It is a moment that will never be forgotten by any Philadelphia Eagles fan, and it has now been voted the best play in NFL history on NFL.com.
Picture it: a game against the hated New York Giants, on their home turf, and the Birds were being beaten. Badly. On that December day in 2010, with 8 minutes in the game remaining, the Eagles trailed the Giants by a score of 31-10. Stick a fork in ‘em — these Birds were done. Even the most die-hard fans knew the game couldn’t be salvaged and were waiting for the misery to end.
But then everything changed. Fans, who a moment before had been squinting at the game in pain, were treated to what has become known as a miracle. It was another Miracle at the Meadowlands.
The final moment that capped off that miracle — a stunning 65-yard punt return by none other than DeSean Jackson with 14 seconds left in the game – has now been voted the greatest play in NFL history. With that moment, the Eagles completed a 28-point comeback that enabled them to beat Big Blue 38-31.
Voting was based on 64 plays, based on NFL.com’s own version of March Madness, until a winner was proclaimed.
Like any vote, the winning play was met with controversy, but the fans have spoken.
I’m sure it’s a moment Giants fans won’t soon forget, either. Thanks so much for that little gift, Matt Dodge.
Let’s face it — there is no way you can hear that play referenced without wanting to watch it. So watch it again and again below.
Go Eagles!
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We’re in the depths of the long football offseason, but lo! A slight vision of hope on the horizon. The release of the Philadelphia Eagles preseason schedule. Kinda sorta.
It’s something, right?
The exact dates and times are not yet fixed, but in the first preseason under head coach Chip Kelly, the Birds’ schedule will be as follows:
August 8 – 11: vs. New England
August 15 – 19: vs. Carolina
August 22 – 25: at Jacksonville
August 29-30: at New York Jets
While the preseason is typically not greeted by the most excitement, under a new regime it will provide important insights into what Kelly’s plans are for Philadelphia for the regular season, including how the quarterback situation is shaping up at that time.
So. You ready? Just four months to go.
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Will Jason Peters return to his former glory? (Image via Rittenhoused)
The demise of the 2012 Philadelphia Eagles offensive line began before the season even started. It all started when Pro Bowl tackle Jason Peters suffered an injury to his Achilles — two times. That seemed to set the tone for the line for the year, with injuries to Jason Kelce and Todd Herremans befalling the o-line as the season progressed.
As the Eagles go through the earliest part of their offseason program under new coach Chip Kelly and Peters returns to work, the question of the tackle’s status following a year of rehab for his injury looms large. Returning to a player’s previous ability level following an Achilles injury is a challenge, but it’s one that Peters plans to meet.
While participating in voluntary workouts with Philadelphia teammates at the NovaCare Peters proclaimed, “I’m 100 percent” and, according to Peters, he has been for quite some time.
“I was going to come back last year, but it was a bad season. I could have (played), but I didn’t want to risk it with a losing season. And the coaches kind of held me back a little bit.”
Peters is not satisfied simply to have recovered from the injury. If he is not back at the level of play of his 2011 Pro Bowl season, he’s not taking the field.
“I’m not going to get out there if I couldn’t be back to where I was before I got hurt.”
The coaching staff will start to get a read on Peters’ post-recovery performance at the Eagles’ first minicamp on April 16. With the increased tempo anticipated from Kelly’s practices, Peters is planning to get down to 320 from his playing weight of 340 in 2011 so he can be lighter on his feet and prepared for “whatever the coaches throw at us.”
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The Philadelphia Eagles continued to make moves to shore up their new defense by acquiring DE Clifton Geathers from the Colts on Thursday in a trade, giving up fullback Stanley Havili.
Geathers’ (6-7, 325) collegiate career
Clifton Geathers
was spent at the University of South Carolina, where he played in 36 games and finished with 72 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, 6 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. He was a sixth-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2010. Since that time, he has spent time in the NFL with Cleveland, Miami, Seattle, Dallas and Indy. The 25-year old Geathers has appeared in 15 total games during his three years of playing professional football. He played in eight games for Indianapolis in 2012, recording five tackles and a sack. Geathers will bring his run-stopping skills to Philadelphia’s new 3-4 defensive front.
Havili is in his second year in the NFL. With Philadelphia acquiring fullback/tight end James Casey and retaining Emil Igwenagu, the Birds have options to fill the fullback role typically featured in head coach Chip Kelly’s offenses.
Tapp moves South
DE Daryl Tapp, a member of the Philadelphia Eagles for the past three years, is now a member of the NFC East rival Washington Redskins. Tapp signed a one-year deal with the team. Prior to his time with the Eagles, Tapp spent four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. Tapp played in 13 games for the Eagles in 2012, accumulating 17 tackles in 257 snaps.
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As March draws to a close, football’s focus turns increasingly to the upcoming 2013 NFL draft, which is exactly one month away. The Philadelphia Eagles will get the spotlight early, selecting fourth due to their abysmal 4-12 2012 season. With the stakes so high, Philadelphia cannot afford to miss with their draft choice.
This year’s draft will be different from that of 2012, including the fact that the first and second choice picks are not known. In fact, there is not a clear consensus as to which prospect will be drafted first. There isn’t the killer crop of quarterbacks that we saw last year. But the draft is always a different animal from year to year. The Eagles need to make the most of the talent present in 2013 and choose wisely. So who might they choose?
There is a lot of buzz surrounding Alabama corner Dee Milliner (6’0, 201), particularly after the deficiencies of Philadelphia’s secondary in the past few seasons. The corner is known for a remarkable combination of athleticism and size. Milliner appears on Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft as the second-best overall player in the draft, saying
“Nnamdi Asomugha won’t be wearing an Eagles uniform in 2013, and in a division with Eli Manning, Tony Romo and Robert Griffin III, the Eagles can’t simply attempt to piece together the secondary. They need talent, and Milliner offers the best cornerback talent in the draft. Not a tough pick.”
Can the Birds get him?
Mike Mayock ranks 6’2, 311 pound Star Lotulelei of Utah as the top defensive end for a 3-4 system, which certainly has to make him of possible interest to the Birds, particularly after racking up 42 tackles, 11 for loss, 5 sacks in his senior year.
Chip Kelly is plenty familiar with 3-4 outside linebacker Dion Jordan (6’6, 248), also ranked as the top in his position in the draft. His height allows him to quickly cover a lot of ground and get to tight ends and slot receivers in the open field.
Philadelphia could also use some help on the offensive line, with Jason Peters and Jason Kelce coming off of ACL injuries and former first rounder Danny Watkins showing repeatedly that he cannot provide what the line needs. Texas A&M OT Luke Joeckel (6’6, 306) is considered by many to be the top overall talent in the draft. However, if he still around when the Eagles are on the clock it will be a pick that will be hard to refuse. If Joeckel is not available, perhaps the Birds will consider Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher (6’7, 306), who NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks describes as, “adding an athletic edge blocker with tremendous potential.”
Half of the fun of the draft is the anticipation. The waiting, the wondering, the storylines that may unfold leading up to draft day that may change a player’s standing. But the Eagles have got to hit their pick out of the park and pick up a player that will add immediate impact to team. Who will that player be? Only 31 days left to find out.
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Training camp will be set against a different backdrop this year when it is held in Philadelphia for the first time since 1943.
For the first time since 1943, when it was held at St. Joe’s University, the Philadelphia Eagles will hold their training camp in the city. As is the case with 20 other teams in the NFL, the Birds have decided to remain at their facilities at the NovaCare Complex in South Philadelphia, the team announced on Friday. Camp will feature a series of free, public practices at Lincoln Financial Field as well as private practices held at the NovaCare.
While the campus environment added to the fun, family feel at Lehigh, having camp held with easy access to the Broad Street Line will make the experience more accessible for many Eagles fans. And for some, simply more convenient.
While the Eagles organization enjoyed its time and relationship with Lehigh University, per the team’s release about the decision,
“efficient access to all the facilities at the NovaCare Complex – from the training room which is equipped with everything from a hydrotherapy pool and access to an MRI machine, weight rooms with state of the art equipment, an indoor practice venue, video and computer equipment that utilizes network infrastructure – has become a necessity for the team.”
According to a report on 6ABC, the news came as a complete surprise to businesses near Lehigh University, where camp has been held for the past 17 years. The change of location will impact their businesses but Eagles president Don Smolenski indicated that the team hopes to find ways to continue working with the community in Bethlehem.
“The Eagles and Lehigh University recognize that their long standing relationship is changing but not ending, and both parties have expressed a desire to explore community programs in the future.”
A schedule of the sessions open to the public will be released in the spring, with Smolenski indicating that the fan experience and interaction with the team offered at camp is a priority for the team. The Birds will look to provide similar experiences at the Linc.
Will you be more or less likely to head to the South Philly version Eagles training camp this summer?
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The Philadelphia Eagles’ woeful secondary was the biggest concern for the team heading in to free agency. With the release of Nnamdi Asomugha and the signing of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie by the Denver Broncos, the team’s starting corners of the past two seasons disappeared into the sunset in just a matter of days.
It soon became apparent that some of the biggest defensive backs available in free agency, like Darelle Revis and Dashon Goldson, would not be heading to town, and concerns began to increase. How were GM Howie Roseman and head coach Chip Kelly ever going to address the dire needs on the team’s defense? We’re trying to trust you, Chip, what is it that you have up your sleeve?
Tuesday brought five solid signings but with no “wow” factor. But that’s okay — we had enough of that in the shortened offseason of 2011, didn’t we? But then the Eagles went silent on Wednesday while the anticipation grew. Okay guys — what’s the plan here?
Then came Thursday and with it, sighs of relief. Philadelphia added three players — all to defense, and two of those to the secondary, bringing safety Kenny Phillips, cornerback Cary Williams and linebacker Connor Barwin to the City of Brotherly Love. All are players who didn’t break the bank but should add immediate improvements to the team’s defense.
Kenny Phillips. (Image via nj.com)
In a low-risk, high reward scenario, Philadelphia signed 26-year old safety Kenny Phillips(6-2, 217) to a one-year deal. The safety is quite familiar with the Eagles, as he comes from the division rival New York Giants. But we’ll try not to hold that against him. In his time with Big Blue’s secondary, Phillips totaled eight interceptions and 26 passes defensed, in addition to 263 total tackles. He was a first round draft pick for New York in 2008 out of the University of Miami. Phillips was a standout in the team’s 2011 championship season with career-high four interceptions and ranking fifth in tackles with 72.
The downside of Phillips is that he has a history of knee injuries. However, as pointed out by Roseman after the signing,
“It’s different looking at players that are 25, 26 coming off injuries than guys who are 31, 32.”
If he can stay healthy then Phillips can make a real impact for the Birds.
Welcome to Philadelphia, Cary Williams. (Image via Russell Street Report)
28 year-old CB Cary Williams (6-1, 190) comes to Philadelphia from the Super Bowl winning Ravens with a three-year, $17 million deal. With the Ravens, he started in all 16 regular season games and recorded four interceptions (as well as two in the postseason) with 17 passes defended and 67 tackles. Originally drafted by Tennessee in 2008, he joined Baltimore and 2009 and moved to the role of starter in 2011.
According to Pro Football Focus, Williams was targeted 102 times last year, the 10thmost of any corner in the league. He joins only three other players in the league to be targeted over 100 times in the 2011 and 2012 seasons (along with Sean Smith, Tim Jennings and Tramon Williams). And, prepare yourselves, Eagles fans: the man can tackle, missing only three last year.
Williams and Jeremy Maclin have enjoyed a loving relationship in the past, and I’m sure that that will continue (see below).
Ahem.
The Eagles expressed quite a lot of confidence in their move to sign linebacker Connor Barwin (6-4, 268), inking him to a six-year, $36 million deal ($8 million guaranteed). Barwin comes to the Birds from the Texans, where he recorded 109 tackles, 19 sacks, two fumble recoveries and 16 passes defensed. Barwin was acquired by Houston in the second round in 2009 from the University of Cincinnati. He shifted to outside linebacker from defensive end following the 2010 season. The change turned out to be a wise decision, as Barwin notched a team high 11.5 sacks in 2011, ranking third in the AFC.
As Philadelphia is widely expected to make the change to a 3-4 defense, they need versatile players who are proven in that type of scheme. Barwin meets both criteria. But more than that, according to Roseman, the real reason the Eagles inked the linebacker is for his pass-rushing ability.
“We want to be able to make sure we can get pressure on the quarterback. Getting pressure on the quarterback, preventing pressure, that’s always going to be stuff that’s important to us.”
Us too, Howie.
So, what do you think? Has Philadelphia successfully managed a blueprint for a much improved defense, particularly in the defensive backfield, in the 2013 season based on their moves thus far in free agency?
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It wasn’t a full-on frenzy for the Philadelphia Eagles in the first day of free agency, but they certainly made a splash by signing five players. CB Bradley Fletcherand LB Jason Phillips signed 2-year deals with the team, while TE James Casey, S Patrick Chungand DL Isaac Sopoaga struck 3-year deals.
The fact that four of the five deals made were with defensive players reflects Philadelphia’s strongest overall need. And with the release of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie being allowed to walk into free agency, replacing the severely depleted Eagles secondary is chief among the priorities for this team.
Unlike that infamous summer in 2011, the Birds aren’t waving money around at the biggest names available in free agency. Rather, they have so far taken a more low-key approach, inking lesser-known players who they believe will truly make an impact on the team. There was also a decided emphasis on strong special teams performances with these signings.
Some background on each player:
S Bradley Fletcher – Fletcher (6-0, 200) was a third round selection of the St. Louis Rams in 2009 out of Iowa. In four seasons with the Rams, he posted 169 tackles and five interceptions, starting in 26 of 43 games. The 26-year-old played in all 16 games in 2012, making four starts and notching 25 tackles, eight passes defensed, one forced fumble and one sack. Bradley’s best season came in 2010 when he started in 15 of 16 games and led the team with four interceptions.
TE James Casey – Casey (6-3, 240) was a fifth round draft choice of Houston in 2009 out of Rice University, where he was a running back on the team. He is a versatile presence, playing in 61 games (20 starts) in four years with the Texans as both a fullback and tight end. The 28-year-old set career highs in 2012 in receptions (34), receiving yards (330) and touchdowns (3). He has notched a total of 66 catches for 752 yards and four touchdowns in his NFL career.
S Patrick Chung – Chung (5-11, 210) was a second round pick for the Patriots in 2009. Head coach is familiar with Chung’s skill set, as the player was a four-year starter at Oregon. In four seasons with New England, he totaled 235 tackles, seven interceptions, three sacks, and 19 passes defensed. Chung has played in 50 games in the NFL with 30 starts and has racked up 25 special teams tackles. In a win over the Miami Dolphins on 10/4/10, Chung blocked a punt, blocked a field goal, and returned an interception for a touchdown, all in the same game.
LB Jason Phillips – Phillips (6-1, 240) was a fifth round selection of Baltimore in 2009 out of Texas Christian University. He ultimately spent time with both the Ravens and Carolina Panthers in his four-year career as a reserve linebacker and special teams contributor, appearing in 29 total games. The 27-year-old played in all 16 games (two starts) for the Panthers in 2012 and led the team with 16 special teams tackles.
DL Isaac Sopoaga – Sopoaga (6-2, 330) has been a key contributor to the 49ers defensive line over the last nine seasons, recording 447 tackles and 7.5 sacks in 125 career games (80 starts). He was originally a fourth-round pick from Hawaii of the 49ers in 2004. Sopoaga has experience at both defensive tackle and nose tackle. In 2012, Sopoaga played in 15 games (10 starts) and amassed 55 tackles and one sack. He also had eight tackles and one sack in the postseason. At 31-years old Sopoaga is older than the rest of the free agent signings but his experience, versatility, and success in a 3-4 defense speak for themselves.
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The symbol of the failed Philadelphia Eagles free agent signing frenzy of 2011 has finally been released by the team after two tremendously disappointing seasons.
A statement released by GM Howie Roseman is a follows:
“Coach Kelly and I each had a chance to speak with Nnamdi earlier and he took the news with a lot of class. We expected nothing less than that from him. He has been a true pro on and off the field for this organization and our community and we wish him all the best as he continues his NFL career. We spoke to his representatives at the Combine about his future status with the team and wanted to take time to analyze and make a decision. In the end, Coach and I both felt we needed to move in a different direction at the cornerback position for 2013 and beyond.”
Along with the firing, Asomugha took with him the $4 million dollars still owed to him by the team per his contract. The Pro Bowl corner will now test how much his disappointing performance with Philadelphia has impacted his value on the free market.
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Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Mike Vick is and will probably always remain one of the most controversial figures in the public arena, not just in sports. As such, it comes as no surprise that the release of his autobiography, Finally Free, and book tour surrounding the work has garnered harsh criticism after his past involvement with dog fighting. But after the NFL star received threats of violence via social media, Vick and Barnes and Noble bookstores announced that his schedule of signings in Atlanta, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey have been canceled.
According to Worthy Publishing, the book’s publisher, they support Vick and his work about his life, including his time in prison for dog fighting and continuing the fight to rebuild his life and public image. However, they don’t want to put innocent bystanders in harm’s way.
“While we stand by Michael Vick‘s right to free speech and the retailers’ right to free commerce, we cannot knowingly put anyone in harm’s way, and therefore we must announce the cancellation of Mr. Vick’s book-signing appearances. We’ve been assured these threats of violence, which have been reported to the police, are being taken very seriously by local authorities.”
The Facebook page promoting the event was filled with threatening and vulgar messages.
A spokesman for Vick stated the following:
“Michael Vick is committed to helping make his community a better place. He is one of the most active players in the NFL in terms of community service. It is a shame that a few extremists would threaten violence to try and prevent him from meeting fans and inspiring them to make positive choices.”
No matter what he does, Vick cannot erase the past and that fact is what continues to make Vick such a polarizing figure. For many, his part in harming dogs is simply unforgivable, regardless of any efforts post-prison to take ownership of his crimes and attempt to be a positive presence in his community. True turnaround or publicity ploy? This is the debate that will follow Mike Vick for the rest of his life.
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Kenny Phillips. (Image via nj.com)
Welcome to Philadelphia, Cary Williams. (Image via Russell Street Report)
