Eagles officially tag DeSean Jackson

As expected, the Eagles announced that they have placed the franchise tag on wideout DeSean Jackson.  The move locks Jackson into a one year deal next season with the Eagles for 9.4 million dollars, quite a substantial raise over what he has made the last few seasons.  Jackson is looking for more years and a bigger payday than that, however.

The tagging doesn't guarantee that Jackson will remain with the Eagles.  The Birds could take the tag off of Jackson at any time or even try to deal him to another team though I wouldn't expect many teams to be interested in him when there are so many other free agent receivers available.

DeSean Jackson's offseason story is just beginning.  Expect plenty of contract and trade speculation over the next few months as the Eagles try to work with their enigmatic and likely disgruntled wideout.

Eagles keep (slim) playoff hopes alive

Where has this Eagles team been the last few weeks?  Needing a win to avoid being completely eliminated from playoff contention, the Eagles showed up against the Dolphins, winning convincingly, 26-10.  Here are just a few of my thoughts on the game:

-This one was all about the defense.  They came up with 9 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries and an interception in possibly their best effort of the season.  Sure, the Dolphins were pretty horrible and couldn't hold onto the ball, but the Eagles D repeatedly created havoc and made big plays.  Trent Cole and Jason Babin were especially disruptive, picking up 3 sacks each as they bore down on the Dolphins QB's.

-The Eagles defense was especially strong in short yardage situations, stuffing the Dolphins on several 3rd and 4th and shorts.  Had they done that all season long, Juan Castillo would probably not have to worry about his job.

-Hey, I remember that DeSean Jackson guy!  Nice of him to show up!

-LeSean McCoy didn't put up impressive numbers but the Eagles kept feeding him the ball, giving him 30 touches.  He's still their best weapon even if he doesn't break one.

-The Eagles don't have the luxury of playing teams as bad as the Dolphins every week but they still looked strong.  That has been the most frustrating thing about this season: we know they are capable of dominating.  With games against the Jets, Redskins and Cowboys left, the Birds have a solid chance of at least getting to .500 and salvaging at least some respectability and possibly backing their way into a playoff spot.  They could easily revert back to their terrible ways next week, however, so there is little reason to hold your breath.

Stick a fork in 'em: Eagles embarrassed by Patriots

What started off promising quickly turned ugly as the Eagles blew an early 10-0 lead and got blown out by the Patriots, 38-20.  Here are a few of my thoughts on yet another poorly played game by the Eagles:

-The Patriots have a world-class offense but the Eagles defense was nothing short of terrible today.  From botched coverage to bad play-calls to undisciplined penalties, the defense wasn't even close to slowing down the Patriots attack.  It all starts with Juan Castillo, who somehow forget to come up with a game plan to stop Wes Welker, or any other Pats receiver for that matter.  Castillo is in over his head and completely overmatched by opposing offensive minds and needs to be fired ASAP.  Who would have thought that an offensive line coach wouldn't make a good coordinator?

-On that note, it's beyond clear that Castillo never should have been moved to the defensive coordinator spot.  The man responsible for that hiring has to be held accountable, as well, so it's finally time for Andy Reid to go.  Reid might yet be a great coach again but this team needs a fresh voice in the locker room.  They also need someone who will make a better play call on a 4th and 1 at the goal line.

-DeSean Jackson played yet another terrible game, dropping at least two touchdowns and failing to make big plays in big spots.  Jackson has cost himself millions of dollars with his terrible play and has basically played his way out of town.  He simply doesn't do enough on the field to be worth the headache.

-Vince Young was actually pretty respectable, throwing 400 yards as the Eagles went into catch-up mode in the second half.  He did have a few bad throws and an interception but Young filled in admirably for Michael Vick.  There is definitely no quarterback controversy, however, as this is Vick's team when he is healthy.

-Only 14 touches for LeSean McCoy?  Come on, Andy!

-The season is now over for the Birds.  No miracle Wild Card birth.  No miracle playoff run.  It's time to face reality, this team needs to hit the reset button.

No 4th quarter collapse this time: Eagles knock off Giants

The Eagles unpredictable season continues.  Without Michael Vick at the helm, the Eagles went into the Meadowlands and knocked off the Giants, 17-10, and kept their slim playoff hopes alive.  Here are a few of my thoughts on the game:

-Vince Young was pretty much what we thought he would be tonight.  He wasn't terribly accurate, wasn't always in sync with his receivers and showed very little arm strength.  None of that mattered, though, as Young showed quite a bit of poise in the pocket and made the right decisions and the correct throws when it mattered the most.  He looked most impressive on the 18 play, 80 yard game-winning drive as he made several 3rd down conversions look easy.  While there certainly won't be a quarterback controversy when Michael Vick gets healthy, Young showed that 4th quarter poise he has been famous for his entire career.

-The defense finally made a big stop with the game on the line.  After the Eagles took the lead late in the 4th, everything looked set up for a back-breaking Eli Manning-led touchdown drive.  The defense made the big play, however, as Jason Babin strip-sacked Manning and the Eagles sealed their victory.  It's going to take a lot more than one good defensive performance to make me believe in Juan Castillo but allowing the Giants to only score 10 points is quite an accomplishment.

-What are the Eagles going to do with DeSean Jackson?  He went from a huge goat for his taunting to a hero for his big punt return.  The Eagles have quite a decision to make about Jackson when it comes to his contract.  Do you pay him and live with the boneheaded mistakes knowing that you will still get the home run plays?  My answer to this question literally changes from play to play.

-LeSean McCoy got 26 touches but didn't bust out until a 60 yard game-icing run late in the 4th.  He's still the Eagles best offensive weapon and kept the Giants defense honest throughout the game.

-Why can't anyone on the Eagles cover Victor Cruz?  Seriously, come on, Nnamdi.

-The Eagles have almost no chance of making the playoffs (they would basically have to run the table), but at least this win allowed us to keep dreaming about that possibility.  With the Patriots on tap next week, it will at least be fun to see the Eagles play spoiler against teams ahead of them in the standings.  If the defense plays like they did tonight, perhaps they can pull off a miracle...

Eagles/Cardinals Week 10 Inactives: DeSean benched

The Eagles and Cardinals announced their Week 10 inactive players:

Eagles: S Nate Allen, DE Philip Hunt, T Winston Justice, G Evan Mathis, WR DeSean Jackson, QB Mike Kafka, CB Curtis Marsh

Cardinals: T D'Anthony Batiste, TE Todd Heap, TE Rob Housler, QB Kevin Kolb, LB Joey Porter, S Kerry Rhodes, WR Stephen Williams

DeSean Jackson has been benched by the Eagles for missing a meeting.  Though he apparently just overslept, this sure looks like the beginning of the end for Jackson with the Birds.  He definitely won't be getting that mega-contract now.  Jason Avant will start in his place.  King Dunlap will also start for Evan Mathis at guard.  That should be interesting.

Kevin Kolb will not play for the Cardinals, as expected.  John Skelton gets the start at quarterback.

Even with Jackson out, this is a very winnable game for the Eagles.  With games against the Giants and Patriots coming in the next few weeks, if there is any hope for playoffs at all for the Birds, this is a must-win.

Eagles falter once again, slip out of division picture

You can forget about all of that NFC East title talk, Birds fans.  The Eagles flaws all came to the forefront once again at they lost to the Bears, 30-24, and fell three games behind the Giants in the division.  Here are my thoughts on another tough loss for the Eagles:

-This game erased nearly all of the good feelings from the Cowboys win.  Bad turnovers, poor defense, dumb penalties and a ton of head-scratching plays.  The way their final drive ended, with Maclin falling down when he appeared to have a first down in his sights, completely sums up the Eagles season.  Despite all of the talent on the roster, they just aren't good enough to overcome their many, many mistakes.

-ZERO sacks by the Eagles vaunted pass rush?  ZERO?  Jay Cutler had all night to find open receivers thanks to the Eagles inability to put any pressure on him.  It's tough to win games when you can't pressure the quarterback and can't stop the run.

-Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is terrible.  When the Eagles acquired him from the Cardinals, I knew he had flaws but DRC hasn't added anything to the Eagles secondary.  He can't cover anyone, he can't tackle and he never looks like he knows what he's doing.  I'd just assume he take a few weeks off and figure this thing out.  Thank goodness the Eagles also got a second rounder from Arizona for Kevin Kolb.

-Speaking of the Eagles secondary, they sure did a great job making Earl Bennett, who hadn't played since Week 2, look like a Pro Bowler.  Much of the blame goes to DRC but Asante Samuel and Nnamdi Asomugha also had their chances and couldn't slow him down.  Bennett is apparently an Eagles killer as he had two TD's against them last season.

-The one positive on the night was the continuing dominance by LeSean McCoy, who continues to make things happen with the ball in his hand.  It's too bad the rest of the Eagles are wasting his talents.

-Besides the worst punt return I've ever seen and one nice catch along the sidelines, DeSean Jackson was completely invisible tonight.   You have to wonder how much money he has left on the table with his mediocre play this season.

-Asante Samuel had a lacerated groin in the first half.  It hurts just typing that.

Eagles start slow, finish strong to beat Rams

It started ominously, with the Eagles failing on their first offensive drive and the Rams scoring on their first play of the game, but the better team eventually prevailed as the Birds won, 31-13.

The offensive line struggled early, clearly having issues with the volume of the St. Louis crowd as Michael Vick didn't have enough time to find open receivers.  They seemed to settle down after the first series, however, and Vick was able to make plays with his arm as well as his feet.  On the day, Vick had 187 yards passing and two touchdowns as well as 98 yards rushing.  LeSean McCoy also had a strong game on the ground, racking up 122 yards rushing and 15 receiving with two touchdowns.  Most of his damage was done in the 4th quarter when the Eagles had a big lead and were salting the game away.  The weapons were in full force for the Eagles as DeSean Jackson also had 100 yards receiving.  If the offensive line can hold up, the Eagles offense is just going to overwhelm teams.

After allowing Steven Jackson to score on a 47 yard run on the Rams first offensive play, the Eagles defense stiffened and didn't allow another touchdown the entire game.  While they were aided by a few drops by the Rams receivers, the Eagles D looked strong as it pressured Rams QB Sam Bradford, hitting him early and often.  Three members of the Eagles starting D-line, Trent Cole, Cullen Jenkins and Jason Babin, all had sacks, with Babin picking up two.  Juqua Parker also got in on the action, picking up a Bradford fumble and taking it to the house.  The secondary was also solid as a whole, never really getting burned deep though they did have some issues with the underneath routes.

After so many "experts" predicted them to lose to the Rams, it was nice to see the Eagles win pretty convincingly.  While they still have plenty of things to work on, like their offensive line and stopping the run, the Eagles are loaded with talent and should be competitive week in and week out.  Encouraging start for the Eagles, now let's see how they do against a solid Falcons team next week in Atlanta.

Eagles sign Michael Vick to 6 year, 100 million dollar contract

After resurrecting his career with an amazing 2010 season, Michael Vick has gotten paid, signing a 6 year, 100 million dollar contract to stay in Philadelphia. Exact details of the deal aren't known at the moment but Adam Schefter of ESPN believes Vick will get about 40 million dollars in guaranteed money. With money like that, the Eagles are banking on Vick to continue performing at a high level for several years.

With Vick locked up, the focus turns to DeSean Jackson. Depending on how Vick's deal is structured, it should free up some money for the Eagles to use on Jackson.

DeSean Jackson to report to Eagles Monday

With the threat of losing a year of free agency if he doesn't show up at training camp by Tuesday, Philly.com is reporting that DeSean Jackson will be re-joining the Eagles this Monday. Jackson still wants a new contract but the Eagles have refused to discuss it with him until he shows up at Lehigh.

It's only a matter of time before Jackson gets the contract he is after and the Eagles know it. With the Eagles taking the stance that they won't discuss money with Jackson until he comes to camp, I'm surprised it took him this long to show up. You would think that the sooner he gets to Lehigh, the sooner he gets paid. I guess DeSean was trying to prove a point though I'm not sure it really gained him any leverage in negotiations.

Report: DeSean Jackson to end holdout, report this week to Eagles

That didn't last long. After missing the first few days of training camp, reports from 6ABC are saying that DeSean Jackson will end his holdout and report to the Eagles on either Monday or Tuesday. He will return to the Eagles despite not getting the big contract he is after.

As Mark Trible pointed out earlier this week in his post, Jackson deserves a contract extension and he will get one sooner or later. I'm not sure what the point was of his holdout if he is willing to come to training camp without getting what he wanted but he probably isn't enjoying getting fined $30,000 for every day he misses. Jackson was trying to make a statement but with the "Dream Team" assembling, its time to get to work. The money will come later.

Guest Post: Eagles must show Desean Jackson the money

The great Mark Trible gives his thoughts on the Eagles front office and DeSean Jackson:

With the trade of Kevin Kolb for a second round pick in next year’s NFL draft and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the Philadelphia Eagles front office continued to improve their reputation as one of the finest in the league. They’ve earned the reputation in part with their understanding of when to let older players go, drafting well, and most importantly, extending their best young players early in their contract.

When they do the latter of those things, they often end up with a successful player that makes far less than he is actually worth. In the past, this has caused problems with contract renegotiations and fair market value from the player’s point of view. Sheldon Brown is one of the most recent cases of such a strategy and consequential conflict. But, in fairness to the franchise, Brown and players like him have the option of not extending early in their contract.

The payoff can be huge down the line if they continue to stay healthy and exceed expectations on the field. However, the cushion of falling into a large sum of money at an early age and having security seems to win out. Most players aren’t successful enough in their first couple years to make a significant dent in the Eagles’ checkbook. It works for the franchise the majority of the time, yet this year they’re in a different ballpark playing a different ballgame. DeSean Jackson has finally become the aberration that throws the front office’s intention out the window. Already a two-time Pro Bowler in just three NFL seasons, he’s due for a gigantic payday, and he knows it.

If he was just a serviceable receiver at this point in his career, the Eagles likely would have extended him by now. Obviously, that’s not the case and the aftermath of Jackson’s aberrational ways is now a quandary that the team must deal with. The first option is to reach deep into their wallets and pay the man what he’s worth. While biting the bullet will certainly cost them, it will get everything taken care of and keep number 10 in green for a while.

Behind door #2 is the option of waiting the receiver out when it comes to his participation in training camp. At this point, there’s no indication that Jackson will show up, yet under the brand new collective-bargaining agreement, he’ll be fined extensively for each day he misses. He may miss a week to send a message, but it’s unlikely that he holds out forever. He simply can’t afford to, he doesn’t make enough money. There’s some irony.

Jackson’s agent is Drew Rosenhaus, a man who has tried to call the Eagles bluff before and found out the hard way how they respond to such treatment. It’s safe to assume that at some point the two sides will get together and hammer something out. The lifting of the lockout and the pressure packed few days afterward certainly didn’t make things easier for either side to work on an extension.

In the span of a couple of days, the Eagles found out that there would be a new season, signed 10 of 11 rookies, signed undrafted rookies, began training camp, and completed a blockbuster deal for quarterback Kevin Kolb. In the scheme of things, signing DeSean Jackson to an extension should fall beneath those on the priority checklist.

From the franchise’s point of view, Jackson must be signed not only for production and roster reasons, but also because he can quickly let his frustrations show. For a team that places significant value on players being ‘company men’, there’s no room to let a malcontent rub off on the rest of the roster. This is especially true in Philadelphia because they have such a large contingent of young players.

In the end, it would be shocking if the Eagles failed to negotiate an extension for Jackson in the near future. Over time they have found a way to avoid the big payday and pinch some pennies through early extensions. Yet, their most successful pick recently is standing with his hands open and a burlap sack that’s empty. He’s deserved the money and while the Eagles may regret having to fork it over, it’s tough to complain about the results they see on the field.

Follow Mark on Twitter (@Mtrible) for more great Flyers and Eagles thoughts.

Five Eagles named to the 2011 Pro Bowl

Barring a run to the Super Bowl, the Eagles will be well-represented at the Pro Bowl. The NFL released the Pro Bowl rosters today and five Eagles were named to the team: QB Michael Vick, WR DeSean Jackson, LT Jason Peters, CB Asante Samuel and K David Akers. Jackson was the only one of the five not named as a starter. Each of the five have been named to the Pro Bowl in previous years with Akers leading the way with 5 Pro Bowls under his belt.

Notable Eagles that were left off the Pro Bowl rosters were RB LeSean McCoy and DE Trent Cole. Should the Eagles not make the Super Bowl, expect a few more to be added on after injuries and the players from the NFC representative in the Super Bowl are removed.

Click here for full 2011 Pro Bowl Rosters.

Miracle in the Meadowlands: Eagles shock Giants

This was a day to remember, Birds fans. Against all odds, Michael Vick brought a dormant Eagles offense to life just in time to erase a 21 point lead late in the 4th quarter. Then, against all odds, DeSean Jackson pulled off the most improbable finish to a game I have ever seen:

What an incredible, incredible win. Sure, there were plenty of mistakes along the way, especially by Andy Reid, but its not an exaggeration to call that one of the best Eagles wins of all time. After all, how often do you see a team score 28 points in the final 7 minutes to pull of a comeback win with their division basically on the line?

With the win, the Eagles have moved one step closer to clinching the NFC East, now needing just one more win or a Giants loss to secure the division. Given how this team has shown the ability to never be out of a game, I'd say we are in for something special come January.

DeSean's huge night leads Eagles over Cowboys

The Eagles will put up with DeSean Jackson's post-touchdown celebrations as long as he keeps making big plays. Behind a career night from Jackson, the Eagles edged the Cowboys, 30-27, to remain atop the NFC East.

It was all about the big play for the Eagles, as DeSean Jackson needed just 4 catches to amass 210 yards, the third most in one game in Eagles history. His two biggest plays were the first and the last time Jackson touched the ball, as he caught a 60 yard pass on the first play of the game and had a dynamic 91 yard catch and run touchdown in the 4th quarter that proved to be the game winning score. Sure, Jackson drew a stupid penalty for falling into the end zone backwards on his 91 yard score, but it's something we have all grown to live with (and love) from number 10. Remember when Jackson had trouble doing anything against the Cowboys last year? Yeah, neither do I.

The rest of the Eagles offense did work in this one, too. Despite throwing a pair of interceptions that weren't his fault, Michael Vick put together another solid performance, throwing for 270 yards and a pair of touchdowns and rushing for 16 yards and another touchdown. He didn't always make the perfect play and he took a ton of hits but Vick continues to evolve into one of the most reliable QB's in the game. Also having a great game was LeSean McCoy, who ran roughshod over the Cowboys in the 4th quarter to rack up a career high 149 yards on just 16 carries for a ridiculous 9.3 yards per carry average. With the way the Eagles continue to set up the run with their tremendous passing game, expect McCoy to have a lot more games like this in the coming weeks and years.

Without Asante Samuel, the Eagles defense continues to look weak. While the Cowboys do have a respectable offense, there is no excuse for the defense to get shredded by a mediocre quarterback like Jon Kitna. Samuel can't return to the Birds fast enough but I'm not sure his presence will eliminate all of the blown assignments and missed tackles that plagued the Eagles defense.

In other injury news, it sounds like Stewart Bradley will be out for at least a few weeks after a nasty injury caused him to dislocate his elbow. While Bradley hasn't had a stellar season, the Eagles need all the help they can get on that side of the ball and will miss their defensive leader.

The win over the Cowboys keeps the Eagles in the drivers seat in the NFC East with a showdown against the Giants looming next week. While the Eagles are fortunate enough to catch a break with the Giants getting a shorter week because of their game being moved to Monday, the Birds will need to be at the top of their game with the division on the line. While we can be sure the offense will produce their fair share of big plays, let's hope Asante Samuel finds his way back to the field and gives the defense the boost it sorely needs. With another game against a Manning on the schedule, I'm sure Asante has a few more interceptions in him.

Monday Night Massacre: Eagles demolish Redskins

Where to begin with this one?

The Eagles exploded right out of the gate and never looked back, riding a nearly perfect effort by Michael Vick to a 59-28 beatdown of Donovan McNabb and the Redskins. From the opening 88 yard touchdown bomb to the defense shutting down the Redskins on every 3rd down opportunity, the Eagles drubbing was historic on a number of levels. Of the many team and NFL records the Eagles set in the game, perhaps the most impressive was the team record 593 yards of total offense the Birds piled up.

Vick was the story of the game by far as he put together possibly the best performance by a quarterback I've ever seen. Vick was sharp with his arm, completing 20 of 28 passes for 333 yards and 4 touchdowns, and with his feet, rushing for 80 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Not only was Vick the best player in this game, he also made a case for being the MVP of the entire league with how he dominated the game from start to finish. You can't say enough about the transformation that Vick has undergone in the last year from simply a running back who occasionally throws to a quarterback with tremendous speed. Now that Vick is a legitimate pocket passer, he has become even more dangerous when he can't find an open man and decides to make things happen with his legs. He has truly turned himself into a dual threat as the most dangerous weapon in the game. Now, about that contract that ends following the season....

As for the rest of the Eagles team, there were plenty of other offensive players who stood out for the Eagles as they racked up the second most points in team history. From DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, who were really only needed on one play each, to LeSean McCoy, who had nearly 100 yards of total offense, the Eagles once again proved they are loaded with playmakers. Add in the recently acquired Jerome Harrison, who rushed for 109 yards on just 11 carries, and the Eagles offense is an embarrassment of riches.

Making the beatdown even sweeter was the fact that Donovan McNabb was standing on the opposite sideline. Fresh off his huge contract extension, McNabb had a miserable night, throwing 3 interceptions while getting sacked twice. Sure, the Redskins defense is to blame for not even attempting to slow down the Eagles offense, but McNabb didn't do himself any favors with his usually array of questionable decisions and erratic throws and his inability to convert a single 3rd down in the entire game.

With the win against the Colts last week and this nearly perfect effort, the Eagles have made their case for being the best team in the NFC. With a huge NFC East showdown against the Giants next week, the Birds will have their chance to make another statement. If Michael Vick continues to play like he did tonight, that statement could be that they are the best team in the league.
(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Report: DeSean Jackson had severe concussion, memory loss

The initial report is almost as ugly as the hit looked. According to FOX reporter Jay Glazer (via ProFootballTalk), DeSean Jackson suffered a "severe concussion" and also had some memory loss when he was knocked out by Dunta Robinson. Given how long Jackson laid motionless on the field, he's fortunate to not be in a worse condition.

Don't count on seeing DeSean Jackson back with the Eagles any time soon. Just to begin running again, Jackson will need to be cleared by an independent doctor. While it's too early to speculate exactly how many weeks he will be out, I wouldn't be surprised if Jackson misses a month.
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Kolb shines as Eagles rip Falcons

Okay, who saw this one coming? Entering Week 6, the Falcons were considered by many to be the best team in the NFC. The Eagles, on the other hand, nearly blew a game against a winless team in Week 5. So, as I'm sure everyone expected, the Eagles dominated the entire game as they whipped the Falcons 31-17.

The Eagles started quick against the Falcons, stuffing them on their first three plays before needing just two plays of their own to score the first touchdown just two minutes into the game. DeSean Jackson was the star early on, taking an end around 31 yards for the first touchdown and then scoring a 34 yard touchdown receiving on the Eagles very next drive. Things turned bad quickly for Jackson, however, after he was on the receiving end of an ugly helmet to helmet hit by Dunta Robinson. It was a scary few moments as both Jackson and Robinson lay motionless on the field, though both were able to walk off with some assistance. Jackson clearly got knocked out and I wouldn't be surprised if the Eagles were without him for a week or two.

Even with Jackson out of the game, the Eagles offense didn't miss a beat. Kevin Kolb played the best game of his career, completing 23 of 29 passes for 326 yards and 3 touchdowns. Kolb really showed another dimension in the game, taking some shots down the field when he had time and showing off his strong, accurate arm. In possibly the best play of the game, Kolb connected on a beautiful deep pass to Jeremy Maclin that turned into an 83 yard touchdown. With Michael Vick likely healthy enough to return next week and Kolb playing this well, we may have another quarterback controversy on our hands. At the very least, Kolb played well enough to throw his name into the discussion for who should be the starting quarterback.

As for the Eagles defense, they met every challenge that Atlanta presented. The Falcons running game, one of the best in the league, struggled to get anything going, amassing just 65 yards on 19 carries. The Falcons also have Tony Gonzalez and we all know how the Eagles struggle against tight ends, but Gonzalez was bottled up for most of the game, although he did do some damage in the red zone. Even the Falcons top receiving threat, Roddy White, was neutralized for most of the game, only picking up big yardage when the game was over.

In all, an impressive win for the Eagles against a very good Falcons team. A few missed David Akers field goals aside, the Eagles played nearly a perfect football game, executing their solid gameplan and beating up on the Falcons on both sides of the ball. While it's hard to get a gauge on this Eagles team, if they play like this every week, few teams in the NFL can beat them. At 4-2 after 6 weeks and the bye week coming after a tough Week 7 matchup in Tennesse, the Eagles are in a strong position to contend for a playoff spot. With a brutal schedule coming after the bye, there is still plenty of time for this season to go sour, but for now, the Eagles are showing they have plenty to play for this season.

Eagles Preseason Game 3 Thoughts

If you've ever wondered why wins and losses are completely meaningless in the preseason then look no further than the Eagles 20-17 win over the Chiefs on Friday night. Sure, the Eagles had a nice come from behind win in the final minute of the game but anyone who watched any of the action when the starters were in the game knows that the Birds are nowhere close to ready to start the season. From an offensive line that can't block to a weak passing game to stupid penalties to missed tackles, the Eagles looked a lot like a team that is going to struggle to go .500 than a team that has any chance at the playoffs. Here are my positives and negatives from the Eagles third preseason game.

Positives:

Red Zone offense: The Eagles first team offense finally broke through in the red-zone as LeSean McCoy ran it in from the 18 yard line in the first quarter. Of course, they did fail on their next two attempts in the red zone but at least they were successful once this entire preseason!

Mike Kafka: Nice game from the rookie as he completed 9 of his 13 passes for 93 yards and led the Eagles on a nice two-minute drive for the game-winning touchdown. I may be in the minority but if Kevin Kolb goes down, I'm much more comfortable with Kafka as the starting quarterback than Michael Vick. Of course, if Kolb goes down the Eagles will probably just sign a veteran QB like Jeff Garcia to be the starter.
Trevard Lindley: Lindley was another rookie making an impact as he played some with the first team and even had an interception. He should probably help Macho Harris pack his bags at this point.

David Akers: He went two for two on field goals and remains perfect in the preseason.

Negatives:

Offensive line: Once again, the Eagles offensive line was just terrible, this time giving 5 sacks as they continue to allow the opposing defense to do pretty much whatever they want. I continue to hold out hope that all of the line problems are simply due to a lack of consistency because of all of the injuries, but, with the season just around the corner, I don't see how the line is going to just magically flip a switch and be good. If they don't gel, and fast, this is going to be a long, long season for the Eagles.

Jason Peters: He continues to be a drive-killer as he had two false start penalties called on him. Remind me again how this guy was a Pro Bowler?

Passing offense: The first team offense was completely out of sync for the entire game as Kevin Kolb went just 11 for 25 for 103 yards. I'm not sure if the injury to DeSean Jackson hampered the passing attack or if Kolb simply can't get comfortable behind his suspect offensive line but the offense certainly didn't look like it was ready for real game action.

Running game: Besides Shady McCoy's 18 yard touchdown run, the Eagles running game was pretty pathetic. While most of the blame likely goes to the aforementioned offensive line, Eagles running backs didn't get much of anything going on the ground. Mike Bell, making his Eagles preseason debut, didn't look impressive as he managed only 17 yards on 8 carries.

DeSean Jackson: Jackson left the game early in the first quarter with an upper back injury that has been diagnosed as a neck strain. His injury didn't look incredibly serious so hopefully the Eagles just kept him out of the game as a precaution.

Trent Cole: Cole left the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury. While X-rays came back negative on the ankle, Cole still could have sprained it and that could cost him some time. Let's hope for the best but, obviously, losing both their best offensive and defensive player for any amount of time would be a huge blow to the Eagles.
(Photo by G. Newman Lowrance/Getty Images)

DeSean Jackson carted off practice field, appears to be fine

UPDATE: All indications are that DeSean Jackson tweaked his back but he will be ok. He was seen leaving the locker room under his own power by the Eagles beat writers.

Every year it seems like the Eagles lose someone important during training camp due to an injury. Last year, it was Stewart Bradley who went down early in camp and was done for the season. This year, it could be DeSean Jackson.

Jackson injured himself in practice today after catching a pass and had to be carted off the field. There was no contact on the play but Jackson fell to the turf awkwardly. While there is no word yet on what his injury is, Jackson was seen favoring his right leg. He was able to walk slowly under his own power after getting off the cart and into the locker room.

The Eagles will give an injury update later today. Let's all hope for the best!

DeSean Jackson wants to get paid

Well, you had to see this one coming. DeSean Jackson, coming off one of the greatest seasons ever for an Eagles receiver, wants a new contract. Jackson, who has two years left on his rookie deal, wants to get paid like a top receiver, so, according to Derrick Gunn of CSN Philly, DeSean and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, will ask the Eagles for a new contract.

Given that Jackson has Rosenhaus as an agent, this certainly isn't a shocker. Considering Jackson will make less than 2 million dollars over the next two seasons, he's definitely underpaid. Whether the Eagles will go against their usual policy and pay the man is another story; it's not in the Eagles character to renegotiate deals before they are up but they do make the occasional exceptions for their top players (Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook).

Personally, I'm all for giving Jackson a contract that at least doubles what he is getting for the next few years while locking him up for the good part of the next decade. Of course, chances are Jackson will want to renegotiate the renegotiated deal after a couple of years, so the Eagles may end up hurting themselves in the long run if they just give Jackson want they want.