Eagles

According to NagionalFootballPost, LJ Smith is signing with the Falcons.

According to profootballtalk, Correll Buckhalter has signed with the Bronco's.

And, the big one, according to The San Francisco Chronice, Brian Dawkins has signed a deal with the Broncos. This is refuted by Adam Schefter of NFL Network and Howard Eskin of 610 WIP, who claim that Dawkins is still in negotiations with both the Eagles and Broncos.

According to ESPN.com's Bill Williamson, the deal is not finalized:

According to ESPN.com's Bill Williamson, a source close to the situation denies that a Brian Dawkins press conference has been scheduled for Saturday in Denver.

Media outlets are picking up on the San Francisco Chronicle's original report -- and Dawkins may still sign with the Broncos -- but the deal isn't done yet.

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More on the story to follow.

The Eagles have come to terms with Nickel cornerback Joselio Hanson on a 5 year deal.

The signing's significant, as locking up a 3rd cornerback (especially with Lito Shephard's inevitable departure) was a key this offseason, and Hanson played well down the stretch.

The focus in the secondary (and on defense as a whole) now shifts to what happenes with safety Brian Dawkins, up until this point a lifetime Eagle.

Two of the Eagles top free agent targets are off the market as Left Tackle Jordan Gross has been signed to a 6 year deal by the Panthers, who also franchised Defensive End Julius Peppers.

I didn't have as much interest in Peppers, who I thought was a little too inconsistent for the salary he was going to command, but Gross was at the top of my list. I have a hunch, if they didn't come to an agreement with him, they would have franchised him over Peppers, so he was unlikely to be on the market regardless. Still, a sad day for a Birds fan.

Due to microfracture surgery on the free-agent-to-be, Jon Runyan will be on crutches for up to 8 weeks, and won't be on the field for 4-6 months.

Training camp begins in roughly 5 and a half months.

With Runyan becoming a free agent in only a few weeks, it puts even more doubt in the offensive tackles future, both with the Eagles and with the league. While I could certainly see Runyan on an NFL roster next year, it would be hard to see a team commit starter type money on a 35 year old coming off that type of surgery, and just as hard to expect a team to rely on him.

If this is the end of Runyan's Eagle career, I wish him the best. He was a consistent anchor on the Eagles offensive line for nearly a decade, and a class guy off the field to boot. The number of questions on the Eagles offensive line (a group that I already felt underachieved last year, particularly in the running game) only mounts. The age (and uncertainty of free agency) of Thomas, the injury/free agency of Runyan, the whole Shawn Andrews situation, and the down year Jamaal Jackson had. The retooling of that groups is going to be the key to the Eagles offseason.

Jim Johnson was told on Monday that he has melanoma skin cancer in his spine, a recurrence of skin cancer in 2001.

It is believed that he intends to continue coaching, at this time opting to not have surgery at this time, instead to go with radiation treatment.

Obviously, in a time like this, football takes a very far back seat. Some of the quotes from team trainer Rick Burkholder sound extremely guarded, almost to the point of being pessimistic.

Hopefully Johnson can have a successful fight and maintain a high quality of life. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.

The phrase has been mentioned numerous times in the previous weeks. "The Eagles were playing with house money". This season was going to be different this year because so little was expected of this team after the Washington loss. The lack of expectations will make this all the more sweet.

After the Cardinals game, I've heard many people mention that they were not upset because this team shouldn't have been here. The only reason the Eagles were in this spot was because of a Tampa Bay collapse. Jeff Garcia once again got the Eagles into the playoffs.

Phooey.

This one hurts just as bad as the previous Championship Game train wrecks. This feels like Tampa Bay. This feels like Carolina. This stings.

Expectations get changed on a daily basis. The season, for all intents and purposes, was over when the Eagles got killed in Baltimore, a week after tying the woeful Bengals, resulting in McNabb being benched.

After that point, everything went the Eagles way. McNabb came back, played three marvelous games, the Cowboys began their December collapse, New Orleans couldn't beat anyone not named Detroit, and Tampa Bay collapsed like the Mets in September.

Finally, after gaining control of their own destiny, the Eagles put up a clunker. Hope was lost. Expectations were gone.

I couldn't even analyze the Cowboys game, as we spent the week heading up thinking our only joy would be to end the Cowboys season. Then the inexplicable happened. Tampa lost to the 4-11 Oakland Raiders. The Bears lost to Houston. Somehow, someway, the Eagles were once again in control of their own destiny, and Tony Romo did nothing to disprove what has been his legacy in the first few years of his NFL career.

A good win against the Vikings and Adrian Peterson, helped largely by the ineptitude of Tarvaris Jackson. A quality win against a quality, albeit no longer dominant, Giants, and our expectations were set.

We expected more from the Eagles than that pitiful first half. We expected a better gameplan against a QB with a quick release and a wide receiver that presented as many mismatches as Fitzgerald did. We expected quicker adjustments.

The fact that it took a little bit of Lady Luck's aide to get into the playoffs doesn't change the fact that this team could have, and should have, taken care of the Arizona Cardinals.

This defense should have shown up in the first half. Giving up an 8 minute drive in the 4th quarter after the offense scored 21 unanswered points was inexplicable. Edgerrin James should not get 16 yards on a swing pass.

This game was still a Championship Game collapse.

And, ultimately, it will go up there in the legacy this regime has constructed.

Goats

The defense was putrid. McNabb was missing people all over the place. The defensive gameplan was questionable.

My goats?

Tra Thomas and Quintin Demps.

Thomas was beaten all night long. Didn't get push in the running game, and I think Donovan is still getting pressure from his blind side. Never has it been more apparent that the time has come to look at replacing that position, and his inability to protect Donovan cost us dearly. Not only was he physically beat, but he failed to pick up the blitz correctly numerous times.

And Quintin Demps? My lord. I have absolutely no idea what he was thinking there. That would have been a personal foul on any player on the field, much less the protected quarterback. Just absolutely stupid, and not one that can be directly linked to inexperience. The fact that he saw playing time outside of special teams shows Reid is a better man than I.

McNabb

McNabb was bad in the first half, missing potential big plays. He was bad on that last drive, missing four straight throws, saved only by Westbrook's miraculous catch. That being said, he wasn't one of the main culprits in the loss. He made throws very few quarterbacks can make, and brought this team back from the brink of defeat. The offensive blitzkrieg the team put together in the 3rd quarter to finally take the lead was largely on his shoulders. The defense was given the lead in the fourth quarter, they gave it up. One stop and the Eagles would have been going to the Super Bowl.

Press?

What amazed me defensively was the lack of bump and run coverage on the Cardinals receivers. I understand the fear of running bump and run when in man coverage, but Fitzgerald and Boldin are too good of receivers to let them get a clean break, and Warner too quick of a release. Warners a timing quarterback, disrupt their offensive timing, and they might have had a chance.

Going to use this post as running game thoughts.

• Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy tackling on that opening Arizona touchdown drive. If they want to win this game, they're going to have to be a lot sharper than that.
  
• I have no problem with Reid not challenging that touchdown. To me, it was clear he got in, and since the play was blown dead, I don't believe it couldn't have been called a fumble even on the off-chance Fitzgerald didn't get in.
  
• Huge break with the kickoff going out of bounds. Offense needs to capitalize and get this game back to even. Not scoring points here would be a huge negative in terms of momentum.
  
• There are big plays available against this Arizona secondary, Donovan's just off the mark. Hopefully we start making some plays.
  
• Oh, and stop with the play action on 3rd and less than a yard.
  
• I think the Eagles got lucky on that kickoff. It's possible it hit Abiamiri on the arm, but it would be very hard to get that seen conclusively. Very lucky it was called on the field the way it was.
  
• Without a score here, this game might be over, for all intents and purposes. Sure, "only" down 2 scores (with the 2 pt conversion) getting the ball after half-time isn't unsurmountable, but I've seen nothing from the Eagles that they could match up with Fitzgerald. And this team is getting no pressure on Warner without a blitz, and the Cardinals are killing them when they do blitz.
  
• Great pickup by Jamaal Jackson. 3rd and 14, and the Cardinals have time to get more points if the Eagles don't pick it up. McNabb throws into triple coverage, incomplete. I'd be shocked if the Cardinals don't get more points to put this thing away.
  
• Ok. Seriously. What the hell is Quintin Demps doing there? There's absolutely excuse or reason there. He'd be sitting the rest of the game if I were the coach.
  
• Mikell had the chance to make a big play there with the pick. Sure-fire interception he let go through his hands. The catch by Boldin should be overturned, but the bottom line is they're making the big plays they have available, we're missing virtually every one.
  
• Finally, pressure on Warner by the front four. Unfortunately, a screen to Boldin and the Cardinals may have enough to sneak in a field goal and make it 24-6. 49 yard attempt, which he nails.
  
• Just a total team collapse in the first half. Bad defensive gameplan, which they couldn't get pressure from the front four, got burned by the blitz, and couldn't cover Fitzgerald. The offense couldn't sustain drives, had questionable playcalling, and McNabb missed throw after throw. Demps was absolutely atrocious, between physical mistakes (the slip that gave up the second Fitzgerald TD), to mental (the roughing the passer, which I still don't understand). Just awful.
  
• Curtis has given the team one more breath. Nice throw by McNabb there, finally hitting one of the chances we've been given.
  
• What's with the kicks today? It's indoors, right? 3* kickoffs out of bounds?
  (the asterisk for the near-turnover on the Eagles).
  
• After kicking the ball out of bounds to give the Cardinals the ball on their 35, getting a 3 and out with giving up only 14 seconds and no yards was huge. Little time off the clock, and great field position.
  
• Yay. More wasted second half timeouts. I'm sure this happens everywhere, and we in Philadelphia make more out of it than we should, but damn it gets annoying.
  
• LJ who? Great play by Celek. The middle of the field has been open all day. Huge block by Baskett, who pancaked two Arizona defenders at teh same time. Although it may not have been necessary.
  
• A missed extra point? Really? Bad hold and all, you can't miss that. I probably would have gone for two. I know most coaches don't look at it until the 4th, but I don't see the downside at this point. There aren't that many possessions left.
  
• Huge 3rd down here. Another 3 and out would really change momentum and give us great field position. Edit Damn, that was too easy.
  
• Brian Westbrook, simply one of the best blitz pickup tailbacks in football.
  
• Wow. Great time for McNabb, makes you wonder why they don't move the pocket more often. Great throw, and great concentration by DeSean.
  
• Tra Thomas has been beaten all day. His days as an Eagle are likely over after this year.
  
• For as off as McNabb was in the first half, he's been nearly flawless in the second half.
  
• If the defense can hold them here without giving up points, the Eagles would be in a great spot. They've been able to run on Arizona all day, and now in a position of lead could milk the clock.
  
• Stunning. Just absolutely stunning. Defense gives up an 8 minute touchdown drive to give up the lead and put the offense in a must-score-a-td situation. Then McNabb comes out and makes 3 bad throws (one Westbrook makes a great catch, the other two could have been huge plays). Now it's 4th and 10 for the season.
  
• That was a pass interference, and has to be called. You can't come down on a receivers leg as he's making his break. Absolutely horrible no call.
  
• Putrid. The defense really let us down today. All they needed was one stop in the 4th and we put the game away. That 8 minute drive to lose the game was one of the most disheartening drives in recent memory.
  

What can you say. I'm numb. Maybe words will come to me later in the night.

Can somebody please shut-up Terry Bradshaw and his rant on Eagles fans not appreciating Donovan McNabb? Did the Eagles fans bench Donovan? No. Didn't think so. We're not the ones who were one good half of Kevin Kolb football away from ending the McNabb era. That was Andy Reid, who media pundits can't slob over enough.

But it was all the fans fault, of course.

If I had to make a prediction, I think the Eagles win, but I'm only cautiously optimistic.

I'm not overly worried about the Cardinals newfound running game. James isn't the type of back who has given this team problems (the few times it has had problems this year).

The key, as everyone has correctly pointed out, is getting pressure on Warner. Hopefully from the front 4.

Warner has been very good against the blitz this year, partly because of a quick release, but mostly because of Wide Receivers who can cut off their routes, make plays, and get yards after the catch. If the Eagles get pressure on Warner without blitzing, and wins the turnover battle (which is what Arizona has been living on of late), I think the Eagles score points against this defense, which has been overrated due to the turnovers they have forced in the past few weeks, which doesn't negate the poor defense they played throughout the regular season.

I'm very happy to be wrong. Westbrook was extremely limited, and the Eagles defense still didn't consistently stop Jacobs, but the Eagles defense was able to force turnovers and prevent Eli Manning from doing anything, and for the 5th time in 8 years the Eagles are in the NFC Championship Game.

The key, obviously, was the defense. Outside of two big runs by Jacobs, the Eagles were able to keep him mostly in check. He was still getting a solid 4-5 yards per carry, but he wasn't able to control the game. The Eagles did a solid job on Derrick Ward as well.

The Eagles defense set the tone early. After the 65 yard kickoff return gave the Giants the ball on the Eagles 35 yard line, holding the Giants to 3 was key. They gave up yards, but preventing too much damage with that field position was key.

Similarly, the Giants started the second half at midfield after a tipped McNabb pass was intercepted. They were held once again to a field goal, the last points of the game they would score.

Obviously, the big plays and the defining moments of the game were the two 4th down stops by the Eagles defense in the 4th, which all but sealed the win. You can't say enough about the job the interior of the defensive line. Bunkley was absolutely huge today.

The challenge by Coughlin was bizarre, to say the least. If you don't know for sure you're going to overturn the call on the field, you can't burn a timeout in that scenario. Crucial mistake, which didn't end up really coming back to bite him, but very well could have.

McNabb, after a rough first quarter, was money. The ending was a little odd. Not only did he make a mistake by running out of bounds, he compounds the mistake by his silly antics on the sideline resulting in a 15 yard penalty, which made it 3rd and 16 rather than 3rd and 1. That snafu aside, McNabb played a solid game in extremely difficult circumstances, which were made only worse by bad weather conditions and a lack of a running game.

Which brings me to our only major concern. Brian Westbrook isn't even close to himself, to the point where it becomes surprising when he makes a positive gain. The interior of the offensive line is also getting very little push, which combined to make our running game virtually non-existent.

In the span of 14 days the Eagles have miraculously made the playoffs, ended both the Cowboys and Giants seasons, and advanced to the NFC Championship game. At this point, we're playing with house money, with an extremely good hand.

Unfortunately, I think the Giants win in a close one. The Eagles haven't been able to stop Jacobs yet, and he looks close to 100%. Brian Westbrook obviously isn't, and I don't think he has a 200 yard from scrimmage performance in him. I think the Eagles can pass on the Giants secondary, and because of that they'll score points, but in a close game I think the Giants pull it out.

Hope I'm wrong, obviously.

Guard Shawn Andrews and Defensive End Victor Abiamiri were medically cleared to practice today and each participated, albeit in a limited fashion.

Andrews has not practiced since his week 2 injury. Andy Reid has stated he will not play this week, but has not ruled out hope that Andrews could participate later in the playoffs if the Eagles advance.

Abiamiri has missed the last two games with a Lis Franc sprain.

Both would be significant additions. Abiamiri would be a help against the run, which would be especially helpful should he be able to return this week. Andrews would solidify the middle of the Eagles offensive line, which has not done as good of a job run blocking since he's been out.

I'm not holding out hope Andrews returns this year, and even if he does, it would be unfair to expect him to be in full game shape. Abiamiri sounds more optimistic.

Source: PhiladelphiaEagles.com.

He was the only Eagles player to make it on either side of the ball.

Congrats to Stewart Bradley, who certainly had a great year and solidified the Eagles linebacking group.

Source: SI.com.

First half quick thoughts:

• Eagles defense seemed to do a real good job on first and second down, then gave up big runs and underneath passes. Need to do a better job getting off the field on 3rd down, obviously.
  
• Announcers made a point to point out how Eagles DB's are jumping routes and could be susceptible to double moves. I'm not sure Jackson is going to get enough time to make those passes.
  
• Running game, minus the one play by Buck, has been ineffective. The inside of that offensive line just isn't getting the job done.
  
• McNabb didn't have a pocket to step into in the beginning of the game. It got better as the half moved on. Getting time is going to be key. Vikings secondary can be beat deep.
  
• I have no idea why McNabb first that deep ball on 3rd and less than a yard. I can see trying to go deep thinking they're not expecting it, but you only throw that ball if Curtis has his man beat. Curtis was a step behind the defensive back for the entire route. Just a bad decision by McNabb.
  

Guess you have to be happy up 2 on the road at half time in the playoffs, but they're not playing particularly well, on either side of the ball.

Edit
I'm going to turn this into a running commentary post. I'll probably be a few minutes behind, as I like to DVR the game so I can go back and watch replays.

• [3rd qt] Huge play by Dawkins, that could have been even bigger if not for the ball bouncing right back to Tarvaris Jackson. You can see him aiming for the ball as he dives toward the quarterback. Just a great second half to the season.
  
• [3rd] Great play by McNabb buried deep in his own end. Not a whole lot there, and a strike to Avant (who I really like in those situations).
  
• [3rd] Nice drive by McNabb. When the tight ends in this offense are getting open over the middle, the passing game is much more fluid.
  
• [3rd] Another nice first down grab by Avant on third down to move the chains.
  
• [3rd] I don't really like the end around to DeSean. Sure, he's quick, and great in the open field, but he doesn't break tackles all that well.
  
• [3rd 4:00] There's just nothing there to run the ball. Westbrook's not healthy, and that's partly it, but the inconsistency in the running game all year is largely on the offensive line.
  
• [3rd 2:51] Outside of the big run, still doing a good job on Adrian Peterson. Big 3rd and 1 here. [Edit: they got him. Great stop.]
  
• [3rd 1:41] Another nice return by Jackson. Great job flipping field position. With the offense failing to sustain drives and the 4th quarter approaching, that's huge.
  
• [3rd 0:44] And just like that McNabb's stripped. Looking at the replays, there's no doubt that's a fumble. Huge turn of events. This defensive series could be the season.
  
• [4th 14:38] Huge 3 and out. Looked like there might have been some contact with Mikell, Eagles might have caught a break.
  
• [4th 14:38] Another huge break with the Vikings player going in the endzone and not establishing himself back in the field of play. Another questionable one as well IMO. Eagles need to start capitalizing on these breaks and make this a two score game.
  
• [4th 14:38] Play challenged, Vikings win challenge, ball at the 4. Last time the Eagles were in this position on their first series of the second half they got out near midfield and flipped field position. They're going to have to do that again here, both to prevent the Vikings from getting great field position and to eat some time off the clock.
  
• [4th 13:20] Another huge first down by Avant. Just huge catches and first down conversions. Now with 5 catches for 46 yards.
  
• [4th 12:40] McNabb's been fairly accurate today. Outside of that interception at the end of the first half, I can't fault him for the offenses' struggles.
  
• [4th 11:45] Curtis gets wide open on an in route, and McNabb with another strike. McNabb's 7-9 for 77 yards this half, and the offense is again near midfield.
  
• [4th 11:10] Again, no room for Westbrook to run. A fully-healthy Westbrook might be able to bounce a few of these, but overall, the holes just aren't there and there's far too much penetration.
  
• [4th 9:18] McNabb hit as he throws, ball pops up. Baskett had the chance to come down with it, but bobbles it and the ball falls incomplete. Nice punt by Sav that goes out of bounds inside the 20.
  
• [4th 7:13] False start by Bernard Berrian. Always cracks me up when a receiver false starts. Should never happen, they're going on movement. Sheldon Brown drops an easy pick, but it's now 3rd and long. Eagles bring the blitz, incomplete pass by Tarvaris Jackson, which brings on the punting unit. Short punt, Eagles get the ball on their own 20. It seems this half the Eagles move the ball when they get bad field position, and go 3 and out when they get good field position. Let's hope that doesn't hold true here.
  
• [4th 6:37] After being held in check all day, Westbrook takes a screen and goes 71 yards for the touchdown. That might be all the room this Eagles defense needs, which has been stout in the second half. They finally got Westbrook out in the open field.
  
• [4th 6:37] Fox just showed this. Westbrook truly does setup his blockers as well as any back in the NFL. Part of why he's so great in space is speed (when healthy), but it's also running ability, and setting up your blocks is a big part of that.
  
• [4th 6:24] Dawkins with a tip and a near interception. A deep pass by Jackson, and another 3 and out by the Vikings. A good, sustained, time eating drive could be the nail on the coffin.
  
• [4th 3:41] Sav with another great punt inside the 15. Vikings need two scores in under 4 minutes and have a long field to do it on.
  
• [4th 3:29] Eagles get a 3 and out, but a personal foul on Akeem Jordan gives the Vikings a first down and life (for the time being at least).
  
• [4th 3:13] Tarvaris Jackson gets flushed from the pocket and picks up a first down with his feet. Vikings now with life down by midfield.
  
• [4th 2:49] A bad snap on the next play recovered by the Eagles should seal the win. Eagles up 9 with the ball, 2:49 to play.
  
• [4th 2:34] Beautiful touch pass off a player action to Celek for a first down. Minnesota now using their final timeout. Another first down and the Eagles should be able to run out the clock.
  
• [4th 2:00] Eagles fail to convert on 3rd down,Akers with another field goal, Vikings will get the ball back down 12 with one more chance.
  
• [4th 0:58] Announcers are now giving the requisite complements to the team about to be bounced from the playoffs. At this point, barring a miracle, it's all wrapped up.
  
• [4th 0:44] Dawkins nearly gets an INT. Would have been a fitting conclusion to the game. Dawkins with a forced fumble, another near forced fumble, and two near INT's. He was all over the field again.
  
• [4th 0:00] And there you have it. Andy Reid now 7-0 in the first round of the playoffs, with a date @NY Giants next week. What a difference 8 days makes.
  

More to come later.

A member of the Eagles Front Office has candidly admitted to ESPN's Sal Paolantonio that they have no idea which Eagles team will show up on Sunday.

“We don’t know which team will show up [on Sunday at Minnesota]. We have no idea.”

This has been what's prevented me from jumping fully on board. As much fun as that Dallas game was, the Washington game is still close enough to be etched into my psyche. Let's hope the good team shows up today.