provide some much-needed help to an offensive line that gave up 51 sacks last season while Maualuga can emerge as one of the younger leader’s on a defense that was already pretty solid last season (325.5 yards allowed per game, 12th in the NFL).

With the success from April’s draft and the return of quarterback Carson Palmer, who missed 12 games last season due to an elbow injury, the Bengals could emerge as a sleeper team in 2009 and make a run for their first trip to the playoffs since the 2005 season.

Despite all of the hype and excitement for the 2009 season, the Bengals lost one of their key players during the first week of training camp when tight end Reggie Kelly ruptured his Achilles tendon. The 11-year veteran had high expectations for the upcoming 2009 season not only as a player on the field, but also as a mentor for the younger tight ends on the team’s roster. Now, that mentoring will have to be done from the sideline.

Kelly’s season-ending injury leaves a major hole at the tight-end position for the Bengals. However, the injury will give other players a chance to step up their game and make an impact for the upcoming season.

Enter rookie Chase Coffman.

Coffman was selected in the third round (98th overall) in this year’s draft out of Missouri. He was arguably one of the best receiving tight ends in the draft, as he finished his three-year career by hauling in 156 receptions for 1,664 yards and 20 touchdowns. Those are better numbers than some of the wide receivers selected in the draft.

Coffman has the opportunity to provide the Bengals with another weapon on offense that already consists of wide receivers Chad Ochocinco, Laveranues Coles, and Chris Henry.

However, if Coffman wants to have a succesful rookie campaign with the Bengals, not only will he need to put up big numbers as a wide receiver, but as a blocker too.

While at Missouri, Coffman never had to worry about being a blocker since he was mostly used more as a wide receiver. He knows if he wants to succeed at the NFL level, he will need to continue developing his game as a blocker too, which he has been.

Coffman struggled at the beginning of training camp, but that appeared to be nothing more than a case of the rookie jitters. Since then, he has improved on his style of game and has impressed the Bengals’ coaches, especially tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes.

As much as the Bengals will miss Kelly’s leadership on the field, they could still benefit from Coffman’s play if he continues to emerge as a strong option on offense for Palmer to throw to. With the rate he has been improving on, Coffman could become a sleeper tight end for the Bengals in 2009.

 

 

Eagles Sign Michael Vick To Two-Year Deal

According to a report by Chris Mortenson on ESPN.com, former Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick has signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. Vick’s agent Joel Segal confirmed the deal.

The troubled QB will join the Eagles after sitting out the last two seasons for spending time in jail, due to his involvement with running a dog-fighting ring at one of his home’s in Virginia.

He will join an Eagles’ roster that is led by Donovan McNabb at quarterback.

After his release from the Atlanta Falcons, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Vick during the offseason, allowing him to sign with any team willing to take him.

How the Eagles plan to use Vick in the offense is still up in the air. However, there is a chance the team may try to fit him in with the “wildcat” offense that became popular in the NFL last season.

In six seasons with the Falcons, Vick rushed for 3,859 yards and 21 touchdowns as a quarterback. Whether or not he will see snaps for the Eagles this season should be determined over the next couple of weeks.

Dan Parzych is the Eagles Fan Voice at www.NFLTouchdown.com

Philadelphia Eagles: Notes from the First Week of Training Camp

One week from today, the Philadelphia Eagles will kick off the 2009 preseason with a home matchup against Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the rest of the New England Patriots. It may only be a preseason, but this early matchup could feature two of the top teams in the NFL who could well be playing in Miami come February.

When preseason kicks off next week, the Eagles will have played through two weeks of head coach Andy Reid’s intense training camp. With one week under their belts, there has already been plenty of discussion down at Lehigh University.

Eagles Lose Linebacker Stewart Bradley After Tearing ACL, Could Be Done For Season

Last Sunday, the Eagles held their first annual Flight Night at Lincoln Financial Field. More than 31,000 fans showed up to watch the team practice and attend a carnival to help raise money for their Youth Partnership. Even though it was a success, the event still had its consequences as the team lost one of their emerging stars on defense.

During the night practice, the Eagles lost middle linebacker Stewart Bradley to an ACL injury that could keep him sidelined for the entire season. The team will now rely on Omar Gaither to fill in the void left by Stewart at linebacker.

Last season was Bradley’s first full season as a starter for the Eagles. After an impressive 2008 campaign, where he recorded 151 total tackles last season, Reid was relying on him to be the leader on defense now that safety Brian Dawkins is with the Denver Broncos.

 

Rookie Wide Receiver Jeremy Maclin Ends Holdout, Signs Five-Year Deal With Eagles

When Jeremy Maclin was still on the board through 18 picks in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Eagles knew they had to make a move to acquire the wide receiver from Missouri. Since the Cleveland Browns were in control of the 19th overall pick, the Eagles traded their 21st and 195th pick to acquire Maclin.

Ever since their divorce from Terrell Owens, the Eagles have been in need for a No. 1 wide receiver. They may not have acquired Anquan Boldin or Brandon Marshall, but the addition of Maclin to play alongside a group of already talented receivers in DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, and Hank Baskett may make the Eagles one of the most dangerous offenses in the NFC, if not the NFL. Oh yeah, they also have a guy at running back by the name of Brian Westbrook.

After holding out for eight days, Maclin finally came to terms with the Eagles by signing a five-year deal worth $15.5 million, with $9.5 million guaranteed. As frustrating as it was for the fans and front office to get him on the field, it might have been worth the wait.

In a Thursday morning practice, Maclin blew by two defenders and caught an 80-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Donovan McNabb.

In two seasons at Missouri, Maclin recorded 5,069 all-purpose yards and 33 total touchdowns. Not only could he make an impact at wide receiver for the Eagles, but he should play a key role as a return specialist too.

 

Eagles Defensive End Juqua Parker Arrested For Possession of Marijuana

In the early hours of Thursday morning, Juqua Parker was arrested by Lower Saucon Township police for possession of marijuana. Parker was in a car that was driven by his teammate, Todd Herremans. Herremans was pulled over for making an illegal left turn and driving without his headlights on.

Parker was released Thursday morning after the team’s director of security, Butch Buchanico, posted his $1,000 bail. His court date is set for Wednesday.

As more details continue to emerge from this incident, reports from Philly.com and LehighValleyLive.com make it seem like the incident should have little effect on the team. The players were willing to admit to their mistakes and should be back on the field as if nothing happened in no time.

 

Eagles Will Attend Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson’s Funeral Friday

Even though it has been more than a week since the passing away of Jim Johnson, the pain suffered with the loss for the Eagles and their fans is still there.

On Friday, the team will take a break from their practice to pay their respects to the genius that helped the Eagles defense finish towards the top of the league the last 10 years.

The 68-year-old Johnson lost his battle to melanoma last week after taking a leave of absence from the team since the pain in his back was becoming too much to handle on the field. Sean McDermott will enter his first season as defensive coordinator with the Eagles.

No matter who is calling the shots for the Eagles on defense, Johnson’s presence will always be around on the sidelines for the Eagles every Sunday during football season. He may have lost his battle with cancer, but his passion for coaching football will always live on in the city of Philadelphia.

Dan Parzych is the Eagles Fan Voice at www.NFLTouchdown.com

Like Houshmanzadeh, Bengals’ Coles Should Benefit As a No. 2 Wideout

Before signing with the Seattle Seahawks during the offseason, former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmanzadeh established his reputation as one of the best No. 2 wideouts in the NFL.

With most of the opposing defenders focusing more on wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, Houshmanzadeh was able to take advantage and find more ways to find himself open. In fact, many analysts considered Houshmanzadeh as a No. 1 wide receiver playing for a team as a No. 2 wideout.

During his tenure in Cincinnati, Houshmanzadeh was always considered the No. 2 wide receiver, no matter how impressive his statistics may were. There is a chance his numbers were good enough to be considered a No. 1 wideout on most teams in the NFL, which is part of the reason why he left for the Seahawks.

Despite his signing with the Seahawks, the Bengals quickly replaced Houshmanzadeh two days after he left by signing former Jets wide receiver, Laveranues Coles.

When Coles signed a four-year deal worth $28 million with the Bengals this offseason, he was entering a similar situation Houshmanzadeh had been in for long in Cincinnati; he was a wide receiver who was capable of being a No. 1 wideout playing the role of a No. 2 option for the Bengals.

The great thing about Coles is he should be able to take advantage of opposing defenses focusing more on where Ochocinco is when quarterback Carson Palmer lines up for each snap, just like Houshmanzadeh did.

In some cases, Coles and Houshmanzadeh may be spitting images of each other who just happened to play with the Bengals at different times. However, Coles has an advantage over Houshmanzadeh considering he has played the role of a No. 1 wide receiver with two previous teams.

Throughout his career, Coles has recorded 631 receptions for 8,095 yards and 44 touchdowns during his 10 seasons in the league. The Bengals mark his third team after spending his first nine seasons with the New York Jets and Washington Redskins.

Houshmanzadeh, on the other hand, is starting a new chapter in his career by playing his first season away from the Bengals in the Seahawks. The ninth-year wide receiver has spent his entire career with the Bengals, hauling in 507 receptions for 5,782 yards and 37 touchdowns.

 

 

Like Houshmanzadeh, Bengals’ Coles Should Benefit As a No. 2 Wideout

Before signing with the Seattle Seahawks during the offseason, former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmanzadeh established his reputation as one of the best No. 2 wideouts in the NFL.

With most of the opposing defenders focusing more on wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, Houshmanzadeh was able to take advantage and find more ways to find himself open. In fact, many analysts considered Houshmanzadeh as a No. 1 wide receiver playing for a team as a No. 2 wideout.

During his tenure in Cincinnati, Houshmanzadeh was always considered the No. 2 wide receiver, no matter how impressive his statistics may were. There is a chance his numbers were good enough to be considered a No. 1 wideout on most teams in the NFL, which is part of the reason why he left for the Seahawks.

Despite his signing with the Seahawks, the Bengals quickly replaced Houshmanzadeh two days after he left by signing former Jets wide receiver, Laveranues Coles.

When Coles signed a four-year deal worth $28 million with the Bengals this offseason, he was entering a similar situation Houshmanzadeh had been in for long in Cincinnati; he was a wide receiver who was capable of being a No. 1 wideout playing the role of a No. 2 option for the Bengals.

The great thing about Coles is he should be able to take advantage of opposing defenses focusing more on where Ochocinco is when quarterback Carson Palmer lines up for each snap, just like Houshmanzadeh did.

In some cases, Coles and Houshmanzadeh may be spitting images of each other who just happened to play with the Bengals at different times. However, Coles has an advantage over Houshmanzadeh considering he has played the role of a No. 1 wide receiver with two previous teams.

Throughout his career, Coles has recorded 631 receptions for 8,095 yards and 44 touchdowns during his 10 seasons in the league. The Bengals mark his third team after spending his first nine seasons with the New York Jets and Washington Redskins.

Houshmanzadeh, on the other hand, is starting a new chapter in his career by playing his first season away from the Bengals in the Seahawks. The ninth-year wide receiver has spent his entire career with the Bengals, hauling in 507 receptions for 5,782 yards and 37 touchdowns.

 

 

Inside the NFL: The News and Notes from All the NFC Teams

A look at this week’s news involving NFC teams. Check out which rookies have come to terms with their teams, and which ones are still unsigned going into training camp.

Arizona Cardinals: WR Anquan Boldin, who was unhappy with his contract last season, showed up to training camp for the Cardinals and plans on staying away from the topic. He claims whatever happens with his contract situation will be in the hands of his agent and that he just wants to focus on playing football.

Atlanta Falcons: According to a report from FalconInsider.com, the team has signed first-round draft pick DT Peria Jerry to a five-year deal. The deal is expected to have a maximum value of $13 million, with $7 million guaranteed. Jerry spent two years as a starter at Ole Miss and was the 24th overall pick in the draft last April.

Carolina Panthers: With training camp approaching Sunday, the team’s only unsigned rookie is CB Sherrod Martin, who was selected in the second round. Earlier this week, the Panthers signed DE Everette Brown from Florida State and DT Corvey Irvin from Georgia.

Chicago Bears: WR Earl Bennett showed up to training camp on Thursday with a chip on his shoulder to prove the doubters wrong about the team’s wide receivers for the upcoming season. Bennett looks to have a breakout season after learning Ron Turner’s system and reuniting with his former college teammate, QB Jay Cutler.

Dallas Cowboys: Rumors had been swirling that the team was interested in signing WR Matt Jones. However, according to his agent, Dave Butz, the team is no longer interested in signing him. Jones was released from the Jacksonville Jaguars in mid-July.

Detroit Lions: The team has come to terms with S Louis Delmas. The safety from Western Michigan signed a four-year deal, but the terms of the contract have not been disclosed. Remaining unsigned from this year’s draft class include TE Brandon Pettigrew, WR Derrick Williams, and DT Sammie Hill.

Green Bay Packers: The only player remaining left unsigned from this year’s draft class is DT B.J. Raji from Boston College. On Thursday, the team signed OLB Clay Matthews III from Southern California.

Minnesota Vikings: Other than the announcement of QB Brett Favre, DE Kenechi Udeze announced his retirement after attempting a comeback from leukemia. In 51 games with the Vikings, he recorded 11 sacks and 117 total tackles.

New Orleans Saints: On Wednesday, the team signed fourth-round pick S Chip Vaughn and fifth-round pick P Thomas Morstead, with each player receiving a four-year deal. However, the team has yet to sign its top draft pick, CB Malcolm Jenkins.

New York Giants: On Thursday, the team reached agreements with second-round picks OLB Clint Sintim and OT William Beatty. The only unsigned player from this year’s draft class is first-round pick WR Hakeem Nicks.

Philadelphia Eagles: The main story in the City of Brotherly Love this week came as a sad one, as the team lost their long-time defensive coordinator, Jim Johnson, to cancer. The 68-year-old defensive mastermind was diagnosed with melanoma back in January after a Divisional Round matchup against the Giants in the playoffs.

San Francisco 49ers: WR Michael Crabtree remains the only rookie unsigned for the 49ers as training camp is set to begin this weekend. According to a report from CBSSports.com, the Wide Receiver from Texas Tech is nowhere near reaching the type of deal he is looking for.

Seattle Seahawks: The team has agreed to terms with OT Max Unger, signing him to a four-year deal that guarantees him $1.95 million. The team’s only unsigned draft pick is fourth-round pick LB Aaron Curry.

St. Louis Rams: On the eve of training camp, the team signed OT Jason Smith, the second overall pick in this year’s draft. The Offensive Tackle from Baylor signed a five-year deal that can max out close to $62 million, with $33 million guaranteed.

This article was originally posted on FantasyPros911.com

Dan Parzych covers the Eagles for www.NFLTouchdown.com and is a columnist at FantasyPros911.com

You can follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Eagles_FanVoice.

Be It Offensive Lines or Cancer, the Late Jim Johnson Coached His Way Through

To the city of Philadelphia and its fans, he was known as a defensive genius who loved to blitz the opposing team’s quarterback.

For the rest of the NFL, he was not only a defensive genius who caused headaches for opposing offenses, but also one of the most respected defensive coordinators in all of football.

Sad news came for the Eagles and the city of Philadelphia this week as long-time defensive coordinator Jim Johnson lost his battle with cancer at the age of 68. 

The news came just four days after the team named Sean McDermott the defensive coordinator for the 2009 season.

Back in January, the team announced Johnson was diagnosed with a malignant tumor on his spine, around the same area where he was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2001. Shortly after doctors noticed the tumor, he began radiation treatment.

Over his 10-year career as the Eagles defensive coordinator, Johnson always had his defense near the top of the rankings.

From 2000-08, his defenses ranked second with 390 sacks. He has helped develop 26 Pro Bowlers and made the playoffs seven times, including five trips to the NFC Championship game and one Super Bowl.

One of Johnson’s best seasons as a defensive coordinator came in 2001, when the Eagles became the fourth team in NFL history to go 16 regular season games without allowing more than 21 points. That season, the Eagles made it to their first of four straight NFC Championship game appearances.

Johnson arrived as a defensive coordinator in the City of Brotherly Love in 1999, the same year Andy Reid was named head coach. According to an interview from CSNPhilly.com, Reid claims he would not be where he is today if it weren’t for Johnson.

“The Andy Reid regime here that’s taken place wouldn’t have been possible without Jim,” coach Andy Reid said. “I’m not sure there’s a person that I’ve met that isn’t a Jim Johnson fan. He really represented everything this city is all about with his toughness and grit—that’s the way he fought this cancer.”

Reid’s comments regarding Johnson’s battle with cancer could not be more true. During the Eagles’ last two playoff games last January, Johnson coached the games from the press box due to back pain.

In May, he coached during the post-draft minicamps from the sideline on a scooter and a cane to help him walk around.

Not only did Johnson have an impact on Reid’s career as the Eagles head coach, but he had a major impact on the players who played under him. Former Eagles safety Brian Dawkins appeared in seven Pro Bowls in the 13 years he played under Johnson.

Everybody knows the type of talent Dawkins was gifted with, but Johnson’s desire to draw up specific plays to help maximize his talent level shows us the type of relationship he had with his players.

“Jim was tailor-made to coach in Philadelphia,” Dawkins said in a statement. “He was a tough coach who wasn’t afraid to let you know how he was feeling. He was an absolute blessing to me with the way he used me on the football field and allowed me to show my God-given ability.”

He may have lost his battle with cancer, but Johnson did everything within his power to avoid letting the disease keep him from coaching the game he loved. When he was diagnosed with melanoma back in January, most of us can’t even imagine the type of pain he must have been going through.

Instead of taking a leave of absence like most coaches or players would do, he did everything he could to stay on the field during post-draft minicamps as a coach until it became too much for his body to handle.

There is no doubt any one’s mind that Sean McDermott will succeed as the Eagles new defensive coordinator. He has been involved with the team’s defense as an assistant over the years and had one of the best mentors show him the way in Johnson.

Johnson’s passing leaves a void in the Eagles organization that some can only describe as irreplaceable. He may no longer be with the team, but his presence will live on with the Eagles and the city of Philadelphia for years to come.

He has developed a successful system that has worked wonders for the Eagles over the last 10 seasons. This system will continue to be used by McDermott and the Eagles for years to come, no matter what.

As a die-hard Eagles fan, all I can say is that on behalf of the city of Philadelphia and their fans, we will miss you on the sidelines each week in the fall.

Thank you for all of exciting playoff runs, the intense, consistent blitzes on opposing quarterbacks, and the hard work and dedication you have put into this organization over the last 10 years.

Everything you have done for the organization will never be forgotten and you will truly be missed. Be sure to look down upon the Eagles and their 2009 season.

 

Dan Parzych is the Eagles Fan Voice for www.NFLTouchdown.com

« 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