Philadelphia Eagles
2011 PFF All-NFC East Team
The NFC East’s all division team almost perfectly reflects the final standings. The three top teams (the Giants, Eagles and Cowboys) are all well represented while the cellar dwelling Redskins had just five players make it.
It’s a testament to the talent level in the division that so many quality players missed out. Even scoring double digit touchdowns from the receiver position (Laurent Robinson) or coming close to breaking the sack record (Jason Babin) wasn’t enough to guarantee you a spot on an all division team which features some of the league’s best receivers and pass rushers.
Enough about those who didn’t make it though, let’s take a look at those who did …
Re-Focused: Redskins @ Eagles, Week 17
Despite neither team being eligible for the postseason, these NFC East rivals played a tough game, though you wouldn’t know it by looking at the score.
The 8-8 Philadelphia Eagles have many reasons to be hopeful, including their dominating 5-1 divisional record. While their running game was nowhere to be found with LeSean McCoy sitting out with injuries (75 total yards on the ground), Michael Vick (+3.2) was able to get the victory with his arm and help from a still-suffocating pass rush (one sack, nine QB hits, and 18 pressures).
The 5-11 Washington Redskins continued to show some fight, but also showed the same mistakes that have plagued them all year. This included turning the ball over, being unable to take advantage when chances present themselves (two red zone trips in the first half led to nothing), field goal woes and other completely avoidable mistakes. In the end, the Eagles’ superior talent won, but there were some positives for the Redskins going into the offseason. Check out some notable performances from both teams.
Three To Focus On: Redskins @ Eagles, Week 17
In the final game of the regular season, the 7-8 Philadelphia Eagles host their NFC East rivals the 5-10 Washington Redskins. Both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs, so neither has reason to hold back any starters.
The Eagles are coming off a dominant 20-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys (minus Tony Romo, knocked out early with a hand injury), while the Redskins, despite completing a season sweep of the New York Giants two week prior, are coming off of an embarrassing 33-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The Redskins will be looking to go 6-10 for the second straight season, while the Eagles will be looking for a non-losing record and a solid 5-1 divisional record.
The first game between these two took place in Week 6 and changed the Redskins’ season–they were 3-1 and that point but suffered a 20-13 loss to the 1-4 Eagles. Rex Grossman turned the ball over four times and was benched for the next three games for replacement QB John Beck, who led the team to losses in all three. By the time the Redskins realized that a flawed Grossman was the better option, it was too late for their postseason hopes. Read the rest of this entry »
Re-Focused: Eagles @ Cowboys, Week 16
Coming into the week, this was a much-anticipated game as the Philadelphia Eagles finally have gotten their act together and were making a late run for the playoffs. However, a Giants victory that went final in the early moments of this contest meant that this Eagles/Cowboys outcome would have no bearing on the playoffs–the Eagles were out, and a matchup between the Giants and Cowboys next week would determine the division winner.
Thus, when Tony Romo hurt his hand after four plays it became the Stephen McGee show, while Felix Jones was given just seven snaps before being rested. While it’s disappointing that for a second straight year, players were rested in a late season Philadelphia/Dallas matchup, but it’s hard to blame the Cowboys for playing it safe as the real test is next week. Read the rest of this entry »
Three to Focus On: Eagles @ Cowboys, Week 16
After I, along with so many others, counted them out of the playoffs a few weeks ago, the Philadelphia Eagles somehow still have a chance to win the NFC East with just two weeks to go in the season. If they can pull it off, nobody is going to want to see them in the playoffs.
As big a surprise that the Eagles are still in the hunt, it’s surely an even bigger surprise that the Dallas Cowboys haven’t wrapped up the division yet. The late loss at home to the New York Giants continues to loom large in the rear view mirror.
In the first matchup between these two, the Eagles ran out 34-7 winners with both Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy having big games. Neither team can afford a loss, although the Eagles quite literally can’t lose if they want to have any chance to win the division, so with that in mind let’s take a look at the three areas to focus on.
Re-Focused: Jets @ Eagles, Week 15
Just when the Jets needed to step up and take their playoff destiny into their own hands they end up laying an egg and getting rolled by the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles for their part are still not eliminated from the playoffs, and actually don’t require that unreasonable a scenario in order to not only make the post-season but to win the NFC East.
As good as the Eagles looked in this game, and it was pretty good, the end result owed far more to the Jets and their performance than it did from the Eagles. So let’s take a quick look at what went so badly wrong for one team and so right for the other.
Three to Focus On: Jets @ Eagles, Week 15
This AFC East/NFC East showdown looked like a promising game at the beginning of the season. So much so that CBS elected to protect it, making it impossible for NBC to flex this contest to Sunday Night Football. Entering Week 15, though, this will certainly not be a premier matchup between two playoff teams, as the 5-8 Philadelphia Eagles are all but mathematically eliminated from the playoff race. The 8-5 New York Jets still have very realistic postseason dreams, but will need a victory in a hostile Philly environment to keep those hopes alive.
The Eagles are coming off a 26-10 win over the Miami Dolphins that was closer than the final score suggests, but a win nonetheless. They finally have their franchise QB Michael Vick back and will be looking to silence the fans and media clamoring for coach Andy Reid’s job with a win. The Jets are coming off a truly dominating 37-10 win over the hapless Kansas City Chiefs but have to be cautious here as the Eagles have been competitive in nearly all of their games, not to mention that four of New York’s losses have come on the road. Lets take a look at some key matchups in what should be an entertaining game.
Re-Focused: Eagles @ Dolphins, Week 14
Who would have thought at the start of this season that this matchup would feature two teams still in search of their fifth victory of the year? Despite being given a two year contract extension in the offseason this would turn out to be the last game for Tony Sparano as a head coach. Even with the victory there is still doubt over the long term security of Andy Reid. It would have seemed improbable, to put it mildly, to envision either scenario but that’s the reality of the situation for the Philadelphia Eagles, the Miami Dolphins and the entire league.
The Eagles rode a hot ten minutes in the second quarter to victory as the Dolphins dropped only their second game in six after an 0-7 start. The Dolphins had an early edge in this game but after missing a long field goal with a one touchdown lead things started to unravel. By the time they had stopped the bleeding they were facing an insurmountable three score lead. The Dolphins wasted a strong defensive effort holding LeSean McCoy to just 38 yards rushing (1.4 yards per carry) and holding Michael Vick to just 208 yards passing with a 50% completion mark. The missed field goal was where the game turned so let’s take a look at some other key moments and pivotal performances that allowed the Eagles to escape with their fifth victory of the season and keep their hopes for a .500 season alive.
Three to Focus On: Eagles @ Dolphins, Week 14
Remember when the Miami Dolphins were 0-7 and everyone was picking them to draft Andrew Luck? Well, now the Dolphins are arguably one of the hottest teams in the NFL having won four of their last five games – three of which were by over 20 points. The defense is playing at the same level as 2010 and Matt Moore is managing the offense very well.
Their opponent this week is the Philadelphia Eagles. What a mess it’s been so far for a team that was predicted by many to make it to the Super Bowl. Michael Vick has had a big regression from last year and the defense has not come close to living up to the hype. A few players on the team even appear to have all but given up, including DeSean Jackson.
Will the Dolphins keep this hot streak rolling and take down the struggling Eagles? Or will Philadelphia show some life? Here are a few focal points that will help dictate the outcome.
Re-Focused: Eagles @ Seahawks, Week 13
When the Philadelphia Eagles went on their off season spending spree they were planning how to beat the Green Bay Packers to become the dominant team in the NFC. They loaded up on talent that could get in front, unleash their pass rush, and make the kind of splash plays that would take them to glory.
It hasn’t worked out, and in a game against a motivated Seattle Seahawks team all of their problems came to the fore. You got the traditional bad play from the linebackers, missed tackles all over the place, and an inability to deal with the somewhat inevitable injuries to Michael Vick. The scoreline didn’t flatter a Seahawks team who, outside of the opening play of the game, knew what they had to do to win; run the ball, not turn it over and minimize the number of big plays allowed.
What this means for the Eagles going forward is hard to tell. New personnel on defense? A new defensive coordinator? Possibly even the end of the Andy Reid regime? While we leave the Eagles to ponder these questions let’s not forget the Seahawks have already had to answer some tough ones of their own, and while plenty remain, they appear to be moving in the right direction.
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