Shawn Andrews Placed on IR

Shawn Andrews was placed on IR today, in order to make room on the roster for the Vick signing. Andrews has basically spent more time on the Injured Reserve than he has playing for the Eagles. It is a shame, because if Andrews is really seriously injured, you never want to see a guy who has chronic pain, especially back pain. It is also a shame that the Eagles spent a first round draft pick on Andrews, and when he is on the field, he is a beast, and the Eagles are definitely not as good a team when Andrews is not on the field.

As much as I hope that Andrews gets better for himself, I am personally sick and tired of his act, as he just flat out seems like he does not care about playing football. Andrews was injured at the beginning of training camp, but then seemed to all of a sudden get healthy and start practicing towards the end of it, and now he is on IR. Andrews act was getting tired last year, was real tired this year, and next year will be a joke if this act goes on again during the preseason. I first said we have to just cut ties with him, but its hard to when he is such a beast on the field.

Unfortunately, I think the Eagles really planned on Andrews playing and being healthy coming into this season. They are left with Winston Justice at right tackle right now, and no one else. I still don't think they should nor will sign Jon Runyan, but they should at least explore that opportunity right now. However, if they feel confident going forward with Justice at right tackle, I would not want Runyan to be brought in. I also think the Eagles should explore moving Stacy Andrews back out to right tackle, which is what he played at Cincinnati. Stacy Andrews has been a solid tackle before, and the Eagles do have some options at guard in Cole, Jean-Gilles, and McGlynn. Again, not sure they should do this, but they should explore it I believe. But for right now, Justice is the long term starter at right tackle it looks like.

In other news today, the Eagles activated Michael Vick from the exemption list, and thus had to cut a player. They cut Hank Baskett. I do not really like this move, and feel like they should have cut Reggie Brown. I actually am a Baskett fan, and thought he deserved to be on the roster this season. He blocks real well for a wide receiver, and at least can catch 1 or 2 passes a game, and both of those things are a lot more than Reggie Brown can do. Even though the Eagles don't throw the fade really, that option is there with Baskett. Again, this is more than Reggie Brown brings to the table, so it doesn't make much sense to me, but I guess isn't a big deal in the long run. Hopefully this move will let Brandon Gibson let on the field.

Eagles Name Starting Free Safety

Qunitin Demps less than a week ago that the Eagles need to get it over with and name their starting free safety. Well they did, and it's rookie 5th round draft pick Macho Harris. About a week ago, no one even really knew that Harris was in line for the starting free safety job. Harris was being mixed in at safety, but also was playing cornerback. Harris obviously has some big shoes to fill as this has been the spot held down by Brian Dawkins for the past decade. Guys like Harris, and Omar Gaither will need to step up their game a lot this season to make up for the absences of Dawkins and Stewart Bradley.

Demps also will not be the main kick returner this year, as that job looks like it will belong to Ellis Hobbs. Hobbs was the kick returner last season with the Patriots and was one of the best in the league.

Also, since the Eagles made their final cuts, I still feel like a move needs to be made at wide receiver, as the Eagles kept 7. Reggie Brown seems likely to not be on the team by the start of the season, as he doesn't have much of a role on this team anymore. The Eagles need to activate Vick so he gets to practice with the team, which will also require getting rid of a player. I really want the Eagles to sign Alex Smith, the tight end who was just released by the Patriots. Smith is a good sized tight end, who is above average at both blocking and catching the ball. The latest news on Smith is that the Giants brought him in for a workout. The Eagles only kept 2 tight ends in Brent Celek, and Tony Curtis, so I anticipate something will need to be done there also.

Eagles Final Roster

The Eagles roster currently sits at 75 active players after the team cut Charleston Hughes and Brandon Harrison today, and placed Stewart Bradley and Cornelius Ingram on IR for the season. The Eagles will have to get the roster down to the final 53 on Saturday. Here are my thoughts on what I believe the final roster should be, by position.

Quarterbacks (3)

Just a couple weeks ago, you thought this would be the usual lineup of McNabb, Kolb, and Feeley. Then all hell broke loose, and now there are talks of Feeley being traded, and which QB will be lined up as the #2 QB with the signing of Vick. McNabb obviously is the starter, and Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb will make the team. Hopefully we can get maybe a 6th rounder for Feeley, if we cut him, he will obviously not clear waivers.

Running Backs (4)

This number includes the fullback, which will be locked in with Leonard Weaver, who is a beast. The running backs feature one of the best camp battles for the 3rd and final running back spot between Eldra Buckley and Lorenzo Booker. Westbrook and McCoy will make the team, and should both be featured in this offense prominently. Personally, I don't know why people aren't talking about Kyle Eckel, because he is underrated, and can simply get the job done. Eckel probably won't make the team though, and I believe Buckley should make it. Booker essentially brings nothing to the team that the Eagles don't already have. Both Westbrook and now McCoy can do the same things as Booker, but better. Buckley seems to have some strength and should be able to run up the middle, although I'm not sure we will even need him to do that with Weaver on the team, who I believe will get a good amount of carries in short yardage situations.

Wide Receivers (6)

Another position that is featuring a great camp battle as to who will be the final wide receiver on the roster. DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant, and Jeremy Maclin are locks. I think Hank Baskett will make the team. That leaves Reggie Brown, and rookie Brandon Gibson for the final spot... sorry Danny Amendola. I like Amendola, and I don't think he will clear waivers, someone will pick him up. Anyways, like Feeley, there is some talk that teams are interested in Reggie Brown. Also like Feeley, if the Eagles can trade him for a low draft pick, they should. Brown doesn't really bring much to the team anymore, and Brandon Gibson, who probably won't contribute much at first, at least has a decent upside.

Tight Ends (3)

Brent Celek is the starter here, and really the only player who will be on the team that the Eagles had a few weeks ago before Ingram went down. I also think the recently signed Tony Curtis makes the team, as he apparently is the best blocker of the tight end bunch, something Celek does not excel at. The final spot is between Rob Myers, Eugene Bright, and Matt Schobel. I do not think Schobel makes the team, and while I think Bright might have a better upside than Myers, and did have a good preseason game 3, Rob Myers still makes the team.

Offensive Line (10)

It's no secret Reid and the Eagles like keeping players at the offensive line, and keeping quality backups. Jason Peters, Todd Herramans, Jamaal Jackson, and the Andrews brothers are your 5 starters. Nick Cole and Max Jean-Gilles should make the team, especially since Herramans won't be ready to start the regular season. Winston Justice makes the team as the backup at the tackle positions. I think Matt McGlynn and King Dunlap are the final two who will make the team.

Defensive Line (10)

The Eagles should keep 10 here, but they could possibly keep 11. If there is an area where they might keep an extra guy, it could be the defensive line, and have to go one player short at another position. At the defensive end position, the Eagles will keep Trent Cole, and Victor Abiamiri, who if healthy should get the start week 1 at left defensive end. Darren Howard, who actually led the team in sacks last year, will also make the team. Juqua Parker's job isn't as safe as you would think, but the Eagles will probably keep him also. Chris Clemons can rotate in at left defensive end, and did well last season. I also think that both Bryan Smith and Jason Babin will make the team. At the defensive tackle spot, Broderick Bunkley, and Mike Patterson are the starters, and are among the best in the league. Trevor Laws is the backup at the defensive tackle spot, and has also done a solid job. Dan Klecko is the odd man out here, and I say this only because Darren Howard can play defensive tackle in 3rd down situations, and had success there last season. If Klecko makes the team, look for possibly Parker to be cut.

Linebackers (6)

The loss of Stewart Bradley hurts, especially since the Eagles not say they will start Omar Gaither in the middle, who already was the starter in the middle, and had his job taken by the aforementioned Stewart Bradley. Gaither, Akeem Jordan, and Chris Gocong are the starters for now. Joe Mays will make the team, and could see some time in the middle if they don't like what they see out of Gaither. Rookie 7th round draft pick Moise Fokou will make the team also, as he has had a very impressive camp. I believe the 6th spot will go to Tank Daniels, as he is the top rated special teams player on the team. That will knock out Matt Wilhelm, who will be cut in a numbers battle.

Secondary (8)

At cornerback, Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, Joselio Hanson, and Ellis Hobbs are locks to make the team. At safety, you throw in the foursome of Quintin Mikell, Quintin Demps, Sean Jones, and Macho Harris. Macho can play either the cornerback or safety position. Jack Ikegwuonu, unfortunately has not played well enough to make the team, and hopefully can clear waivers and sign onto the practice squad.

Special Teams (3)

The usual here with David Akers, Sav Rocca, and Jon Dorenbos making the team. Rocca could be pushed for a job next season if he doesn't have a great year, but he is safe for the start of this season.

Just a Yard Short

Honestly, what can really be said after a loss like that that hasn’t already been said? We try to find the words. Although the Eagles only came up a yard short of tying the game at the end, there was a lot wrong with the way this game played out from the Eagles standpoint.

We should win if our running back plays well. We should win if our defense can shut down the opposing QB. We should win if our QB plays well. These are statements that are made from fans of all teams from all over every football Sunday. Unfortunately, with this Eagles team, we have to go into every game wondering if the play calling by Andy Reid will even allow us to win the game. We have an asterisk next to every statement like that above that we make. We should win….. if the play calling is good. Unfortunately for us, the play calling was not good, and has not been good all season.

The Eagles called 14 running plays, which doesn’t include the runs by McNabb. Two of those runs were on the final drive of the first half, in which they just ran twice, and let the time run out; so those don’t really count. 46 passes. It’s insulting to us die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fans to have the play calling not even give us a chance to win the game. As fans, we complain a lot about the Eagles’ shortcomings, as we should. But when you throw the ball 50 times a game, the receivers are going to drop a lot of balls, McNabb is going to throw some bad passes…. that’s what happens when you throw the ball so much. When you run, you get to control the game. You control the line of scrimmage, you control the clock, and thus control the pace of the game. Apparently, Andy Reid doesn’t realize that any of this is important to the game. He still feels as if throwing the ball every play will result in 50 points a game. This has not proven to be the case, in fact, it is quite the opposite. The Eagles have the most success when running the football. This Eagles team is 7-0 this season when they run the football more than their opponent. They are 1-6-1 when they have fewer carries than their opponent. Another frustrating thing is that in the game, the Eagles were never down by more than one possession, yet if you look at the play calling, you would have thought that the Eagles were down by 20 and trying desperately to get back into the game. The game at hand did not dictate so many passes to be called.

I’d like to continue the Andy Reid bashing by mentioning a post-game comment in which Andy Reid stated that the defense “started slowly.” That’s funny, since it was 0-0 after the 1st quarter, 3-0 at halftime. That is starting slowly? The only Redskins touchdown drive came on an 18-yard drive after a turnover in the 3rd quarter. The defense was the only reason we were even in that game until the end. In fact, the defense has been stellar all season long for the most part, especially as of late.

As for the game itself, it was not pretty. The Eagles were without their incredible wide receivers, Kevin Curtis and Hank Baskett. Two players who would barely be missed on any other team, were greatly missed for the Eagles on Sunday. Reggie Brown was forced into the lineup, and Greg Lewis had his role increased. The only problem with that is they both suck. L.J. Smith, the Samuel Dalembert of the Eagles, continues to dissappoint on the field, missing key blocks in big situations, and dropping a couple passes. DeSean Jackson, while still an impressive rookie, dropped a few passes including a long pass on the final drive which fell right through his hands.

Many negatives, mostly on offense and the coaching, and not a lot of positives coming out of the game resulted in a crushing loss for the Eagles, who may have ruined their playoff chances. The Eagles now need the Bucs to lose to the Raiders no matter what, also need the Bears to lose one of their last two games, or the Vikings to lose their final game. Ohh yeah, they also need to beat the Cowboys the final game of the season. I guess if the Eagles don’t get in, it would be nice to beat the Cowgirls the final day of the season.