Eagles/Redskins Inactives: Westbrook, Smith to start

The Eagles and Redskins have announced their inactives for today's game:

Eagles: DE Victor Abiamiri, G Shawn Andrews, WR Kevin Curtis, QB A.J. Feeley, LB Joe Mays, G Mike McGlynn, TE Matt Schobel, DE Bryan Smith

Redskins: QB Colt Brennan, S Justin Hamilton, OT Stephon Heyer, DE Rob Jackson, OT Chad Rinehart, CB Shawn Springs, SLB Marcus Washington

As had been hinted at all week, Brian Westbrook will play. He's not 100%, but he's still better than Correll Buckhalter at 75%. L.J. Smith is back in the line-up, too, although his return won't make that much of a difference. The Eagles might have the worst group of tight ends in the league even when L.J. plays. To make room for the two returning players, Matt Schobel and Joe Mays are back on the inactive list. Victor Abiamiri is supposedly getting closer to returning so it should be interesting to see if the Eagles bench Chris Clemons when Abiamiri is ready.

The Redskins have one surprise inactive in Marcus Washington. He will allow the Eagles to run the ball a little more effectively. Shawn Springs is the other big name that's out as he injured himself against the Cowboys.

Enjoy the game, GO BIRDS!

Phillies falter in Game 3, Game 4 becomes a must win

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Game 3 just wasn't meant to be. Although they stayed close all night and only lost by 3 runs, the Phillies lacked energy as the Brewers fed off the home crowd. The Phils repeatedly allowed runners on base and had to fight just to keep them from scoring. Starting with a shaky performance by Jame Moyer, Phillies pitchers gave up 11 hits and walked 5 batters in the game. Moyer and the four relievers that followed him did an admirable job in keeping the Brewers to only 4 runs and giving the offense a chance to win the game.

Unfortunately, the offense was stifled all game by the Brewers. The Phils managed 9 hits in the game but failed to string any together until the 9th inning. The Phils did load the bases in the 9th to keep things interesting, but a Pedro Feliz double play and an interference call on Shane Victorino when he failed to slide into second base killed a possible rally.

With a 2-1 series lead, the Phillies are still in the drivers seat, but Sunday's Game 4 is now a critical game. With C.C. Sabathia scheduled to pitch Game 5 for the Brewers, the Phillies can't afford to lose and hope to beat the Brewers ace a second time. The Brewers will send Jeff Suppan to the mound in Game 4 while the Phillies will likely counter with Joe Blanton, a pitching matchup that slightly favors the Phillies.

The Phillies must win Game 4 because they are playing with fire if they have to face Sabathia a second time. If it comes to a 5th game in the series, Sabathia won't hang another pitch to Shane Victorino like he did in Game 2 meaning the Phillies would need another perfect pitching performance from Cole Hamels to win the series. While that certainly could happen, the Phillies could do us all a favor and not let it get to that point.

Flyers send Giroux to the minors

In a bit of a surprising move, the Flyers sent their young phenom, Claude Giroux, down to the minors to play with the Phantoms. If you have been watching the Flyers preseason games, Giroux hasn't exactly been tearing up the ice but most assumed that he would still be starting the season on the big club. Considering, except for a 2 game stint with the Flyers, Giroux spent all of last season with his junior team, the Flyers probably feel there is no reason to rush him. Let him spend some time learning the game down in the minors and should the Flyers have an injury or if they need an offensive punch, call him up later in the season.

Other Flyers that were sent down to the Phantoms included forwards Jon Kalinski, Boyd Kane and Jared Ross and defensemen Sean Curry and Nate Guenin. None of those players were expected to be on the NHL team at the start of the season.

With the Giroux demotion, here's how I project the Flyers lines to look for the first game:

Gagne/Richards/Briere
Lupul/Carter/Hartnell
Upshall/Metropolit/Knuble
Asham/Downie/Cote

Timonen/Coburn
Vaananen/Jones
Eminger/Parent or Berard

Biron/Aubin

I really like that top line, we'll see how long they stay together. Downie isn't seriously hurt so that fourth line looks like a real pain to play against. On defense, Ryan Parent is hurt so that could mean Bryan Berard makes the team. Luca Sbisa has been great this preseason but if the Flyers sent Giroux down to get experience they will send the 18 year old Sbisa down, too. Jim Dowd also might make the team and play some fourth line center and the Flyers could bench either Asham or Cote when they don't need two enforcers in the lineup.

NFL Week 5 Predictions

This week I am getting right to the picks. Like always, all picks are made strictly based on who I think will win and do not take the spread into consideration.

Record Last Week: 8-5, .615
Overall Record: 38-23, .623

Byes: Browns, Raiders, Rams, Jets

Sunday Day Games:

Chiefs (1-3) @ Panthers (3-1) Don't believe in the Chiefs just yet. They beat a Broncos team with a terrible defense. Last week could have been the only win the Chiefs get in the first half of the season. My pick: Panthers

Bears (2-2) @ Lions (0-3) Getting rid of Matt Millen won't mean an instant turnaround in Detroit. There are so many things this team needs, like an offensive line, a quarterback of the future and 11 new starters on defense. It's going to take a few years for things to get better in Detroit, and they may get even worse before then. The Bears got lucky last week against the Birds, but they won't need luck this week to beat the Lions. My pick: Bears

Falcons (2-2) @ Packers (2-2) This is a tough one to pick with Aaron Rodgers' status up in the air. If Rodgers plays, the Packers will win. It Rodgers doesn't play, the Falcons have a good chance to pull off the upset. Matt Flynn is not ready to be an NFL quarterback, even against the mediocre Falcons defense. My pick: As of now, Rodgers seems likely to play, so I'll go with the Packers

Chargers (2-2) @ Dolphins (1-2) Can the Dolphins shock the world again against the Chargers? Uh, no. The Chargers have an actual defense that should be able to stop the ONE PLAY the Dolphins used to beat the Patriots. My pick: The Chargers will win this game, but it will be close

Seahawks (1-2) @ Giants (3-0) The Giants are a good football team but their schedule reminds me of what a college football powerhouse school schedules at the beginning of the year. They have played cupcake after cupcake and draw the banged up Seahawks this week. The real season won't start for the Giants until Weeks 8-10 when they play the Steelers, Cowboys and Eagles all in a row. After that stretch, we'll know how good the Giants really are. My pick: Giants

Redskins (3-1) @ Eagles (2-2) It's not a must-win for the Eagles, but this is a game that can vault them right back into the thick of things in the NFC East. After their unlucky loss to the Bears, the Eagles have to be the best last-place team in NFL history. They might not have Brian Westbrook again this week, although I bet he tries to play in this division matchup. If he can't go, the Eagles will once again struggle to get the ball in the end zone. After their Week One effort against the Giants there is no way anyone thought the Redskins would look as good as they do now. I am still not seeing them as a serious contender in the NFC East but they are always tough to play against. My pick: Eagles by a touchdown. This game figures to be pretty low-scoring and with Westbrook out the Eagles D will once again have to step up. Expect a ton of blitz packages that will confuse Jason Campbell. If the Eagles can once again stuff Clinton Portis and the running game, they should pull this one out.

Titans (4-0) @ Ravens (2-1) This might be the toughest game to pick this week. The Ravens have played a lot better than I thought they would and the Titans look like the best team in the AFC right now. When in doubt, always pick against the rookie quarterback. Joe Flacco has been adequate for the Ravens but he's going to have all kinds of trouble against this elite Titans D. My pick: Titans

Colts (1-2) @ Texans (0-3) I've heard some people talking about picking the Texans to win this game. The Texans do always seem to play the Colts tough, but there is no way Peyton lets his team fall to 1-3. The Colts, coming off a bye, have to be considered a lock. My pick: Colts

Bucs (3-1) @ Broncos (3-1) Another tough game to predict what will happen. The Broncos defense is just awful, so I expect the Bucs to put up a ton of points. Will the Broncos be able to keep up against a solid Bucs defense? The Broncos can't really run the ball so they will have to do everything through the air, but the Bucs secondary is top notch. Losing to the Chiefs has really messed with my impressions of the Broncos. My pick: I still have to go with the Broncos at home

Bills (4-0) @ Cardinals (2-2) This one seems almost too easy to pick. The Cardinals defense got destroyed last week by Brett Favre and I would expect Trent Edwards and Marshawn Lynch to have huge games this week. The Bills look like a good bet to go 5-0 and then get beat in Week 7 by the Chargers after their bye. My pick: Bills, but it will be close. The Bills don't blow people out

Patriots (2-1) @ Niners (2-2) Pity the Niners. They are the unlucky team that will face the Patriots, who have had two weeks to prepare after coming off a terrible loss to the Dolphins. J.T. O'Sullivan doesn't stand a chance. My pick: Patriots

Bengals (0-4) @ Cowboys (3-1) Talk about a no-brainer. This is another situation where you have an elite team coming off a loss and facing a weak opponent. While this could be a trap game for the Cowboys, I see them winning. Big. Especially if Carson Palmer sits out again. My pick: Cowboys

Sunday Night Game:

Steelers (3-1) @ Jaguars (2-2) The Steelers are a shaky 3-1 team. Big Ben isn't getting any time to make throws and they don't have a running game after a rash of injuries. The Jags haven't been able to run the ball against anyone except the Colts so don't expect them to bust out on the ground against Pittsburgh. My pick: Steelers in close, low-scoring game. I also predict that it will be about as boring a game as last weeks Monday Night game between the Steelers and Ravens.

Monday Night Game:

Vikings (1-3) @ Saints (2-2) The Gus Frerotte era continues in Minnesota as he looks healthy enough to start. The Vikings aren't as bad as their 1-3 record, but that doesn't mean they are a good team or anything. The Saints have a good enough offense to do damage against a tough Vikings D, especially with Deuce back in the fold. My pick: Saints

So those are my picks for Week Five. If you agree or disagree or have picks of your own, feel free to leave comments!

Victorino's slam puts Phillies in the drivers seat

(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

The Phillies had one mission in Game Two of their series with the Brewers: get to C.C. Sabathia early and get him out of the game quickly. Thanks to a 5-run second inning highlighted by a Brett Myers walk and a Shane Victorino grand slam, the Phillies suceeded in running the Brewers ace out of the game after only 3 and 2/3rds innings. The Phils didn't do any damage against the Brewers bullpen, but they still held on to win 5-2 and take a 2-0 series lead.

Victorino was the hero tonight with his grand slam but Brett Myers deserves a ton of credit not only for what he did on the mound, but how he kept the Phillies second inning rally going. With two outs and Pedro Feliz on third base, Myers made Sabathia work by fouling off a series of pitches before earning a 9-pitch walk. Here was the sequence of pitches for Myers:

Pitch 1: Swinging strike (0-1 count)
Pitch 2: Swinging strike (0-2 count)
Pitch 3: Ball (1-2 count)
Pitch 4: Foul (1-2 count)
Pitch 5: Ball (2-2 count)
Pitch 6: Foul (2-2 count)
Pitch 7: Ball (3-2 count)
Pitch 8: Foul (3-2 count)
Pitch 9: Ball (WALK)

Myers was able to climb his way out of an 0-2 count and get on base. That opened up the inning for the Phils as Jimmy Rollins walked and Victorino followed with his grand slam. Myers completed his solid effort at the plate later in the game by getting a single and also forcing Sabathia to make 10 pitches to him in one at bat before he flew out.

Myers was great at the plate but he was even better on the mound. He went 7 strong innings and allowed only two hits and 3 walks. Myers allowed one run in the first inning but he was able to bounce back and didn't allow another Brewer to cross the plate until the 7th inning.

The Phillies are now in complete control of the series. With a 2-0 lead and the Brewers not able to pitch Sabathia again until the 5th game, the Phils appear poised to go to the NLCS. The only alarming thing for the Phillies at this point is how all 8 of their runs in this series have come from two innings. Besides two big innings, they have been shut out for the other 14 innings of the series. It hasn't mattered yet, but a few more crooked numbers up on the board would make everyone a little more comfortable.

What a difference a year makes. After two playoff games last year, the Phillies and their fans were searching for answers. Now, everyone is starting to look ahead at who the Phils might face in the next round. As the series shifts to Milwaukee, hopefully the Phillies do what the Rockies did to them last year and eliminate them immediately. They can't let the Brewers stick around and force a Game 5 back in Philly. Something tells me if C.C. Sabathia gets another shot at the Phils things will turn out quite different from this game.

The 2008 Phillies are already better than the 2007 Phillies!

(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

The Phillies did something today that they were unable to do last season: win a playoff game. After getting swept in 3 straight games by the Colorado Rockies in 2007, the Phillies started off their playoff series with the Brewers in strong fashion, winning Game 1 3-1 and taking a 1-0 series lead. The win was also the Phillies first playoff game win since 1993.

Cole Hamels was the story of the game. He absolutely dominated the Brewers, going 8 innings, striking out 9 and allowing only 2 hits. Brad Lidge came into the game in the 9th and had his second straight shaky outing, giving up a run when Ryan Braun doubled in Ray Durham. Lidge is inching closer and closer to blowing his first save of the season, it would be an absolute shame if he melted down in the playoffs after being perfect all season long. The last thing he needs is to have his confidence shaken like it was after Albert Pujols hit that bomb off of Lidge when he was with the Astros.

Offensively, the Phillies scored all 3 of their runs in the 3rd inning. Chase Utley doubled in a pair of runs and Shane Victorino walked with the bases loaded. The Phils were able to chase Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo after just 4 innings of work but were unable to do any damage against the Brewers bullpen.

Game 2 is Thursday, and the Brewers send their ace to the mound to try to even the series up. C.C. Sabathia will be pitching on only 3 days rest, although it hasn't slowed him down before, while the Phils will send on-again, off-again Brett Myers to the mound. Hopefully the Myers from August shows up or the Phillies will find themselves right back where they started in the series.

In all, it was a good start to the playoffs for the Phils. They won a game they should have won considering they sent their ace to the mound while the Brewers pitched a guy who isn't completely healthy. Game 2 will be pivotal for the Phillies. If they can find a way to beat Sabathia, the series will essentially be theirs for the taking. If the Brewers win, the Phillies know that they will have to face Sabathia again in Game 4 or 5. They need to focus on beating him the first time so they won't have to face him again. Unfortunately for the Phillies, they have a tendency to not kick teams when they are down, a tendency that could come back to haunt them if they let the Brewers back in the series.