Eagles release Westbrook - Jeff McLane, Philly.com
Westbrook to finish as one of the Eagles' All-Time greats - PhiladelphiaEagles.com
Westbrook's All-Time Eagle Ranks - PhiladelphiaEagles.com
Brian Westbrook will be released - Kulp, The 700 Level
36-West taking a new road - Chris Shafer, Phinally Philly
Philadelphia Eagles release Brian Westbrook - JasonB, Bleeding Green Nation
Westbrook was always one of my favorite Eagles to watch, especially in his younger days. He was the most electrifying Eagles player in the franchise over the last decade, I believe, and that includes personalities like Terrell Owens and DeSean Jackson (although Jackson is quickly taking over the role). Overlooked by many in the NFL the Eagles struck gold with the Villanova product and the rest of the league soon found out what they had passed up on.
My favorite Westbrook memory will undoubtedly be the same as many of yours. The punt return against the New York Giants.
The Cowboys had little problem with the Eagles on both sides of the ball for a second straight week. Getty Images
Marion Barber and the Cowboys ran away with a victory against the Eagles. Getty Images
Illustration by Rob Tornoe. Source
Donovan McNabb and Brian Dawkins greet each other after the Eagles victory. Getty Images
As for Brian Dawkins, I was glad to see him back in Lincoln Financial Field. He was and still is one of my favorite Eagles of all time. Nobody can match the emotion he pours into every game in every situation. What he did last season was phenomenal and I still believe the team was wrong to let him leave town. But what's done is done. Dawkins is a Denver Bronco and as much as I hate seeing him in another team's colors you have to respect the player that he still is.From my Page-A-Day calendar e-mail...
The urban legend of Philadelphia sports fans booing Santa Claus is born today at Franklin Field as disgusted Eagles fans rain snowballs down upon Old St. Nick during halftime of their team’s final home game of the year (a 24-17 loss to Minnesota, completing a 2-12 season). The win clinches the NFL Central crown for the eight-year-old Vikings franchise, but the loss doesn’t even help the Eagles gain the forthcoming No. 1 draft pick (O.J. Simpson); they’ll end up with Leroy Keyes of Purdue. Vastly unpopular coach Joe Kuharich will be fired by new owner Leonard Tose, but the Eagles won’t have a winning season again until 1978 under Dick Vermeil.
My friends over at The 700 Level have more on this history lesson today as well.
Birds come up huge to outlast Giants - Bob Brookover, Philly.com
In a topsy-turvy battles, Eagles outlast Giants - Bob Ford, Philly.com
Back in First: Eagles take down Giants, 45-38 - Andy Schwartz, CSNPhilly.com
Eagles Notes: Celek demonstrates toughness - Andy Schwartz, CSNPhilly.com
Eagles defenders couldn't bring the Giants down - Jeff MacLane, Philly.com
DeSean Jackson following in Westbrook's foot steps - Marcus Hayes, Philly.com
What a game, what a game, what a game! I did not watch much football yesterday but made sure to watch every second of the Eagles-giants Sunday night football game, and was it ever worth it!
After jumping out to a 14-0 lead early in the first quarter it looked like the Eagles would romp in their final game in Giants Stadium. But the Eagles defense stunk.
Thankfully the Eagles have a guy by the name of DeSean Jackson, who was already the most entertaining athlete in Philadelphia by my count. Last night Jackson took the prime time national stage and put on a show with an incredible punt return that made Brian Westbrook's Giants Stadium punt return years ago look like nothing. Later Jackson backpedaled his way into the end-zone, just second after the Giants had fought back to take their first lead of the game.
Mike Vick was named a team captain for his long awaited return to the Georgia Dome. Getty Images
For a complete blow out road win for the Eagles, Sunday's game in Atlanta was worth watching just for the drama and story line following Mike Vick back to Atlanta. Andy Reid, always with a flair for the dramatic, named Vick as a team captain for the game and how did he respond?
The Redskins could not escape the impending
When the offense was driving with some of their best momentum all game Reid sent in Michael Vick for a play. The result? As is typical for Vick, a poor pass on the run that falls incomplete. Luckily for Reid and the Eagles, McNabb came back in and was able to keep the drive moving.
Grandpop wins $2.00Let's start by recapping what has happened lately as far as football related topics go with me...
New Examiner Role
As you probably know I have been covering Penn State football for Examiner this season, in addition to Nittany White Out. It has been a fun experience and I am grateful to have met so many people through the new connections. I hope to continue with those working relationships in the future and without that I do not think I could have landed a new role on the Examiner site.
I am not working on a national level for Examiner, covering the entire world of college football. If you wish to help me out or check out what I have to say I encourage you to stop by my new page and subscribe via e-mail or RSS reader of your choice!
Even though the regular season is winding down there are a number of great ideas in the works for the bowl season and off-season! I will continue to share some links to my articles from time to time here.
Football Pool Struggles
I had a particularly bad week in the football pool two weekends ago, scoring the lowest score of the year for people who actually play on a weekly basis. In addition I was knocked out of the suicide pool I was participating in when the Green Bay Packers dropped a game on the road against Tampa Bay. Ugh.
This past weekend I got out to a nice head start on the competition but the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals foiled me. I put big points on the Steelers, who lost, and not enough points on the Cardinals. I would have been in much better shape if the Cardinals had lost, so I was rooting for a wrong pick in that game.
In the process the margin between my running total and my dad continued to grow, which frustrates me immensely.
To make matters worse, I am off to a bad start this week, laying eight points on the Carolina Panthers in the Thursday night game, which the Dolphins won. Ouch!
This week I think it is about time to get Stef to make the picks.
Ok, let's fast forward and get back up to date...
Shippensburg vs. California
The D2 playoffs enter their second round this weekend and Shippensburg will host their second playoff game this decade. the game will be a rematch of the PSAC's State Game from a couple weeks ago as California returns to the scene of the crime, Seth Grove Stadium. I don't know how to read this game. Rematches are dangerous, and I still remember Ship beating West Chester in the final regular season game of 2004, only to lose two weeks later in the second round of the playoffs in Shippensburg.
Penn State @ Michigan State
So much riding on this game, and I'm not talking about the clunky Land Grant Trophy. If you have been keeping up with me you know that I think the BCS is a real possibility for Penn State, but I also think Michigan State stuns the Nittany Lions today. Call it a bad gut feeling.
Eagles at Bears
Who knows which Eagles team will show up this weekend? Is there another team with the ability to look like Super Bowl contenders one week and look like chumps another like the Eagles do? I still say that Donovan McNabb is a better quarterback than Jay Cutler though and have to think the Bears are done. Who knows.
Time to pick up the pace with my six pack of picks, which has been on a long hiatus!
Michigan State over Penn State
Or the Yankees or Ohio State...Fro
m my Page-a-Day Calendar e-mail...
November 6, 1966
In a bizarre game at Franklin Field, the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Dallas Cowboys, 24-23. The Eagles score all their points in the first half on three kick returns and a field goal, despite gaining only six yards from scrimmage the entire first half. Tim Brown becomes the first player in NFL history to run back two kickoffs in one game for touchdowns, running 93 yards the first time and 90 yards the second. Aaron Martin adds a 67-yard punt return TD and Sam Baker boots a 31-yard field goal to frustrate the Cowboys, who dominated play only to fail miserably on special teams.
The Eagles host the Cowboys on Sunday night. I would love to see DeSean Jackson one-up this performance.
UPDATE: The 700 Level informs me that today is also the anniversary of the release of The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, released on November 6, 1979. This movie of course has a role for Philadelphia 76er legend Julius Erving as Moses Guthrie.
Not a whole lot to get excited about this weekend for the local football fans. Penn State has a likely-blow-out-victory lined up while the Philadelphia Eagles return to the field against the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
I went 4-2 last week in my picks, losing two college picks. I am also still alive in the suicide pool. Hopefully I will have enough energy in me to keep up on the football this weekend because I will have late nights watching the Phillies this weekend.
Here is how I see this weekend playing out for six select teams.
Penn State is playing another FCS foe that the fans just do not want to see this weekend. The Panthers are best known for having Tony Romo as a former quarterback (Congrats Panthers fans!) and even though they have similar statistics to the Nittany Lions, there is no way Penn State loses this game.
Of course, I have more on this game over on Examiner today, so check it out.
That loud thud you heard was the sound of many jumping off the Ship band wagon last week. After an impressive start to the season the Red Raiders took a big hit last week in their first game in Long Island, New York since the early 1980's. C.W. Post brought Ship back down to Earth a little bit but Rocky's team looks to be a favorite against Kutztown this weekend. A win this week would set up a chance at a statement game next week against West Chester.
#4 LSU (5-0, 3-0 SEC) vs. Florida (4-0, 2-0)
Will Tim Tebow play or won't he? After suffering a concussion two weeks ago it is doubtful that the 2007 Heisman trophy winner, and all-around God to college football media, will see any action on the field in Baton Rouge Saturday night. Based on that assumption I am inclined to go with the Tigers at home to knock off the top ranked team in the country. A victory could vault LSU to the top of the college football world, unless Texas can fight off any flurry of first place votes going to LSU.
Donovan McNabb will return to the field this week as the Eagles but the truth is it won't matter who takes snaps on Sunday. The Bucs are just that bad. There is a reason I picked against hem in the suicide pool the first couple weeks of the season after all.
If you had the Bengals playing for first place in the fifth week of the season I would call you crazy, or an optimistic fan from Cincinnati. Either way, the dream of first place ends in Baltimore, home of one of the top defenses in the NFL and a quarterback on the rise in Joe Flacco.
Call me crazy, but is there any possibility the best team in the AFC from a year ago will go 0-5 to start the 2009 season? Well, yes there is. Still with the game being played at home I think Jeff Fisher is going to use everything he can to win this game, and the Colts are due for a loss, right? A loss for the Titans could spell the end of Kerry Collins as a starter too.
Philadelphia Eagles
I am not sure what kind of game Donovan McNabb will have and I am not sold that Jeremiah Trotter's return will have that much of an impact, but they are still in much better shape than Tampa Bay. The Bucs are a bad team, which is why I have picked against them twice in the suicide pool already. With the Eagles playing at home I see no reason to bet against them this weekend.
Let's get right to it, shall we?
Revenge is a dish that Penn State would like Iowa to taste. After being knocked out of the championship picture by Iowa last year all eyes have focused on this game for some time now. Iowa will not be easily shaken by the stadium-wide White Out in the prime time nationally televised game, so Daryll Clark will have to make some good passes. This is the Big Ten opener for both teams.
For more on this game check out my preview on Examiner. I am going with Penn State.
The Red Raiders are coming off a dominating win against East Stroudsburg and have made a bit of a statement to the rest of the PSAC East. After taking down Edinboro a couple weeks ago, Shippensburg has set themselves up for a nice little run leading up to the Homecoming game against West Chester. The Marauders have been weak this season and do not figure to put up much of a fight. This game will be played at 7pm though and Shippensburg has traditionally had problems in night games.
Still, I find it hard to go against Shippensburg this week.
#11 Virginia Tech (2-1) vs. #9 Miami (2-0)
Is Miami for real? After the first couple games of their season it would seem so. But this week will be a tough task for the Hurricanes. Can they go in to Blacksburg, Virginia and take down the team that was proclaimed to be the top team in the ACC, Virginia Tech? They seem to have the offense to do so, but it is tough for teams to win on the road against the Hokies.
I initially felt I should pick Virginia Tech, but I am going to go with Miami, which would set up a terrific game next week against Oklahoma.
Mike Vick will be back in action in an NFL game, but the Eagles will still go with Kevin Kolb as the starter. Truth is, it should not matter who is taking snaps for the Eagles this weekend when the Kansas City Chiefs come to town.
How much of an impact can Larry Johnson have? If he can get going can he cause as much of a problem for the Eagles defense as he once could?
Both teams enter this game 2-0 with some interesting story lines following them. We all know about the Brett Favre soap opera, and it has gone well for the Vikings thus far. The Niners are still without their top draft pick, Michael Crabtree (who clearly has an agent without a clue). I am not ready to say the Niners are for real though. After all, they play in the NFC West.
Favre throws for a couple touchdowns and Adrian Peterson runs wild once again.
I like Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, being a local guy and all, but I find this weekend's game to be a tough one for the second year QB. The Patriots are coming off a bit of an embarrassing loss to the Jets last week and when was the last time Tom Brady and company lost two straight games? I do not know for sure but it has been at least three years (Brady missed the 2008 season and was undefeated in 2007).
Expect the Patriots to defend their home turf.
NFL SUICIDE PICK
New York Giants
Last week I picked the Buffalo Bills at home against...Tampa Bay.
Is it a coincidence that I feel most confident in saying that the New York Giants are going to win this week? They are playing on the road at...Tampa Bay.
A popular pick is to go with the Baltimore Ravens at home against the Cleveland Browns or the Green Bay Packers on the road at the St. Louis Rams.
I'll take my chances this week.
10-6Note: I am posting these picks a day early due to tomorrow being September 11 and having some special posts scheduled for tomorrow (and thus paying respect to the day) and the NFL season gets started tonight, even though I did not pick the game.
Ladies and gentlemen, the NFL hath returned to the area of competition.
This week the six pack of picks gets into full gear with three college games and three NFL games, plus a suicide pick. What is a suicide pick? Each week I will pick one NFL team to win their game and I will continue doing so on a weekly basis until I guess a game wrong. I must pick a different team from week to week and I may not pick a team more than once.
This should be a good one for the first official Football Friday here on the site.
Do you remember the last time Syracuse visited Penn State? Don't feel bad because I don't either. Syracuse makes their first trip to Beaver Stadium since 1990. Penn State won that meeting by a 27-21 score. Something tells me it will not be quite as close this time around.
I go into more detail on this game on my preview at Examiner, but I will say that I am picking the Nittany Lions.
The Red Raiders from the Cumberland Valley picked up a surprising win on the road last week against former PSAC West rival Edinboro. The Scots were ranked #15 in the country until Shippensburg picked up their first win of the season. This week Shippensburg should pick up an easy win as Lock Haven comes to town.
Lock Haven may want to make their trip to Shippensburg worth it and stop at the Sheetz on King Street before they leave. I recommend the sausage and egg shmuffin with cheddar cheese and pepperoni. Trust me.
It does not take a genius to realize that this is the game of the week in college football. Ohio State looks for revenge against the Trojans after being humiliated in Los Angeles a year ago. The Buckeyes have a lot to prove for themselves as well after last week's somewhat lackadaisical performance against Navy. The Trojans have the talent to show up and beat whoever they play wherever they play.
But I am on record as saying Ohio State wins this game and I will stand by that prediction, although I am not nearly as confident about it as I was two weeks ago.
I think the Eagles are going to have an explosive year on offense, but their defense remains a huge question mark for me. This week's season opener just does not have a good feeling for me either. The Eagles have traditionally been a poor opening day team under Andy Reid (except for the pickle juice game, last year's blow out of the Rams and a certain Eagles regular season debut for Terrell Owens), and the Panthers are always a tough team at home. I think my cousin Ben will be happy to know that I am picking his Panthers to start the season 1-0.
The greatest quarterback in the NFL not named Tom Brady (did you hear he is back this season) or Peyton Manning will lead the Texans to the playoffs this season. Matt Schaub (of West Chester East High School of course) will get the playoff journey off on the right foot with a season opening win against the Jets, who have USC alum Mark Sanchez at the helm. As a fan of Penn State football I want to see the Texans defense squash Sanchez.
Schaub will also throw for 400 yards, five touchdowns and run for another...before halftime.*
Both the Falcons and Dolphins were fun teams to watch have success last season, but this year only the Falcons will take a step forward. Matt Ryan will lead the Falcons back to the playoffs this year with an NFC South title in his back pocket while the Dolphins will try to expand on the success of the Wildcat formation until they overuse it and opposing teams realize how to stop it.
The Falcons, right now, are just a better team than the Dolphins, and that thought will be tested on Sunday. Falcons win.
NFL SUICIDE PICK
Dallas Cowboys
* I fully acknowledge that wild predictions like that ruin any form of credibility, but Schaub can do that to you.
Remember this commercial? You know it was pretty cool when it debuted.
Michael Vick, and the Eagles, ran away with the
Not long ago Cliff Lee was the hottest name in Philly sports.
There is already an angry jury against Vick in Philadelphia
From a football sense, adding Vick to the Eagles brings some
Donovan McNabb is backing Michael Vick as he joins the Eagles
With training camp just a few mere weeks away up in Lehigh it is time to get the juices flowing. So the time to start thinking about which players you are most interested in seeing is now. Below are the five Eagles that I am most looking forward to watching when camp starts.
LeSean McCoy, running back
With the uncertain status of Brian Westbrook as camp draws near, the rookie McCoy figures to see a lot more playing time in camp and in the pre-season. What McCoy brings to the table is a swift running back with the ability to dodge tackles and find the end zone. A stand out at Pitt, McCoy can do a lot of the same types of things that Westbrook can do. If Westbrook should go down at any point then McCoy could be the first back up, as he should be.
It has been a long time since the last time the Eagles had a full fledged fullback that brings the kind of game that Weaver is expected to have. If Eagles fans had been clamoring for a return to a physical game, the acquisition of Weaver may be a sign of good things to come.
The 6'-0" 250 pound fullback will not only provide some quality blocking in the backfield for Donovan McNabb, but he can also pound out some much needed short yardage.
Victor Abiamiri, defensive end
Call it a gut feeling, but I think that Abiamiri may have as quiet a break out season as there is. Entering his third season Abiamiri finds himself sitting behind Juqua Parker at left defensive end as training camp opens up. But a good pre-season could help him see more time in the rotation at the position. The former second round pick out of Notre Dame recorded just 22 tackles in 2008, but I have high hopes for him this season.
Omar Gaither, linebacker
When camp commences at Lehigh the logic seems to be that Gaither will remain second at his position behind Akeem Jordan. I am hoping that means that Gaither comes in motivated and fired up to retake the starting job. Will he do it? Only time will tell.
If Gaither comes in poised to prove he is worthy of being a starter though it should make for an interesting training camp battle in the hot days of summer. I expect that to result in some good hard hits from the linebackers.
Perhaps this is a cop-out but with the events of the off-season I am expecting McNabb to come out with a new enthusiasm for the game. After losing in the NFC Championship game McNabb made it clear that he wanted the team to make some significant moves.
The Eagles did just that in replacing aging veterans on the offensive line with a Pro-Bowl caliber lineman and a massive body on the other side. In the draft the Eagles picked up McCoy and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. While Maclin may not be ready to make an immediate impact out of the huddle, he can spark things with a good kick return. Add in the return of Westbrook and the steady crop of receivers, including flashy DeSean Jackson, and there are reasons to be optimistic and excited.
There you have it, the five Eagles players I am most looking forward to checking out at training camp. Who are your five players on your must-see list? Go ahead and leave your thoughts in the comments field.
Read more...
© Blogger template On The Road by Ourblogtemplates.com 2009, modified by Kevin McGuire.
Back to TOP
