Slow Start? No Way

As we near the beginning of the Eagles 2011 season, many fans and experts seem to be coming to a general consensus that the Eagles may start slow due to the multitude of new players and personell.  Under normal circumstances, there probably wouldn't be much anxiety over the surplus of new personell because there is typically plenty of time to practice during OTA's, mini camps, and training camp to work things out.  But due to the lockout, Eagles coaches had little time to work with their new talent and get everybody on the same page, and many experts feel that the Eagles may have their hands full against the Rams come Sunday.

I know that the Eagles have a ton of new guys and I know the Eagles also have a completely new coaching staff.  I know that the Rams are an up and coming team lead by head coach Steve Spagnuolo and quarterback Sam Bradford.  But I also know the amount of talent on this team and I feel there is no way they lose to the Rams on Sunday.  Mike Vick and this offense is chomping at the bit, desperate to show what they can do.  All through out pre season Vick was without his full arsenal.  Jackson wasn't playing at 100%, Smith and Maclin were hurt, and now with all of his weapons healthy, there is no stopping this offense.

I think too much emphasis is put on off season OTA's and mini camps.  While they are vital to a team's growth and development, the Eagles are still a professional team and have done things through out training camp and pre season to adjust to a lack of off season activity.  Basically I don't envision this team having trouble getting out of the gate.  I think the Eagles are going to come out firing on all cylinders against the Rams and they are going to look like a Super Bowl caliber team.

Eagles analyst Ray Didinger stated earlier this week that the Eagles may run into some games especially early on that will leave you "scratching your head."  Didinger also added that he thinks the Eagles are capable of winning this division and that once they make the playoffs they will be "at their best."

As I stated before this seems to be the general consensus: slow start and strong finish.  It's a logical theory but not one that I foresee happening.  I think that Sunday is going to be a joke and the Eagles are going to leave us speechless as to how badly they destroy the Rams.  A bold prediction but something that can definitely happen.

Eagles Season Prediction

As the Eagles get set for their opener on Sunday, meaningful football will soon be upon us. I've heard a wide range of predictions from 9-7 to 13-3. I’m no expert, but here is my game by game prediction on how I feel the Eagles will do in the upcoming season.

Week 1: September 11th @ St. Louis
There will certainly be a media circus in St. Louis as the “Dream Team” takes the field for their first meaningful game. The Eagles will be able to put up as many points as they want against a Rams team that last year went 7-9. Defensively I think the Eagles will shut down the Rams as their only real weapon is Steven Jackson on the ground. Ultimately the Eagles win their opener easily and will head to Atlanta with a spotless 1-0 record.
Score: Eagles 34 Rams 6
Record:1-0

Week 2: September 18 @ Atlanta
After rolling over the Rams the Eagles will be faced with a little tougher of an opponent in the Atlanta Falcons in week 2. For Michael Vick it will be a homecoming of sorts as he makes his return to Atlanta. Individually I think Vick is going to explode in this game and guide the Eagles to victory. As for the defense I think Matt Ryan is going to have a tough time dealing with the Eagles secondary and the Eagles will return to Philadelphia for the home opener undefeated.
Score: Eagles 27 Falcons 16
Record: 2-0

Week 3: September 25th vs New York Giants
With a spotless 2-0 record the Eagles will return home to take on division rival New York Giants. The Eagles are 5-0 in their last 5 games against the Giants and I expect that streak to continue in this early season battle. The Giants are a team on the downturn and have lost Steve Smith and one of their best defenders Osi Yumenyiora is out with a knee injury. I expect the Eagles to beat the Giants in a somewhat close game as the Giants will come out hungry after last year’s embarrassing Miracle In The Meadowlands II defeat.
Score: Eagles 20 Giants 13
Record: 3-0

Week 4: October 2nd vs San Francisco
The 49ers will come to town next and I think this will be a closer game than most people would like to think. I think that new 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is going to get his guys together and give the Eagles a close game. I’ll give the edge to the Eagles simply because I think that they are the better team and because they are home.
Score: Eagles 38 49ers 34
Record: 4-0

Week 5: October 9th @ Buffalo
Who did the Bills add this off season? The Bills are a subpar team and didn’t do very much to improve their team so I think the Eagles pick up an easy road victory after their quick 2 game homestand. The Eagles will roll in this game no problem and remain undefeated.
Score: Eagles 31 Buffalo 10
Record: 5-0

Week 6: October 16th @ Washington
In their final game before the bye the Eagles will play their second division game, this time against the Washington Redskins. I expect the Eagles to go into the bye on a high note and take care of business on the road against the Skins. Similar to last season’s primetime route against Washington, the Eagles will cruise to another easy victory.
Score: Eagles 45 Washington 16
Record: 6-0

Week 7: October 23rd BYE

Week 8: October 30th vs Dallas
After a week off, I think Andy Reid is going to continue his undefeated streak in games coming off the bye. At home against the Cowboys in a primetime game, Andy, Vick, and the Birds are going to get it done in a big way and not let stinking Dallas ruin their undefeated streak.
Score: Eagles 37 Dallas 16
Record: 7-0

Week 9: November 7th vs Chicago
Sadly I think the Eagles undefeated streak ends in this Monday night game to the Chicago Bears. The Bears stingy defense always seems to stump Andy Reid, and although they are at home I think the Birds lose this close game. I think the Bears will send different blitz packages at Vick and the offense will struggle to respond. The Bears also have a pretty solid run game with and with the Eagles uncertainty at linebacker I think the Bears prevail.
Score: Chicago 27 Eagles 16
Record: 7-1

Week 10: November 13th vs Arizona
In the final game of the 3 game homestand, Kevin Kolb will make his return to Philadelphia. Coming off a Monday night loss to the Bears I think the Eagles will respond in a big way against Kolb and the Cardinals. Ultimately the Eagles prevail as the greater bird and get back to their winning ways.
Score: Eagles 27 Arizona 10
Record:8-1

Week 11: November 20th @ New York Giants
Coming into this game the Eagles will be 6-0 in their last 6 games against the Giants. I think the Eagles lose this road game as ultimately the Giants will be ready to put an end to that streak. The Giants will use their running game to beat the Eagles and I think Vick won’t be at his best and the Eagles lose a close one.
Score: New York 23 Eagles 17
Record: 8-2

Week 12: November 27th vs New England
Even though the Eagles are at home and coming off a loss, I think they lose this game to the Patriots. Bill Belichek always seems to have Andy’s number and I just think the Patriots will be too much for the Eagles to handle. Sadly the Eagles will lose 2 consecutive games for the first time all year and fall to 8-3.
Score: New England 21 Eagles 13
Record: 8-3

Week 13: December 1st @ Seattle
After losing two consecutive games it will be gut check time for the Birds. They will be 8-3 and the playoffs will be in their sights but they have to continue to play hard. In this game coming off a loss and a short week, I expect the Eagles to bounce back against the Seahawks. Seattle will most likely be battling for a playoff spot so I expect them to give the Birds quite a close game.
Score: Eagles 24 Seattle 20
Record: 9-3

Week 14: December 11th @ Miami
The Eagles will continue their winning ways and take care of business in Miami. Not only do I expect the Eagles to win but I also predict they will clinch the NFC East title this week as I think the rest of the division will be so bad. The Eagles will win big and fly back to Philadelphia with the division crown in their hands.
Score: Eagles 48 Miami 23
Record: 10-3

Week 15: December 18th vs New York Jets
Returning home the Eagles will add to their winning streak and beat Rex Ryan and the Jets. I expect this to be a close game but I don’t think either team will do a whole lot offensively. It will be a close low coring game and the Eagles will win it in the final minutes.
Score: Eagles 17 New York Jets 13
Record: 11-3

Week 16: December 24th @ Dallas
On this Christmas Eve game the Eagles will provide Philadelphia with an early Christmas gift. The Eagles will roll over the Cowboys and sweep them in the season series. At 12-3, the Eagles will be right in the mix for home field advantage and will most likely be able to sit most of their starters in the final week.
Score: Eagles 35 Dallas 14
Record: 12-3

Week 17: January 1st vs Washington
I think this will be a take it easy week for the Birds and they will sit Vick, Jackson, McCoy and just about all the starters. Even if the Eagles are in contention for home field Andy still might elect to give his starters the week off to rest up for the playoffs.
Score: Washington 24 Eagles 10
Final Record: 12-4, First Place NFC East, First Place NFC

Overall I based my predictions mostly on what teams did last year. Keep in mind that this article is entirely my opinion and was made after viewing just 2 preseason games. A lot can and probably will happen between now and the regular season and a lot of things could change the outcome of my prediction. Feel free to comment and leave your own prediction on how you think the Eagles will do this season.

Eagles Fantasy Fix: Week 1

In our first installment of Eagles Fantasy Fix, I’m predicting big things for the main Eagles offensive weapons. The Rams are not a great defensive team and I think the Birds are going to put up a lot of points which translates into an abundance of fantasy points.  I've broken my Eagles fantasy predictions into start em' and bench em'.

 Start Em’

 Mike Vick: According to ESPN’s fantasy database, the Rams were 13th against opposing quarterbacks last year allowing an average of 12.9 points to QB’s. While those aren't terrible numbers, Vick averaged 18.8 points per game last year so something has to give. The Rams are decent against quarterbacks, but Vick is in a league by himself. I think Vick goes 20/27 for 200 yards and 3 TD’s. Vick will have Jeremy Maclin and Desean to throw to as well as Lesean Mccoy and Ronnie Brown. On the ground I think Vick scrambles for 50 yards adding up to 25 total fantasy points based on ESPN standard scoring. Start Vick, you won’t be sorry.

 Desean Jackson: Even though he’s on my fantasy team, I know that D-Jack is a huge risk. He can have a great game and put up 30 points one week, and the next game barely do anything and only put up 1 or 2 points. But last year the Rams ranked 20th in pass defense allowing 20.7 points to opposing receivers. I think D-Jack is going to have a big game tallying 80 yards and a touch good enough for 14 fantasy points.

 Lesean Mccoy: I’m predicting a huge game from Shady. Spagnuolo is sure to bring the blitz so Vick is going to rely heavily on quick passes to combat the pressure. Last year the Rams ranked 14 against running backs allowing 15.5 ppg. I think Shady has 90 yards rushing and a touch to go along with 70 receiving yards for a total of 22 points.

 Alex Henery: Since the Birds are going to be scoring at will, rookie kicker will sure to get a ton of opportunities for extra points. If he’s on your team start him as he could get 5-6 points in extra points alone.

Bench Em’ 

 Jeremy Maclin: I love J-Mac but he didn’t play in any pre season games and I just see him being a non-factor in this game. Although he has experience with Vick, they didn’t get much practice in during the off season and their timing could be off. I think Maclin notches together 30 yards receiving and possibly catches a touch down. But it’s too risky so for week 1 I say bench J-Mac.

 Eagles D/ST: While I think the Birds will be able to contain the Rams offense, I wasn’t thrilled with what I saw from them during the pre-season. Overall the Birds are too risky for me to start at this point.

 Brent Celek: With O-line question marks, Celek may be called upon to a blocking role which translates into no fantasy points. Bench Celek in week 1 and find out how the Eagles use him before you make him your starting tight end.

NFC East Breakdown: Giants & Cowboys

Up next in our NFC East Breakdown are the New York Giants.  Last year the Eagles swept the season series against the G-Men and will look to do the same again this year.

One of the biggest blows the Giants suffered during the past off season was the loss of Steve Smith to the Eagles.  Smith was a favorite target for Eli Manning and this year Manning will be left with only Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks to throw to.  On the ground the Giants feautre a great running game with  Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.  The Giants are a team that can pound the ball on the ground but overall are not going to put up a ton of points every week.

Defensively the Giants have some glaring holes especially up front on the defensive line.  The Giants usually bolster a strong defensive front but with Umenyiora out due to injury, the D-Line may be a weakness at least in the the early going.

I think the Giants finish 8-8 and second in the NFC East.  Tom Coughlin is another great coach in this division and they will be competitive all year.

Led by newly appointed head coach Jason Garret, the Cowgirls will look to rebound after a disappointing 2010 campaign.

Last year the Cowboys were supposed to be the first team to ever host a Super Bowl in their own stadium.  But after the Boys got off to a rough start, and after Romo went down, they quickly became the laughing stock of the NFC East and fired head coach Wade Phillips.

This year, even with a new head coach, the Cowboys don't look that much better.  They have problems in their secondary, and I'm personally not a believer in Tony Romo.  With no real offensive weapons Romo is worthless and I think the Cowboys are going to have offensive problems all year.

I feel the Cowboys are a rebuilding team and I think they finish 6-10 and last in the NFC East.  Sorry Jerry Jones, but your team is not that good.

The Eagles definitely have the talent to sweep through the NFC East but something tells me they will go 5-1.  This division which is usually so strong looks so weak this year and I think the Birds will be able to coast through all their division match-ups.  

Hometown Over Fantasy Team

With fantasy football rapidly growing in popularity, I feel that some pressing issues in terms of fantasy over hometown team need to be addressed. The debate over whether or not you should draft someone who is a member of a team that you hate has long been discussed and drawn out on various sports radio and tv programs. Here are my feelings on the subject.

 Imagine this scenario. You’re constructing your perfect fantasy team. In the first round you drafted a premier running back, in the second you snagged a top notch receiver, and in the third round you got the steal of the draft by drafting another quality running back that everyone seemed to forget about.

 But when the fourth round rolls around you know that you desperately need a quarterback. But Mike Vick, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning are long gone. Your eyes slowly glance to the top of your computer screen and Tony Romo’s big goofy face is smiling back at you.

 Here is the moment of truth: do you take him? After years of bleeding green, appointed by your friends and family as an absolute Eagle nut, do you go against every insticnt in your body and draft a Cowboy for the sake of your fantasy team? Personally I say no. For the sake of my argument I have constructed a very intense fantasy situation for you to consider.

 It’s the final week of the regular season and you’re in the championship game going up against one of your buddies. All of his guys have played and they managed to put up 100 points. You have 80 points and have one guy remaining left to play: Tony Romo. On any given Sunday, Romo is good for 20 plus points. Only problem is the Boys are playing your beloved Birds who absolutely need a victory in order to clinch a playoff spot.

 So I ask you this simple question: in the final week of the regular season, will you be rooting for your beloved Eagles so that clinch a playoff spot, reach the promised land, and finally bring a Super Bowl trophy down Broad Street? Or will you be rooting for the Boys and Romo so that you can win your fantasy league and earn a couple bucks off your friends?

 For me it’s hometown team over fantasy team every time. Don’t give me the “well I hope Romo throws for 5 touchdowns but the Eagles win” excuse. Nope, don’t give me that. That is extremely luke warm and soft. You either root for your team or you don’t, there is no gray area. And for this year, if you are even considering drafting Tony Romo or Eli Manning for your fantasy team, then I think you need to stop, and reevaluate your standing as a sports fan in this city. I

f you must draft a player from a division rival, I feel that it is your obligation to sit them when they play the Eagles. Never put your fantasy team over your hometown team. It is a very serious violation and you will lose every time. Because in my mind you either bleed green, or you don’t bleed at all.

NFC East Breakdown: Redskins

Since Mike Shanahan has taken over as Redskins head coach, the Skins have gone through a massive makeover. According to csnwashington.com, only 15 pre-Shanahan era Redskins remain. Since taking over after the 2009 season, Shanahan has brought in new players.

 In my opinion Shanahan can bring all the guys he wants but it doesn’t guarantee success. Last year the Skins went 6-10 and struggled to find consistency at the quarterback position. In week 15 last season, Shanahan elected to start Rex Grossman over former Eagle Donovan McNabb. Grossman started and played in the last 3 games for the Skins as they finished at 6-10.

 This year all signs point to John Beck being the starter. Beck has only played in one NFL season and is very unproven. And aside from Chris Cooley, the Redskins don’t feature any real offensive weapons. Ryan Torrain is an up and coming running back and pairing him up with newly acquired Tim Hightower should give the Skins a decent ground game. Shanahan always produced great running backs in Denver and by acquiring Hightower he is clearly looking to do the same.  But the Skins receiving corps is laughable at best led by Jabar Gaffney and Santanna Moss. Defensively the Skins need help.

 Their defensive line is a joke which is going to lead to problems through out the rest of the defense. Their linebackers led by London Fletcher and their secondary led by Deangelo Hall are pretty solid. But if you can’t get pressure on the quarterback you’re going to lose. 

I think the Redskins go 7-9 this season. Shanahan will surely lead them in the right direction but it’s going to take some time. Led by their ground attack, I think the Skins finish third in the NFC East.

Phillies Eagles Rivalry?

The Phillies get Hunter Pence to gear themselves for a World Series run and in return the Eagles have one of their biggest free agent signings in their history to make a run at the Super Bowl.

Was it a coincidence that both teams improved at the same time? Or is their truth to the theory that there is an Eagles Phillies rivalry?

It makes sense considering the fact that the Phillies are the only team to bring Philadelphia a championship in the last 28 years. The Eagles may feel that the Phillies are taking up all the attention in the sports spotlight in this city, and their big free agency could have been an answer to the Phillies recent success.

While I don’t think either team wishes bad on the other, I do feel that the Phillies and Eagles push each other to do better. The same is true for the Flyers who are also an elite franchise in this city and also try and compete for the attention of Philadelphia sports fans. During the past off season they completely restructured their team in hopes of winning a Stanley Cup. Each team pushes the other to succeed which is just one of the advantages of living in a city with 4 professional sports teams.

I think it’s silly to argue that this is a hockey, baseball, or football town. This is a winning town, and who ever brings this city the most championships will earn the most respect and attention. Right now it is fun to watch as the Phillies and Eagles in particular push each other to bring this city another parade. I think the Phillies have a very good chance of winning the World Series this year and the Eagles are finally ready to capture their first Super Bowl title.

Eagles Fantasy Fix

For the 2011 football season, each week I will be going through the Eagles main offensive players and informing you of who I think you should play and possibly bench for your fantasy teams.

 Mike Vick, Lesean McCoy, Desean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Steve Smith, and Ronnie Brown are just some of the guys I will be discussing in my Fantasy Fix postings.

 And if you were lucky enough to draft the Eagles defense/special teams in any of your leagues, I will also tell you if I think it’s a good idea to play or bench the Birds in any particular week.

 Even if you’re not participating in a fantasy football league, I think it’s still fun to read about and predict who will have a big week and who will not be as productive.

 On my main fantasy team, I drafted Mike Vick with my first round pick (8th overall) and I selected Desean Jackson in the 3rd round (28th overall). Even though they are on my team, I will try to remain unbiased in my postings and give you clear and accurate predictions as to how I think they will do. And being a huge Eagles fan I will also have to remain unbiased towards the team I love and give fair predictions for all the players.

 Right off the bat I would just like to say that unless injured, Mike Vick is an automatic start every week. Vick has the ability to put up 50 points (in a standard ESPN league), and with that potential if Vick is on your team you have to start him no matter what. With that in mind, every week I will just try to predict how effective I feel number 7 will be. As for all the other guys there may be times during the regular season where I may advise to sit McCoy, Jackson, or Maclin. Just be advised that I’m no fantasy expert, and please don’t blame me if your team is in the basement of your league.

 Last year I was able to make it all the way to the final four of my league and I’m hoping for continued success this year. Stay updated to the blog for Eagles Fantasy Fix: Week 1, which I should have up by Thursday.

Phillies Roll Into September

I have to be honest, it has been a very long time since we have done an update on the Phillies.  With all the hype and excitement surrounding the Eagles and Mike Vick, I've definitely gotten a little side tracked and have regrettably put the Phillies on the back burner.  But even without my full attention, the Phillies have continued to play great baseball.

After the weird weekend in Philadelphia in which the Phils' series against the Marlins was cut short due to the hurricane, the Phils headed out to Cincinnati on Monday.

The Phils completely took care of business against the Reds, 4 game sweeping them behind solid pitching performances from Hamels, Halladay, Lee, and Vance Worley.  The offense also did it's job as Shane Victorino, Ryan Howard, Hunter Pence, Michael Martinez, and Roy Halladay led the way.  That's right Halladay had a key bases clearing double on Tuesday to help out his cause.  Ryan Howard really came alive as expected as late August and September is usually his time to shine.  

Overall it was a great series win for the Phillies.  They now have a comfortable 7.5 game lead over the Braves in the NL East and have a 16 game lead in the Wild Card standings [not that they will need it].

The key for the Phillies now is to not take their foot off the gas.  Even though the end is clearly in their sights, they have to remain persistent and keep battling and winning series after series.

The Phils remain baseball's best team, and tonight will head down to Florida to take on the Marlins in a three game series.  Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, and Roy Halladay will all start this weekend.

Who Will Be Captain?

When the Flyers traded Mike Richards a few months ago, they not only traded one of their top offensive threats but they traded their captain and leader as well.  With the vacant captain position, the Flyers will need to fill it with a guy who can be leader not only this year but years to come.  There have been a ton of names suggested as to who the next captain will be.  Here are my thoughts on possible candidates and ultimately who I feel will get the C.

Chris Pronger Prongs is listed first primarily because even when Richards was the official captain, Pronger was still a veteran leader in the locker room.  Pronger lays down a strict law and doesn't tolerate any crap.  He would be a great candidate for the C because he has experience, he has won the cup, and when he says something people listen.  The only downside to Pronger is that last year he was extremely injury prone and missed a ton of time.  If the Flyers do elect to give the C to Prongs, it could be risky as he may be out with injuries at times during the season.

Danny Briere I hadn't though of Briere as a possible captain until a few days ago.  According to a csnphilly article, Briere was calling the shots and helping to lead a practice.  It makes sense as Briere is a respected member of this team and is relatively young.  Briere could be an excellent choice for captain.

Kimmo Timonen Timonen is another defender that could possibly be chosen as captain.  He has experience as assistant captain and is respected by the entire team.  Timonen has stayed extremely healthy during his four years with the Flyers so he definitely has that advantage over Prongs.

Claude Giroux/JVR While I don't think either of these guys will get the C, I thought I had to at least mention them as they are the future of the team.  Giroux would be a smarter pick over JVR but I still don't see either of them getting the nod.

Ultimately I think you have to give the C to Chris Pronger.  According to Danny Briere in an interview with Tim Pinaccio, Pronger was the "de facto captain" last year even with Richards around.  Prongs has won the Stanley Cup, has years of experience, and ultimately he won't put up with any crap.  If he feels that someone is not giving 100% or he doesn't like the way something is going, he is going to voice his opinion and put an end to it.  Even if the Flyers elect to give someone else like Briere the captain position, Pronger is and always will be the main leader of this team.