"Center" of attention:- Philly ink Jason Kelce and Riley Cooper to new extensions

The off-season always beings a mixture of emotion for fans no matter what team you root for. Reflection on what has transpired the year before, excitement over the prospects in the up coming Draft and perhaps a little anxiety as some of your favourite players could end up as free agents.
   
 For a lot of Philadelphia fans, that was certainly the case as Wide Receiver's Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin joined Center Jason Kelce in free agency. Two of those players have been signed to an extension, ending the endless comments on various forms of social media begging for the stars to be penned back to Philly...well, they still won't stop entirely until Maclin signs an extension!

Riley Cooper was originally going to
start last season as the Birds number 3 receiver behind Maclin and DeSean Jackson, but his destiny took a swift detour as Maclin suffered from a torn ACL back in July. This opened the door for the University of Florida Star. And boy did he ever rock that door so hard it fell off its hinges by having his greatest season to date. His season truly picked up pace when Nick Foles took control of the offence.
 
Cooper was a consistent Big play target and he delivered more often than not. Averaging 18 yards per catch and ending the season with 835 total yards and eight touchdowns. In his previous seasons, he had never topped 23 catches or 315 yards so this was a very promising sign for Coach Chip Kelly  to see how much the 26 year old has improved.
   
The former fifth round pick made it clear from the start that he wanted to stay in the city of brotherly love and those intentions were met with a 5 year deal worth $25M today! Most fans assumed that the team would keep one or the other, letting the unsigned receiver go into Free Agency but General Manager Howie Roseman didn't say no to the possibility of keeping both receivers.

However, it wasn't Maclin who was also signed today like many fans hoped it would be but a rather different prospect, Center Jason Kelce. The 6 year deal worth $37.5M was embraced with open arms by fans after the former sixth round pick had a fantastic season, adapting to the new Chip Kelly offence brilliantly and showing the new Coach why he is the perfect athletic Center for the new system. The man who has exploded onto the scene since his rookie debut in 2011 now has a deal that lands him within the top-5 centers in the NFL on an average per year basis. 

 So what next for the birds? Many fans are still hoping for the re-signing of Maclin before Free Agency begins on March 11th but according to numerous sources, both parties have not reached a deal that is within reach.

If there is one thing we can take from this, it's that with the Offensive line nearly complete, it leaves a lot of focus to be turned onto the other side of the Football. The Defensive side of things started to look up towards the end of last seasons campaign, but there is still a long way to go. With an Offence as strong as it already is and re-signing two top players to long term deals, it makes Coach Kelly's intentions for the 2014 draft seem very clear.

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The game that could change it all- New York Giants vs Philadelphia Eagles preview

Having already played once this season at the Meadowlands, the Giants face their division rivals under a very different circumstance. One team is fighting for a win to make sure they have a chance at clenching the division. The other is fighting for a win to avoid total embarrassment after the worst start to a season since 1993.

History
Record since 2000
Eagles wins against the Giants- 18
Giants wins against the Eagles- 12

The Eagles vs Giants rivalry has been nothing short of extraordinary when you think of the amount of moments the teams have shared. The oldest rivalry in the NFC East will always be known as one of Footballs greatest rivalries. The Miracle in the Meadowlands has echoed through the ages and was repeated back in 2010 where DeSean Jackson made a memorable punt return, securing the Eagles a win as the clock hit 0. But this week, the game is played at Lincoln Financial Field, a venue in which the home team has not won since September 30th 2012. Ironically, that victory was
against the very team they face this Sunday, the New York Giants.

Eagles
With Michael Vick expected to start on Sunday after a two week hiatus suffering a hamstring injury, the Eagles offence is almost back to full force. Nick Foles took the reigns whilst Vick watched from the sideline in two and a half games, sending the Eagles to a further two wins and a loss. The loss came against the Cowboys where Nick looked like a shadow of the man that had played just a week previously.
  A wobbly 3-4 start to the season sees the Birds looking to turn their record into a .500 one once again. But as this is the first season under new head coach Chip Kelly, the record is respectable to say the least.

Key Players
LeSean McCoy-
There is no doubting that Shady is one of the best Running backs in the NFL this season and is the game changer in this years Eagles Offence. McCoy is well on par to break  2000 yards this season averaging close to 100 yards per game and almost 5 yards per carry. It's not his sheer speed or agility that makes him so threatening, but his ability to shed tackles. He cuts in and out of Defenders so easily it almost resembles something you would see in Madden!
   So what happens when you take the Defense who are ranked 31st in the NFL and add one of the most explosive running backs in the game. The answer, potentially his best game of the season so far. The Giants did well to hold LeSean to just 46 yards at the Meadowlands, but never underestimate how mu
ch of an impact McCoy can have.

DeSean Jackson-
Arguably the biggest weapon in this Philadelphia Offense, Jackson has had one of his best ever seasons so far and in my opinion, a season better than his two Pro Bowl seasons in 2009 and 2010. With Jeremy Maclin on the sidelines, Jackson had to step up this year and he has outperformed everyone's expectations. He has the capability to make huge plays out of nothing. When there is a gain of 3-5 yards on a quick pass, Jackson will turn it into a 13-25 yard gain. Not forgetting that it was Jackson who sealed that fateful win back in 2010. It would only be fitting that the first home victory in over a year would come from the last team the Eagles beat at home, scored by the man who made that final play in one of the greatest comebacks in history.


Michael Vick-
If Vick doesn't start this Saturday then the Eagles may be in trouble. The number 7 said that he doesn't want to start until he can run the 100 yard sprint despite taking all the reps for the team in practice. Nick Foles has been confirmed as out for this game and the team will count on rookie Matt Barkley as a backup. If Vick is back to his best then we could see another huge scoring game for the Birds. Whilst Foles can run an offense and has proven that he can stand tall in the pocket to make throws and even run through a hole, he lacks the mobility and unpredictability that Vick has. If no player is open, the pride of Virginia Tech can still outrun a lot of the players in the NFL despite his age. 1,185 yards, 5 touchdowns and
2 interceptions in the first 5 games of the season saw Vick make a statement. He is not ready to leave Philadelphia just yet, and he will be looking to further prove why Kelly should keep him this weekend.


Giants-
After finally picking up their first win last week against a struggling Minnesota Vikings side, the Giants look to make it two in a row at Lincoln Financial Field against an Eagles side coming fresh off of losing to division leaders Dallas. The Giants, now 1-6 need to win this week if they have any chance whatsoever of catching Washington and saving what has been an abysmal start to the season. The win over the Vikings was by no means a convincing one, and the Big Blue will need to pull off a Big performance to halt this fast paced offence.

Key Players-

Eli Manning- Seven games, fifteen interceptions. No that's not some sort of dodgy online movie but the statistic which haunts Superbowl MVP Eli Manning going into week 8. But the 10 year veteran is coming off of his first interception free game of the year which may slide momentum just slightly in his favor. It's very easy to see that Manning has not been performing to the standard he should be, not by a long shot. A two time Superbowl Champion who has taken the Giants through so many heroic moments should not have a 54% completion rate and a 66 passer rating. But on the flip side, it just takes one game, one play, one big pass which could re-ignite his form. If this happens, The Eagles may have a tough game on their hands.



Justin Tuck-  Jason Pierre-Paul has not been the same player since his surgery,and Kiwanuka has not made the impact he should be making on the opposing offense. But over the last few games the defensive line has been solid, mainly because of a reformed Justin Tuck. The veteran defensive end has 5.5 sacks in his last seven contests against the Eagles. In a rivalry where miracles happen on a regular basis, a player with this reputation against your opponent will be one to watch out for.

Rueben Randle - Randle has been anything but consistent this season,when he's good he's great and when he's bad he's really bad! But the 22 year old has four touchdown catches in his last three games which coincidentally is the same number of Touchdowns he has in his last two games against the Eagles. With so many targets who can make big plays, the attention tends to lean towards the big names such as Nicks and Victor Cruz, leaving the second year pro wide open to make a game changing catch.

Prediction-

Eagles 32-21 Giants

A similar game as to what we saw at the Meadowlands a few weeks ago will take place. The Giants will give the Eagles a torrid time there is no doubt about it, but in this rivalry with the Giants as inconsistent as they are I can only see this ending one way. One big play from the Eagles to break the will of the Defense and like before, the rest comes easy. The thing is with a rivalry like this, I could be totally wrong and the Giants could do to us what the Cowboys did to us. As a Philly fan, I have a feeling that Vick can guide the City of Brotherly love to a big win and re-ignite our charge for a Championship.

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A small win with "Giant" effect- The Eagles soar at the Meadowlands

The Eagles flew to a 36-21 victory against a now 0-5 Giants on their home turf this past Sunday, and whilst you can't judge a team on its ability to beat a team who concedes an average of 36 points per game, the win itself meant that the Eagles are now tied at the top of their division along with the Dallas Cowboys after they faced a heartbreaking loss against the Broncos. In comparison, both the Raiders and the Chargers are on 2-3 and they are tied for bottom in the AFC West. In that sense, this win was crucial.


But with every silver lining there is a cloud, and this could well be a thunder storm waiting to rip Philly apart or it could be the cloud needed to fire the team up and rebuild after the storm passes. An MRI Monday morning revealed that Vick suffered a pulled hamstring in the second quarter, Kelly said. It didn't look overly serious as he was seen walking up and down the sideline trying to see if he could return to the game but the decision to keep him off the field could well mean he starts against Tampa Bay in week 6 if he is fit.
     

It was Nick Foles who took over the Quarterback spot and did an impressive job, scoring two touchdowns and completing 16 passes out of 25 attempts. He may not have the scrambling ability or the read option threat that Vick possesses but a solid arm on Sunday from the 24 year old showed the world that if Vick does get injured seriously at some point in the future, then there is a man ready to lead this Eagles offense.

The game itself was again plagued with penalties and turnovers, but this time not from the Eagles. Manning completed 24 of 52 for 334 yards and two touchdowns, but three penalties for intentional grounding along with his three straight interceptions in the fourth quarter. One turnover came from Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, who managed to fumble in the second quarter without even being hit, the ball simply slipped from his grasp, very much so like the victory the team were chasing so desperately.


On the Eagles side of the ball, Foles led the Eagles to 17 second-half points with five field goals overall from kicker Alex Henery. As mentioned earlier, it is very difficult to judge how well a team is playing against the Giants because the majority of the attention is being based on how many issues there are surrounding the team. The Eagles came away with a win and have a right to feel happy about it. The defense picked up 3 interceptions but is that due to poor offence or has the Eagles Defensive unit found some good form? Nick Foles was able to score two touchdowns and for a second string QB that is a very respectable feat. Was this down to his accuracy or down to the poor defensive effort from New York?


With Vick still doubtful to start week 6, there are mixed emotions going into the Tampa Bay matchup. Can Foles carry on his current from and bring the Eagles to a 3-3 record? Has our defense improved or was it simply New York giving the unit too many easy opportunities making interceptions as easy as taking candy from a baby?

All will be answered in week 6 but for now, Philadelphia fans can hold their head high. If being Tied first for the division and facing an 0-4 Tampa Bay next week doesn't give fans a slight reason to smile after a slightly troubled start to the Chip Kelly era then they need to realize that at least they are playing better than the Jaguars!

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Reid all about it- The Chiefs halt the high flying Eagles

Last night Andy Reid made his return to Lincoln Financial Field and was greeted with a warm welcome from the city of Brotherly Love but the reactions soon changed as the most successful coach in Eagles history showed the world that he has not lost his touch. 

The Gatorade bath ended an emotional game for Andy Reid

     The game could be summed up by just a single word. Well, maybe two. Mistakes and Turnovers. The mistakes started from the get go when the Eagles received the ball after an impressive defensive drive, Johnson who was meant to catch the ball did not get his elbows tucked in quick enough and the ball slipped from his grasp handing the Chiefs possession and ultimately a 3-0 lead. Things only seemed to get worse for the birds as Quarterback Michael Vick threw his first interception of the season on just his second pass resulting in a touchdown for the Kansas team. 
   From then on it was an uphill battle with glimmers of excellence from both teams being overshadowed by poor quality on both sides of the field. Michael Vick was causing a storm on the running game with a big 61 yard run down the field ending in a Touchdown pass to Jason Avant making the score 10-6. The extra point wasn't missed, in fact Chip being Chip having spent most of his career in the College ranks decided to go for the two pointer which was fended off by the Kansas Defense. 
    But what could overshadow such a great drive early on, numerous impressive runs by Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles and the ever exciting LeSean McCoy? Penalties. The Chiefs suffering numerous penalties for illegal formations whilst the Eagles had their own issues with plenty of holding and face mask calls by referee Walt Anderson.
       As mentioned earlier however, the two main words of the day were mistakes and turnovers. Kansas were able to force four turnovers on the Eagles offence but headed into the final quarter leading by a single touchdown. The statistic is quite puzzling as the Chiefs had so many chances given to them on a silver platter yet were unable to convert as the Eagles Defense kept the game within reach. But only just. 
   The Eagles were not the only team struggling with receiving it seems as McCluster dropped the ball on a reception a few minutes after Charles reeled in another 6 points, forcing Alex Smith to start his drive from their own five yard line.The momentum was evidently on the side of the birds but the Chiefs did a brilliant job at running the clock down taking out a massive 8 minutes on just one single drive. They drove it all the way to the 21 yard line and were able to kick for three points, extending their lead and surely putting the game beyond all reach.
   Philly weren't going to go down without a fight however as Vick and the recovering LeSean McCoy (who limped to the locker room before half time) were able to get another touchdown on the board making it a one score game as Shady took it to the house for another touchdown and another 100 yard rushing game for the Eagles running back.

Reid wins on his return and shakes hand with his replacement
Chip Kelly

   The final two minutes, the situation in which you would expect an Eagles team with the ball to excel considering their play style were simply disappointing. Vick had one last chance to tie the game but the Chiefs defense did a fantastic job at keeping the pride of Virginia tech at bay. They also did a great job marking DeSean Jackson all night long, he was able to make one big play for the offense but I'm sure it was in the game plan to make sure he does not get the football and more importantly does not score. A goal achieved by Kansas.
     The night was all about number 5 as Donovan McNabb retired his Eagles Jersey, the legendary Quarterback who worked so close with Andy Reid over his career was given a ceremony at half time. But upon reflection the number 5 cropped up numerous times. 5 forced Eagles Turnovers and 5 sacks on Michael Vick from the Chiefs Defense. 
  
      
 The game finished 26-16 to Kansas City who head off to face another NFC East team, this time the New York Giants who are on a slightly worrying 0-2 record so far. Eli Manning will be hungry to get himself and his team back to winning ways as they face the now 3-0 and surely confident Kansas City Chiefs.
      Philadelphia now have a much needed rest after playing 3 games in just 11 days but the storm may have only just begun as they will face star Quarterback Peyton Manning and his 2-0 Broncos in week 4. A game which is crucial to both parties and will be a spectacle for sure. 
       After a decimating win in week one and a loss in week 2, the Eagles sink to a 1-2 record. Have the other 31 teams finally found away to stop this hurry up offence or are the team just tired? When you play at that kind of pace for three games in eleven days then the offence is going to get worn down extremely easily. This is not an excuse however, a lot of flaws have come to light and they will all be addressed by Kelly in the coming days. But for Coach Andy Reid, he will leave Lincoln Financial Field as he has entered many times before in his fourteen year career at the team, a winner. 

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