IF I WERE a fan, I don’t think I would’ve paid $10 to attend last night’s preseason finale between the Eagles and the New York Jets. But the generally held belief that this game is meaningless is probably the farthest thing from the truth. Yes, the starters were given the night off, but the middle and final pieces of this roster are still in flux. For some of the guys who played in the Eagles’ 21-17 loss, it wasn’t just their final chance to leave an impression with the coaches; it was the only extended chance. For guys fighting to move up the depth chart or grab one of those last roster spots, every snap was crucial. After a long training camp, when most of the time you were used as
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For some Eagles, final preseason game was chance to show they belong
Now that Thursday night’s charade brought a merciful end to the exhibition games, there is nothing but a short expanse of practices separating the Eagles from the start of the regular season. Ready or not, here it comes, and much more than in recent seasons, there is good reason to wonder if the Eagles will be ready or not. It is a question that goes beyond whether they will be ready for the Green Bay Packers, one of the best teams in the conference. The Eagles might lose that game, perhaps soundly, and still emerge from the rubble with a chance for a productive season. “We’ll get those things fixed and it starts with me,” Andy Reid would no doubt say. At least, that is what he has said
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Now it’s reality for Birds
Eagles coach Andy Reid insisted that some jobs were still up for grabs going into Thursday night’s game — a 21-17 loss to the New York Jets. The Eagles coach probably wasn’t referring to the backup quarterback spot, although Michael Vick’s preseason wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. Vick entered the Eagles’ final preseason game having thrown three interceptions. He also had been sacked four times and had compiled a 33.7 passer rating. Those stats didn’t exactly reflect the work he had put in during the spring and summer to acclimate to the West Coast offense, and they didn’t exactly inspire confidence that he could take the wheel if starter Kevin Kolb were to suffer a major injury. It’s safe
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Vick solidifies his spot
On a scorching-hot weekday morning at Eagles training camp, retired running back Duce Staley was flanked by a half-dozen active running backs at Lehigh University. The temperature was boiling over into the low 90s - humid enough to warrant a lighter workout in the second of two-a-day practices that afternoon. But the Eagles pushed to close out the morning session strong. Near the end zone, Staley draped his thick arm around players’ shoulders, pointed to the field, and offered directions on making cuts during this noncontact drill. The first attempt was unsuccessful, so Staley called it back for another try. Even during the days of camp when the weather betrays players and practices seem
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Eagles running backs benefit from Staley’s expertise
Ask defensive coordinator Sean McDermott what a player has to do to impress, and he has a simple answer: Make big plays. Kurt Coleman did that Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field to add a jolt of energy to an otherwise forgettable preseason finale. Coleman, the Eagles’ rookie safety who scored one touchdown in his college career at Ohio State, took two fumbles back to the end zone. In his last opportunity to make an impact before the real season begins, Coleman stood out in a game contested by second- and third-stringers for both the Eagles and New York Jets. Coleman, a seventh-round draft pick, the last of 13 players the Eagles selected in April, had four tackles and an assist and
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Eagles drop preseason finale
TWICE, KURT COLEMAN was just kinda standing there, minding his own business, and, hey - a football! Coleman is a seventh-round rookie from Ohio State whose hard-hitting style and special-teams savvy probably had earned him an Eagles roster spot even before his scintillating two-touchdown first half in last night’s preseason finale, a 21-17 loss to the visiting New York Jets. But Coleman might play a long time in the NFL without fortune ever smiling on him again the way it smiled in this game. First time, the Jets were running the 12th play of a drive that had started on their 2. Running back Joe McKnight careened into one of his blockers on first down from the Birds’ 35, and the ball
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Coleman’s two touchdowns the only highlight from Eagles preseason loss to Jets
Center Jamaal Jackson could be the opening day starter after all. During an interview on last night’s broadcast of the preseason finale, Jackson said that the chances of him playing on Sept. 12 against Green Bay are “99.9 percent.” Jackson said his knee “feels great” following ACL surgery last December and said “they have been working me out hard this week,” in order to see whether he was ready to play. “Hopefully, no setbacks leading up to this,” he said. “And hopefully, I’ll be out there with my team.” He conceded rust could be a factor, but said he thought his experience could overcome that. Jackson, with the Eagles since 2003, would be the most experienced starter on offense.
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Jamaal Jackson: ‘99.9 percent’ chance he plays in opener
The Eagles confirmed reports that they have traded with Arizona again (former Eagles personnel guy Jason Licht works there now), this time getting 29-year-old reserve guard-tackle Reggie Wells for an undisclosed pick, reportedly a sixth-rounder.
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Eagles Trade for O-Lineman from Cardinals
Andy Reid has tried to sell you on the fourth preseason game. The Eagles coach insisted recently that some final job battles are up for grabs tonight when the Eagles and Jets have their final tuneup before the Sept. 12 season opener. “There’s a couple of different (open) spots,” Reid said. “I’m not going to get into those. I think it’s important that all the guys that have an opportunity to play, play like they have an opportunity to make this football team. In essence, they do.” Nonsense, we say. The coaches know exactly who stays and who goes Sunday, when the NFL mandates that teams cut down to a 53-man roster. But since we can’t inject Big Red with truth serum, we’ve taken it upon
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Roster seems to be in order
At the start of every Eagles training camp, there are 80 players and a lot fretting over who will make the 53-man roster six weeks later. But, somehow, after dozens of practices, four preseason games, and hours of watching film, coach Andy Reid and his crew end up with very few tough choices when final cuts must be made by Saturday afternoon. With various places to stow and sometimes protect players - injured reserve, the physically-unable-to-perform list or the practice squad - picking the final roster essentially comes down to two or three players. Final, of course, is a relative term. Reid and general manager Howie Roseman will continue to tinker with the roster in the week leading up
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A look at the likely Eagles roster
The NFL Players Association is monitoring a little-known “85-percent rule” after two minor trades this week involving rookie players were made even as confusion reigned over the rule’s application. Under the rule, which is only applicable in an uncapped year, any drafted rookie who is cut by his team has 85 percent of the $310,000 first-year minimum salary reallocated to rookies who do make the club. The rule came under scrutiny when the Redskins and Rams exchanged rookie players in separate transactions earlier this week. The Washington Redskins traded rookie tight end/fullback Dennis Morris to the St. Louis Rams for a future conditional draft pick; the Redskins then acquired rookie
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Sources: NFLPA monitoring trades
The last time quarterback Michael Vick started an NFL game, it was at Lincoln Financial Field. That was way back in 2006, though, and it was with the Atlanta Falcons against the Eagles. Vick will once again start a game Thursday night when the Eagles play the New York Jets in the final preseason game at The Linc. Eagles coach Andy Reid will sit starter Kevin Kolb to protect him from injury even though the successor to Donovan McNabb hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in the preseason. Rookie Mike Kafka will play the second half. “Right now, I’ve got Michael down for a half, the first half,” Reid said Tuesday, “and then the other Michael down for the second half.” Vick was a three-time Pro Bowl
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As expected, Reid gives starters break
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