Eagles vs Falcons Preview

By: Steve Johnson and Mike Duncan

Quarterbacks
Edge- EAGLES
 While both teams are strong here, the edge definitely goes to the Philadelphia Eagles.  There is perhaps not a more dynamic player in the NFL than Mike Vick.  Vick is going to get nothing but better as he continues to mature in this offense.  Matt Ryan is a nice young Qb who had an underrated year statistically last year.  However, he needs to become more consistent.  Michael Vick is capable of taking over a football game while Ryan is more of a game manager.  This should be an excellent battle to watch as Mike Vick is coming back to the place where it all started for him and Ryan and the falcons will be looking to bounce back from a very poor week 1 showing at Chicago.  

Running Backs
Edge - EAGLES
Once again the edge goes to the Philadelphia Eagles, although the Falcons ball carrier is no slouch himself.  Shady Mccoy and the Eagles offense are a perfect match for each other.  Mccoy's blend of agility, quickness and pass catching ability make him one of the most dangerous RBs in the NFL.  Coming of a an excellent week 1 showing, he should have another strong performance in the Georgia Dome.  One other note pertaining to Mccoy is that he is averaging a ridiculous 8 yards per carry on turf at dome stadiums in his career.  Michael Turner is a powerful bruising RB that will present problems for the Eagles poor run defense.  This will be the key for Atlanta to win the game.  While Turners skills have certainly declined as of late, look for Atlanta to give the eagles a heavy dose of Michael Turner out of the gate too keep the clock running and the Eagles offense off the field.  Mccoy is the better RB but Turner will be the key to the Falcons success come Sunday night.  

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Edge - PUSH
Both teams have excellent WR corps.  The Falcons have a top tier WR in Roddy White and a rookie WR in Julio Jones who has massive potential.  Tony Gonzales is an aging TE but has sure hands and can still be a threat in the middle of the field.  The Eagles have one of the most explosive WRs in the NFl in Desean Jackson.  He is not, however, as complete a WR as Roddy White.  Jeremy Maclin, the Eagles number 2 is a more complete WR while still offering big play ability.  The problem with Maclin is the fact that he missed the entire training camp and preseason due to an illness.  He is healthy now but it may take him a few games to get back into game shape and top form.  Jason Avant provides a dependable inside target and Steve Smith should provide even more weaponry once his injured knee gets closer to 100%.  For now, it is fairly even but once Maclin plays a few more weeks and Steve Smith gets healthy, the Eagles should have a clear cut advantage. 

Offensive Line
Edge - Falcons
There is some serious concern along the Eagles offensive line.  Rookie first rd pick Danny Watkins, someone expecting to contribute right from the start, is not yet ready so he will likely be inactive.  Meanwhile, the Eagles are starting 2 journeymen G's and a rookie C.  Last week was the first time the OL for the Eagles was able to play together.  Pro Bowl LT Jason Peters is a bit banged up some that may be something to watch.  The Philly OL should improve as the weeks go by but for now there is definitely legitimate concern.


Defensive Line
Edge - Eagles
The additions of Cullen Jenkins and Jason Babin proved to be huge pickups last week as the Eagles recorded 5 sacks. Darryl Tapp's sack and Juqua Parker's fumble recovery for a touchdown was a huge momentum booster for the Eagles. The Eagles will be without Tapp this week, out with a Pectoral injury, which could hurt the Eagles great rotation they have keeping their players fresh. The big splash for the Falcons this offseason was bringing in DE Ray Edwards, but Edwards was hardly noticed last week in their loss to the Chicago Bears. To make matters worse they lost DT Jonathan Babineaux with a torn MCL and also are without starter Corey Peters. 


Linebackers
Edge - Falcons
To say this is an advantage for the Falcons is an understatement. The Eagles linebackers are young and undersized, look for the Falcons running game and TE Tony Gonzalez to try to exploit them. After the first 2 drives last week, the Eagles linebackers didn't play terrible, but that was without Running Back Steven Jackson. However the Eagles can stack the box with secondary help. The Falcons have a very solid linebacker corp in Curtis Lofton, Stephen Nicholas, and second year man Sean Witherspoon, who led the team with 10 tackles last week. The Falcons struggled last week tackling against the Bears, but it won't get any easier trying to tackle the Eagles quick and elusive offensive weapons.


Secondary
Edge - Eagles
Forget what ESPN's KC Joyner said, he's a moron. The Eagles might have 3 corners better than either of the Falcons corners. That's not a knock on the Falcons corners, Dunta Robinson is solid, but the Eagles just have 3 playmakers at that position. Local product and Shippensburg grad Brent Grimes is a good playmaker at times but there's a reason he was targeted more than any corner in the league last year, and it's not because he's a shut down corner. Rodgers-Cromartie and Asomugha are still learning the defense, but can pretty much stay with anyone 1v1. Samuel already knows the defense, just choses not to run it, he has a worse gambling problem than Michael Jordan. Expect him to bait Ryan into a pick.


Special Teams
Edge - Falcons
The Eagles are running with 3 rookies on Special Teams in Alex Henery, Chas Henry, and returner Dion Lewis, so the Falcons have the advantage here. Eric Weems is a good returner and don't be surprised if he runs a a big one back with the lack of special teams coverage the NFL faced in week 1. The Falcons coverage units did a good job on Devin Hester last week. Matt Bryant is an experienced kicker and could make a difference in this game. 


Coaching
Edge - Eagles
Say what you want about Andy Reid's in game decision making but nobody is better at setting up a gameplan during the week than Reid. The Eagles also have an all star coaching staff with the additions of Howard Mudd and Jim Washburn, and Marty Mornhinweg is one of the better assistants in the NFL. Mike Smith is also one of the better head coaches in the league, and keeps his players playing hard. This should be a good matchup to watch Sunday.


Mike's Take:
When its all said and done the Eagles will simply have to much firepower on offense and plenty of talent on defense to stop the Falcons.  
Final Score 27-17 Eagles     
Steve's Take:
The Falcons are a good team, and they will be fired up for this game after coming home from a loss to the Bears. With that being said, Mike Vick has made it clear he wants this game, and his teammates want it for him. The Eagles are just the more talented team. 
Final Score: 31-24 Eagles

Mike Vick is worth $100 Million Dollars...again

By: Steve Johnson

Six years, 100 million dollars, 40 million of that is guaranteed. This is the contract giving to a man that had everything. A man who had all the God given talent in the world. A man who was already given over 100 million dollars. This man had endorsements, cars, clothes, and houses. And then he lost it all in a federal indictment for dog fighting. Michael Vick was given 23 months to sit in a federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas to think about what he could have done differently, and what he might do differently if he was given another shot. Well he got that chance in the 2009 season opener when Kevin Kolb’s head was slammed in the turf by Clay Matthews. The rest is history, we all know the story, and this isn’t about all that. This is about the future, the future of Mike Vick and the future of the Philadelphia Eagles. Mike Vick deserves every single penny of that 100 million dollars for one reason, Mike Vick WILL win a Super Bowl. I could end this article right there, but then I wouldn’t have a chance to let all the naysayers, the haters, a certain animal rights activist group and the unbelievers become believers in this great man.

Mike Vick is the most talented player at the hardest position to play in all of sports that we have ever seen. I’m not saying he’s the best, nor will he be the best, but Mike Vick has the talent to become a Super Bowl winning Quarterback and one of the best we’ve ever seen. Never have we, and probably never will we see a player that has the combination of speed, throwing power, and the lightning quick release Vick has. What we saw from Vick last year was no fluke, it was just the beginning. Disagree? That’s fine, I don’t blame you. I didn’t believe it at first either. I’ve admitted it plenty of times, no need to continue to rub it in, I did NOT believe in Mike Vick at first. Can you blame me? Nope, can’t blame me either. Anyone that says they predicted what he would do last year is a liar, it’s that simple. Yes, when he played those first two games against Jacksonville and Detroit, he looked great, but I wanted to see more. In a reactional fan base it was easy to want to believe in Mike Vick, but he had to show more. And you know what? He did, and did he ever. He had one of the greatest seasons we’ve ever seen from a quarterback. Last year was no fluke, not with this coaching staff, not with these weapons, not with Vick’s new attitude toward not only football but to life. Say what you want, but he has changed. No longer does he just rely on his God given abilities. He is the first one in and the first one out, the type of the guy that brings his lunch pale for a day on the job. He has plenty to thank for this. A better organization in the Philadelphia Eagles, better coaching in Head Coach Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg, and better family and friends that give him all the support he never had in Atlanta. Let’s not forget about the weapons he has now, or the lack there of “weapons” he had in Atlanta. He never had the likes of a DeSean Jackson or Jeremy Maclin in Atlanta, hell he probably never had a Steve Smith. Warrick Dunn was a nice back for a couple years, but Shady McCoy brings something extra. With all those offensive weapons and a revamped offensive line and defense, it’s quite hard to imagine a scenario that the Eagles don’t make a long playoff run this year, let alone the next six years. This group is not only built for this year, but built for a dynasty. Overall this Eagles team is the best Vick has ever played for, come to think of it, it’s quite possibly the best Eagles team we’ve ever seen. Only time will tell if he can lead this team and this city to the ultimate victory, the win they’ve been waiting for all their lives. There’s a lot of pressure on Vick’s shoulders once again, but this time around they’re strong enough to hold it all…and hopefully to hoist the Lombardi trophy.

We've Been Spoiled as Phillies Fans

By; Steve Johnson

What if before the season I were tell you how the Phillies would look on May 11th?

• All-Stars Chase Utley and Brad Lidge, and top prospect Domonic Brown have yet to play a game in Philadelphia
• J.C. Romero, Joe Blanton, Jose Contreras, Carlos Ruiz and Roy Oswalt have all been placed on the DL
• Scott Mathieson, Vance Worley, Michael Stutes, and Mike Zagurski have all pitched in a game
• Raul Ibanez had an 0-34 slump and is batting just .231 on the season
• Our 2nd basemen are batting .228 with 0 HR and 10 RBIs

If you took a look at that, I bet you wouldn't expect the 2011 Phillies to be in first place with a record of 23-12, two games up from the second place Marlins. So what is everyone complaining about? Is it really time to start panicking? I doubt it. As a matter of fact, we should probably be grateful. The Phillies are not playing their best baseball, yet they are still the top team in the league. Could they make some adjustments, could they play better? Of course they can. If the slumps of their corner outfielders continue to happen, I expect the Phillies to make a move for another bat. The problem with that is, they are paying Raul Ibanez over 12 million dollars in his final year of his contract. No team is looking to take on the contract of a 38 year old, who is batting .231. And you certainly cannot keep someone getting paid that much to sit on your bench and pinch hit. The Phillies should wait it out and see what Brown looks like when he comes back. If Brown can provide somewhat of an impact, along with John Mayberry Jr, the Phillies should be alright. The other issue the Phillies have is at 2nd base. Pete Orr has recently played pretty well, but Orr, Valdez, and Martinez are utility and AAA lifers at best. The Phillies have been secretive about Chase Utley's patellar knee tendinitis, not giving a timetable for his return. The good news, Utley is now rehabbing in south Florida, and just played in his first game. Now nobody knows how exactly Chase is feeling, but from what we've seen, he's looking better. If the Phillies can get Utley and Brown healthy, and a little bit more production from Ibanez, there's absolutely no reason for panic, especially in Mid-May. Calm down Phillies fans, stop acting so spoiled, it's a long year.

2011 Draft Review for the Eagles

By: Steve Johnson

Rd 1. Pick 23. Danny Watkins, OL Baylor
Reaction: Watkins is a top rated linemen prospect, a real blue collar, hard nosed "Philly type" player, that will give 110% and start immediately. With that being said, it's not always about need as is about value. When the season kicks off (if it kicks off), Watkins will be 27 years old, meaning by the end of his rookie contract he will be 31. Watkins didn't play football until community college. He is Canadian born firefighter, that played rugby and hockey before attending Butte College in California and then transferring to Baylor in 2009. I don't hate this pick because Watkins will start day 1 and immediately have an impact protecting franchise quarterback Mike Vick. He has all the physical tools to be a great player, he even took over at left tackle for Rams '09 first-rounder Jason Smith. Downside is, he is still learning the game and his age. This pick is safe, the Eagles know what they are going to get, and to me with not much talent still left on the board, the pick of Danny Watkins is solid, just not exciting.

Rd 2. Pick 54. Jaiquawn Jarrett, S Temple
Reaction: Like Watkins, Jarrett can probably play day one for the Eagles and also is a hard working, give it all type guy. He's slightly undersized but he plays bigger and more physical than his height and weight show. He can play either safety position, although it would be beneficial for him to add some bulk to his frame. The local product is a very smart, "coach on the field", vocal leader, and can line up in multiple positions, which defensive coordinator Juan Castillo will love.


Rd 3. Pick 90. Curtis Marsh, CB Utah St
Reaction: Marsh is very athletic, has good size and speed. Great explosion showing a broad jump of 10 feet, 3 inches, and a vertical leap of 37 1/2 inches at the NFL Combine. He is still a project player that will need time to learn the game from good coaching. Also needs to learn how to use his size and strength to his advantage. Should have immediate impact on special teams from day one.

Rd 4. Pick 116. Casey Matthews, ILB Oregon 
Reaction: Got this pick from the Donovan McNabb trade. Matthews comes from a football family if you've ever seen one. His father, Clay, played 19 years in the NFL, his uncle, Bruce, is a hall of famer, his uncle played in the 1950s, and his brother, Clay III, won a Super Bowl last year with the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately Casey is not as talented as any of them. He works hard, great awareness, always knows where the ball is. Plays every down like it is his last, has a special-teams type mentality that will help him get playing time early. Doesn't have the athletic ability of his older brother. Undersized, will have to add some bulk (hopefully not the way his brother is rumored to have). Bottom line is he has the bloodlines and smarts to play in the NFL, his size and skill set will have to be worked on.

Rd 4. Pick 120. Alex Henery, K Nebreska
Reaction: David Akers has played his last year as an Eagle. You don't draft a kicker in round 4 unless he is your future. Henery has a extremely strong leg and he is accurate at times. Probably the best kicker in the draft and will have a job right away. Punted in college, but projects only as a kicker in the NFL. Very confident and poised, who has been through tough games and made even tougher kicks.

Rd 5. Pick 149. Dion Lewis, RB Pittsburgh
Reaction: Think Brian Westbrook (I hope) when he was first drafted. Lewis is very short at 5-6' but surprisingly bulky at 193. More quick then fast, with a stop on the dime type first step. Vision is most like Westbrook, he sees the hole before it opens, and can hide behind blockers and make his first move. Won't run away from anyone in the open field, but will make them miss. Should provide a good backup to former Pitt teammate and current Eagles starter Shady McCoy. Getting Lewis in the 5th round is somewhat of a steal, should be able to make the team as a backup.


Rd 6. Pick 161. Julian Vandervelde, G Iowa
Reaction: Very thick, extremely weight room strong player. Very smart, maybe even too smart to stick it out in the NFL. Surprisingly quick on his feet, but is short with short arms. Will have to fight to make it on the roster, if he doesn't, look for him to retire and use his smarts in something other than football.


Rd 6. Pick 191. Jason Kelce, C Cincinnati 
Reaction: Very athletic, but small player. Has decent height (6-2 5/8), but has small arms and only weighs 280. Kelce is a former walk-on, hard working, give it his all type player that will struggle to make the team. Ran the fastest 40 time at the combine among offensive linemen, but too often gets tossed around by bigger stronger players. Would have to add strength and bulk to compete for a roster job.


Rd 6. Pick 193. Brian Rolle, OLB Ohio St
Reaction: Very fast, very fluid hips, quick feet, and surprisingly stronger then he looks (benched 28 reps of 225 at the combine). Was a running back in college, and has the height of one (5-9). Will have to make an immediate impact on special teams in order to make the team. Typical small, fast linebacker the Eagles tend to go after, hopefully he plays better then his predecessors.


Rd 7. Pick 237. Greg Llyod, ILB Uconn
Reaction: Son of Grey Llyod Sr, played in the NFL for 11 years, although he hasn't been in his life since 2002 for being accused of sticking a gun in his son's mouth. Llyod is very well built with long arms and big hands. His size slows him down and prevents him from being very fluid. Will not chase anyone down or make plays outside the tackles. Played some defensive end in pass rush situations, which makes you think the Eagles will look at him there, and if he can't do that he's gone.


Rd 7. Pick 240. Stanley Havili, FB USC
Reaction: Running and receiving type with great speed and soft hands. Very experienced but sometimes tends to play soft, which doesn't look good for a fullback. Most likely won't make the final roster, even with the injury to Leonard Weaver. Not the type of player you look for in a fullback.