An obligatory Eagles thread

Joe Public

Gabibbo's Finest
Since we're talking football, and since the large Akron contingent seems content to leave any news about arguably the best team in the NFL alone for the time being. Let's spend some time on a team for which there really is no argument against them being the best team in football.

The Philadelphia Eagles.

From Philly.com, I thought this was a pretty funny bit from Birds' minicamp, by Les Bowen:

1. Fewer than 7 months after ACL surgery, Donovan McNabb can drop back and throw a pass without his right knee swelling up or falling off.

2. In short pants and wearing no pads, Jeremy Bloom absolutely looks like one of the ballboys. But he runs much faster than they do, and he seems to be able to catch a thrown or kicked football pretty well.

3. Untested strongside linebacker Chris Gocong still hasn't tackled anybody, but he has shown strong mastery of Jim Johnson's defense, enough to allow Johnson to sleep through the night between now and Lehigh.

4. Rookie running back Tony Hunt looks pretty darned good. But then again, so does Correll Buckhalter, the guy Hunt figures to be fighting with for the half-dozen or so touches Brian Westbrook doesn't get.

5. Jevon Kearse needs to spend the next 6 weeks eating, so when camp arrives, he'll no longer look like a really tall Kenyan distance runner.


-- Also, a couple of things people may not have noticed.

It really seems like the Eagles aren't kidding about Jermey Bloom as their kick returner. I loved that they put him on IR last year so he could sit out the year, get back into football shape, study the Eagles' offense, etc.

Already in minicamp, they cut Bethel Johnson who was supposed to compete with Bloom for the job and Jeremy's apparently been working with both Brian Westbrook and talking to Steve Smith in Carolina about how to not just land the job, but be great at it. He really seems to be working his *ss off and if he could be the first reall solution to the Birds' KR game since Brian Mitchell, I'd be one happy Joe.

Also, it seems that Darwin Walker is going to be coming back to Philly.

He can't get a deal done with Buffalo, so it looks like that trade is going to end up being Takeo Spikes for a sixth rounder. This could give the Eagles the ability to turn around and ship Walker right back out again provided he can restructure his deal with a trade partner.

That works fine for me. The more draft picks the Eagles have, the more we can piss away on defensive linemen who can't rush the passer.

=)
 
Jevon Kearse is "cursed." He'll get hurt once again. I don't care if he eats so much that he weighs 387 lbs....he'll get hurt no matter what he does or doesn't do.

Winner of the NFC Least this year will be no better than 9-7. In fact, Joe Public, all 4 teams probably finish between 7-9 and 9-7.

I do know the public likes Dallas to win the Least this year. What I also do know now is that Dallas is dead......thanks to the public.

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha
 
I do know the public likes Dallas to win the Least this year.

It's so funny you say this, Clay, because just today I was reading another article pumping that team up.

Obviously it's so early I don't know what to think yet, but you're absolutely right, the hype machine has started on them already. Everybody seems to be getting on the bandwagon.

Oddly enough, I think the winner of the East this year (again, realize, I haven't looked at schedules yet) is either the Eagles or the Giants, scary as that sounds.

Part of me, however, does want to buy into this hype about the Dallas defense getting better.

Although, SD had some really good defensive talents, but it's not like their defense was all that great. Am I the only one who remembers that secondary getting torched at times? And am I the only one who isn't impressed with what Dallas has in that same spot?
 
The NFC Least goes like this:

Philly-Needs a very strong start from McNabb for obvious reasons. If they get it, the division is theirs to win.

Giants-Need a very strong start to the year, or Tommy C is dead.

Dallas-Mushed by the public. Dead.

Washington-In spite of little danny snyder, they have a shot to win the division. They are despised by the public, did nothing in the off-season to get in the radar, and those 2 things shall help them.
 
itll be intersting to see how dallas will react week to week with all their primetime and non-sunday games but i give them the nod in the nfc east.
 
I would tweak that a bit.

I think the Eagles need a solid start from Westbrook and a competent start from McNabb. They've got a solid line, if their D-line starts this season like they started last season, I'm not worried about them getting out-scored. They just need to be confident in their offense, and that McNabb is health. A few wins out of the gate would do that.

I think Coughlin is fired unless he wins the division or one playoff game and doesn't get blown out in the second. The only other thing that I think will save him is a major injury or Eli finally turning the corner and having a great saeson.

For Washington to have any chance Cambpell needs to make a huge leap at the position and that defense needs to start talking to each other. I don't know if either of those things can happen.

Dallas, to me, is sort of a mystery. I think Wade will make them worse from a coaching standpoint, but I think they have a good deal of talent. So I'm not exactly sure which way they go yet.
 
"Wade" rhymes with "fade."

NFC Least Words of Wisdom......"Fade Wade."

He's going to be clowned again and again this year. JJ, for obvious reasons, had to keep his yap shut with Coach Parcells in charge. With Bum's boy as HC, JJ is about to have a field day meddling. And the press will just make it even worse for old Wade. And add "TO" to the mixture and you got pure, internal combustion/dissension.

Wade Phillips.....you got a rough job this year. Good luck......you're going to need it.

As far as little danny snyder's team......he did one good thing this off-season, he didn't go on a futile spending spree and get his team in the sites of radar. He's such a farking dip-shit, though, and as even hated and under the radar that sorry organization is, it still may not help them escape the cellar. Old man Gibbs is so washed up.......talking about how his team "competed" after taking another 28-13 whupping.

Jason Campbell............struggled mightily last year in closed space. Inside the 20, he may've been the NFL's worst QB of 2006. If he doesn't make serious improvements inside the red-zone this year, little danny snyder had better hope his place-kicker can kick about 90% this year (no way, it's the "Redskins." Their kicker will be horrible.....just like every year. Hhahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!)

Washington is dead this year. They are probably the one under the radar team, hated by the public, that will live down to their expectations. They go 7-9, at best. Bye-bye Coach Gibbs......see ya'!!!!!!
 
"Wade" rhymes with "fade."

I'm trying to remember where I heard it, if it was the Sporting News or ESPN, where right after this hire somebody from an NFC team--it was someone anonymously, either a scout or a front office guy--who told one of these outlets that it was very possible Wade could turn the Dallas Cowboys into the Detroit Lions very, very quickly.

I tend to agree with that. The head coach of the Dallas Cowboys is now Jerry Jones. Everybody knows that. Now, he was also arguably the coach when Barry Switzer won a SB title, but that machine was set up and well-oiled by the time Switzer got there.

This one's not. I think this is a .500 team with a bad coach, a 10-6 or 11-5 team with a good one.

Right now, I figure them for around eight wins, but that's not seeing their schedule.

Oh, and I hate to say this, but unless something changes pretty dramatically between now and then, the Cowboys beat the Eagles in Dallas this year, probably by 7 to 10 points.
 
Darius could become a Rodney Harrison type player with the right team; the Eagles might actually be a good fit.

I can't figure out the NFCe; one time, I think it's the best division in the NFC. Then I look again, and only one team has what I consider a proven NFL QB (sorry Eli).
 
eagles dont need secondary help they need front seven help.

Not anymore. We addressed most of that in the busy off-season. At SS though, you have Sean Considine and Quinton Mikkell. Michael Lewis is gone. Darius would be a great fit in Philly. And suppossedly his recovery is right on schedule. He should be fine.
 
Not anymore. We addressed most of that in the busy off-season. At SS though, you have Sean Considine and Quinton Mikkell. Michael Lewis is gone. Darius would be a great fit in Philly. And suppossedly his recovery is right on schedule. He should be fine.

Exactly; Darius is going to want to go to a contender at this stage of his career and this looks like a good fit, in fact, an upgrade if he is able to be healthy for an extended period.
 
I agree on Darius. When I saw he got cut the Birds were my first thought.

The age thing is a factor, but since they sort of pissed away their first round pick this year instead of trying to trade up and grab one of the really good safeties available, they are still left needing to shore that spot up.

B-Dawk probably only has a couple of pro-bowl years left in him the way he plays and I like the attitude of this guy from Hofstra or Albany or wherever the hell he's from that they got late in the draft, but seriously, they're one injury away from having a huge hole at safety.

Darius could fill that depth void quite nicely--provided he's not an incredible *sshole or dumb as a post. His health and that would be the only concerns I'd have about bringing him in. But I do think he's healthy, I just think drafting Reggie Nelson made his contract expendable. I just want to know he can accept that it's B-Dawk's team and that he's smart enough to learn Jim J's defense.
 
Love the Eagles. They made me money last season. Everyone was fading them after the injury to McNabb but they pulled through with a couple of covers and that was all that mattered to me.

Haven't really looked at anything yet but I agree with Joe saying that it's best to look at the preseason games before betting on any futures. Kind of gives you a feel of the teams.
 
so birds fans are confident that they will be able to stop the run this year?
 
so birds fans are confident that they will be able to stop the run this year?

I can't speak for us all, but I can speak for some when I say we will be forever in 'I'll believe it when I see it' mode when it comes to the Eagles stopping the run.

The Eagles could have traded up and picked AJ Hawk last year and pulled in Adailius Thomas in free agency and I don't know an Iggles fan who'd tell you they expected them to be a run-stopping powerhouse.

We've been conditioned to accept and expect the opposite.

This is where the preseason will be very important for the Eagles, at LB. Also on the DL, but that will be mostly about gap control and responsibility. At LB the Eagles need to get Takeo into the system, and see if Gocong has got what it takes. Because right now, I'm pretty sure they want him to start. I also know Omar Gaither expects to build on how he finished last season and Trotter says he's on a mission to prove he's not washed up and his knees aren't shot.

This has been the Birds' defensive problem for years now. I think this year they have a better chance at fixing it then they have in maybe three years, but I know, for me, that I'll believe it when I see it.
 
BAR, would you tell an alcoholic to pick a favorite tequila and stick with it?

Would you tell a hooker to pick a favorite position and stick with it?

Would you tell a proud papa bear to pick a cub and stick with it?

No, I must love both my teams equally, for they are like my own children.

That said, were there ever to be a Browns/Birds Super Bowl, it would be a bit of a bittersweet day in the Joe household.
 
Rumor: Darius to End up in Silver and Black?

Posted by Russell Loede under Main


sports00.jpg

Adam Schefter, of the NFL Network, reported that the Oakland Raiders are interested in unrestricted free agent strong safety Donovan Darius, who was cut last week in a surprise move by the Jaguars. The 31-year old veteran from the mean streets of Camden, New Jersey would be a great fit for the Oakland Raiders and new head coach Lane Kiffin.
Darius, a 1998 1st round draft pick out of Syracuse University, has produced 14 picks, 622 tackles, and many bone-crushing hits over his nine year tenure with Jacksonville. Darius is a big hitting strong safety that could help bring back the time when good ‘ole number 32 (Jack Tatum) roamed the middle of the field, putting fear in receivers’ eyes. The Raiders have been lacking that kind of intimidating presence since those days of the “knock the helmet off your head” Jack Tatum and the “clothesline dealing” George Atkinson in the 70s.
With Michael Huff at strong safety right now, they could move him over to his more natural, ball hawking free safety position, with the addition of this vicious hitter. Though he is on the downside of his career, Donovin will bring more than just on the field help. He will also provide much needed intensity, leadership, and a strong locker room attitude, for this young, up and coming defense featuring: Kirk Morrison, Derrick Burgess, Thomas Howard, and Nnamdi Asomugha.
Emphasizing a better defense equipped to be the strong point of this team because of a lackluster offense outside of new, LSU rookie QB sensation JaMarcus Russell, this could figure to be a low-risk move that could bring Owner Al Davis (Win now mentality) and the Oakland Raiders organization a high reward.
Darius will not bring more wins alone but this could be a small step this year in the right direction by making this under the radar choice, that has the potential to reap good benefits to the silver and black fans in the Bay Area. Oakland needs to start making better decisions in order to prevent a repeat performance of last year and a return to the Top 5 of next year’s NFL Draft.
 
How does Darius not go to the Eagles?

Isnt he buddies with McNabb?

Isnt he from the area?

Doesnt he want to go to a contender?

Dont the Eagles desperately need a safety?

It would almost seem too logical to actually happen....
 
BAR, would you tell an alcoholic to pick a favorite tequila and stick with it?

Would you tell a hooker to pick a favorite position and stick with it?

Would you tell a proud papa bear to pick a cub and stick with it?

No, I must love both my teams equally, for they are like my own children.

That said, were there ever to be a Browns/Birds Super Bowl, it would be a bit of a bittersweet day in the Joe household.

:36_11_6:
 
Smoke, if you're still waiting for logic to apply to the Eagles' front office, you are going to need to pull up a chair and get yourself a snack.

'Cause it's going to be a long wait.
 
Apparently Oakland, Buffalo and Carolina are interested in Darius...

I keep waiting to read somewhere that the Eagles are as well, but to no avail....
 
Supposedly Oaklands all but a done deal

Why the hell would anyone willingly go play for Oakland?

Because they like the uniforms??
 
DARIUS VISITING RAIDERS
Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that free-agent safety Donovin Darius is expected to visit the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday, and that the Raiders are expected to attempt to sign him.
The Bills and Panthers also have expressed interest in the former Jaguar. But if the Raiders get their way, Darius will be wearing the silver and black before too long.
Darius is a strong safety, which is the same position that Michael Huff, the No. 7 overall pick in 2006, played last season. One of them would surely move to free safety, and both would be starters.
 
EAGLES UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR OFFSEASON CONTACT VIOLATIONS
An industry source tells us that the Philadelphia Eagles are under investigation for alleged repeat violations of the rules against contact during offseason practices.
The source says that tapes of practices have been turned over to the union over the pleadings of coach Andy Reid, who believes that there was no reason to explore the situation.
The source also believes that the inquiry is the result of a complaint made by a player, and not the product of the NFLPA deciding to take matters into its own hands.
So the next question is who would complain? Typically, players go with the program unless their noise is out of joint for some reason. And when it comes to Eagles players who might currently have their noses out of joint, there's only one name that comes to mind.
The penalty could include the loss of a draft pick.
 
Eagles' long-snapper Mike Bartrum retired this week after 13 years in the league.

Good guy, had an injured neck and at 36 decided it was time.

Thanks for everything, Mike, we'll miss you.

Story
 
"That works fine for me. The more draft picks the Eagles have, the more we can piss away on defensive linemen who can't rush the passer."

Well said Joe, well said
 
i havent looked at your schedule yet ... do you have anymore early 1 pm east coast games i can fade you guys in.

i remember betting against oak at cincy, jets, and baltimore. good times.
 
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