The guy who stood out the most in the Eagles-Bengals contest was Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham. He’s been coming on of late and making people take notice. He couldn’t get on the field for Jim Washburn, but now that the defensive line coach and Jason Babin are gone, Graham has been the Eagles best pass rusher.
Washburn has such a commitment to the veteran starters that he wouldn’t shake things up when they were failing to get the job done. Graham is showing us that he deserved an opportunity to show what he could do.
On Thursday night he contributed 2.5 sacks and forced Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton to fumble. Graham was using his speed to beat Cincinnati right tackle Andre Smith like a drum. He was either beating Smith or forcing the big guy to hold him. The young defensive end was showing off the burst, which got him drafted so high.
Graham beat Smith around the corner and hit Dalton’s arm as he tried to throw to force a fumble which was recovered by Trent Cole. He’s starting to resemble the player the Eagles were dreaming of when they drafted him out of Michigan. Although undersized, he was explosive off the ball and he used his short frame to get up under Smith. On another play he tripped up Dalton as he tried to scramble to the far side for another sack.
He shared a sack with defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. Graham and Cox could get to be a nice combination in the future.
Graham made a big tackle on another play he came from the left side and tracked down Dalton as he tried to scramble downfield.
He’s been playing with a chip on his shoulder since he was labeled a bust a year ago. Graham has been under pressure to produce because of being drafted ahead of Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who has already been selected to the Pro Bowl and led his team to a Super Bowl title.
“As long as I keep bringing the same attitude and effort like I’m coming from behind”, Graham said. “I feel like I’m still the No. 2 guy and I’m still trying to prove myself. That’s going to be me until I’m done playing.”
The former Michigan Wolverine will need to keep this performance up for awhile in order to erase the talk of him being a bust, but he’s well on his way.
“I’m trying to step into that role of being a leader for next year,” said Graham. “Trent taught me a whole lot, Babin and those guys, just looking up to them and trying to be a leader because I really want us to go to the playoffs. I haven’t been in the playoffs since I’ve been here — my first year I got hurt when we went. I want to be in the postseason trying to go for a championship.”
Graham is saying the right things for Eagles fans and he’s playing the right way, but he needs to keep it up going forward. Next year he will likely be a starter on the defensive line. He needs to be getting to the quarterback like he did on Thursday night.
The eagles have let defensive ends go and they have had pro bowl years with other teams.
When the eagles played gram at tackle I knew there was something wrong with their coaching staff.
Anybody who saw him play in college knew he could play.
If the Eagles hire a no nonsense(no retreads like norv turner) fundamentally sound coach, this team will be in the playoffs next season.
Andy Reid was the “Anti-common sense” coach. He is the complete opposite of Bill “you are what your record says your are” Parcels.
Anti Common Sense
1. have a 6 time probowl QB and give him no weapons
2. get the QB with experience and no INTs weapons and then trade him
3. make a offensive line coach a defensive coordinator
4. bring the wide9 to the eagles (that defense has won 0 superbowls)
5. keep a human turnover machine as your starter
6. use high draft picks on RBs on a passing team
7. trade out of the 1st round to a division rival
8. blame yourself after every loss then get rid of other people.
9. have reno mahe as your kick returner.
10. draft an 80 year in the first round.
11. refuse to run the football
12. kids do what they see not what you say. your team quit on you because you did not set a good example professionally or personally.
I hope this isnt the late season surge of certain players that i see every year, and then when the new season starts they give me nothing…
grahams been playing well, i’d like to see it for 16 games.
I’ll give the kid credit though. great game!!! stay healthy
brandon Graham …nick Foles …brown .. And let’s not omit colt Anderson ,all playing for a chance to represent there spot on the roster ..these are all guys who,have shown they are upgrades over what was on the field,that lies at the feet of the head coach..Riley cooper ,seems under-utilized ,especially in the red zone ,where he’s exhibited the fade and ability to athletically go up and get the ball.Where was that play thurs night ,when stupidly we allying four wides and as I saw it,badly schemed as two guys were running similar patterns and crowding what already is a short field.Where is the coaching? Never mind that was a rhetorical question.come on,Marty ? How can we evaluate guys if they’re not given a chance to succeed under this regime? Again rhetorical. Chaney also needs get recognition..keep battling guys ,changes are coming …
Brown is not a legitimate Starter in the NFL due to his ball security
(7-8 Fumbles so far in 4 games is not going to have you on the field and his blocking on pass plays needs work but he’s a good back-up and change of pace when he squares his shoulders and runs north/south but until he learns to secure the ball better, he’s a back-up
Colt Anderson is not an NFL Starter at Safety, good back-up and ST player
And the type you need for Depth/Lockeroom purposes
Brandon Graham is finally healthy and I like what I have seen so far and even against the running game thus far and has a real chance to be that 40 Snap a game player that all have been waiting for
Dont look now but Graham has as many sacks as JPP with almost half the playing time, when healthy i have no problem with Graham, he looks like hes starting to earn that slot he was picked at.
Andrew good stuff, I noticed that too. Believe hes a sack behind JPP (JPP not having a good year tho). Graham only has had 1 serious injury in his career and entire life for that matter. So hes not injury prone. Has a ton of talent. People on here were calling him a bust and every other name in the book which was unwarranted and uncalled for. Hes a young guy that has time to prove himself and since starting has done so. I’m really impressed with his speed/ strength combination. Reminds me of a young Dwight Freeney. Hopefully we see this same effort going into next year.. Also, Fletcher Cox is a beast btw, taking on double teams as a rookie? He has the potential to be top 5 at his position in the coming years..
Paulman called Fletcher Cox to the Eagles last Pre-Draft JH if you remember.. (and even Nick Foles too) How is your Bust Pick DT Dontari Poe doing this Season…
Dontari poe lol.. people gotta stop listening to mike mayock and watching all that combine crap.. watch the games
Dontari Poe? Your getting old there fraudman. Never did i pick poe. I actually called him a Workout Warrior that was it. I liked both Cox and D. Still. I just never thought Cox would fall down the board and we’d get him. I also liked Kuechly and Blackmon as well. I just dont repeatedly announce numerous names over n over n over again on here like you do. I say it once maybe twice. I don’t need alot of praise like you do.
Fraudman, now you announce when you hit but not when you miss. Let’s be balanced here. You said Trent Richardson would be a bust right? Well the “bust” has 869 yards and 9 tds on the year as a rookie. Sure seems like a “bust” doesnt he? Now Fraud is a guy who needs to stop listening to everything Mayock has to say. Fraud is a Mayock disciple..
Paulman called foles, the franchise quarterback
Jake I agree kind of… The fraud makes 15-20 calls and predictions… One of them is bound to be correct but he does not acknowledge his misses. He has predicted at least 10 new head coaches and 1 will be right. And he will say… ‘Fraudman predicted’ but he has z10-15 chances to be right.
I didn’t say RB Trent Richardson would be a bust, I stated that he was not worthy of a Top #5 Pick that Cleveland had in last years Draft.. Look at RB Alferd Morris who probably would be Rookie of the Year on Offense if it wasn’t for Luck/RGIII and who was selected in the 4th or 5th Round.. RB’s are a dime a dozen and Richardson is a good one for sure
I would never take a RB in the Top 20 of a Draft and that’s what I said..
Wow. Look what I found fraudman. I actually called Cox way back myself on here. Like I said I say it maybe once or twice thats it… check this out from back in April! I totally bashed Poe btw to kill ur entire argument that i picked poe. Liar..
Jon Hart April 11, 2012 – 3:34 pm
The only highlights ive seen that stand out with Poe is at the combine where he really impressed. Not on the field with a helmet and pads. He did get double teamed in games and things like that but so did Fletcher Cox and he still was impactful. Id go Cox over Poe. Poe may turn into a better Haloti Ngata but i wouldnt take a chance on maybes, if i were the eagles and from what im gathering i may be right, i think they go Fletcher Cox, and they will move up to get him, meaning hop right in front of the cowboys because the boys will select him if hes still there, you better believe it, forget all that safety talk the media is spewing. Theyd love to have a guy the caliber of Fletcher Cox on the line with DWare. Coples in another guy i hear they like alot.. So for the eagles they cant lose between having to pick Coples or Cox.
More proof I chose Cox even before you did fraudman..
Jon Hart April 13, 2012 – 9:09 am
This is the order i think the birds will go if these guys are left on the board..
1. Fletcher Cox
2. Quinton Coples
3. Dontari Poe
4. Luke Keuchly
5.Ryan Tannehill
Subject to change**
Maybe the fraud said Cox earlier but what he said about me was totally false I never picked Poe. And you did call Trent a bust so don’t refute that either. It’s okay to admit your misses man, it happens to you alot so you should be used to it by now haha..
I was talking up Cox back in January/Febuary
I did like Kendall Reyes with Eagkes 2nd Round Pick if they didn’t
Get Cox in the first and also liked Mark Barron too
I liked LB Bobby Wagner with their 2nd Pick
Players I did not like in the first round for Eagles
We’re DT Poe or Devon Still or QB’s Weeden, Tannehill
Or WR Blackmon or WR Steven Hill that a lot of Fans were clamoring about
One thing I do know moving forward,
Eagkes need to hit on their top 3-4 Selections
These next 2 Drafts or this Franchise will be a bottom feeder
For the next 5 Years
anyone know how that safety is doing ( i believe from georgia or bama ) went in the top ten
@Nev, yeah 69 tackles 1 Forced Fumble and 1Int. Not terrible stats for a rookie. I’m sure in year 2 he’ll look even better. The Bucs will be happy they picked him.
I believe Paulman was very high on Kendell Reyes. He did start leaning toward cox a little later..
Keuchly is playing very well 130 tackles and so is Cam Newton.. but its not equating to wins.
Im hoping we select Geno Smith , If we arent goign to sign vick for less, he has 40 td and only 6 int. and a 71 % completion percentage.
Gives foles some competition and may the best man win. Edwards as backup.
@larrwd i like geno but i think theres a bigger need at tackle.If he was close to a sure thing like luck or rg3 i would , but hes not..lets sure up the O line and defense and i think foles can be servicable .Besides most people have him going #1 overall so we wont have a chance anyway
@Nev–Mark Barron is his name forgot to write that
The Philadelphia Eagles have lost to the Last place team in..
NFC North (detroit)
NFC South(carolina)
NFC West (arizona)
We are officially the worst team in the NFC.
And all those Andy Reid supporters last year kept saying be careful what you wish for…well it does not get much worst than being the worst.
Yes, I told you so. Andy Reid is bum. A fake. He’s pamela anderson.
All the makeup has been removed. It’s not a pretty site.
I think Luck was over hyped.. Hes been babied had a solid team built around him and they even drafted his TE from college as a security blanket.. And he has preformed below average.. I still think he will be a good quarterback because they will provide more and more for him..
what a solid 3-13 team built around him. ignorance
I agree, luck is way over hyped,nick foles performance against the bucs is more impressive than anything luck did this year, rg3 having way better season, russel Wilson maybe as well, but luck is the golden boy who replaced Peyton manning, who is also overhyped, not even better thn his brother Eli, by the way great read in SI this week about Eli, compared to Unitas in his two most important tools, his left testicle and his righ one
Way to me me out to be fool Eli, although Asante is damn good playmaker, sure glad we have gumby Nnamdi though
Speaking of RGIII….Shanadhan’s idiot offence might cost the Skins if they lose in Cleveland without their QB today.
Washington fan better get used to RGIII missing games every year if they continue to run him 8x a game.
I think you are way early on Luck. He looks good today. Has them on 2 big drives…one that ended on a rb fumble at the 1, and another then ended on an offensive penalty.
For all the talk this week about how the Eagles D had their best day against TB….well Freeman is terrible.
Oh…and I’ve read the line on here several times, “I hope Foles turns out like Flacco…”
Flacco is abysmal.
Im not impressed by luck..
Adrian peterson broke another 82 yard touchdown hes gonna run for 2000 off of a torn ACL
Freeman has 25 td and only 8 interceptions with only 19 sacks
I have been very impressed with QB Luck
You have to remember how bad the Colts were in 2011
There are 4 new OL, no established RB, 2 Rookie TE’s
And outside of WR Reggie Wayne, a young unproven WR Corps
I can think of 3-4 others QB’s that would have 9 Wins in 13 Games
With the Offensive Unit they have and that would be
Brady,Manning, Rogers & Bree’s
Put RG Iii on the Colts and they would have 4-5 Wins
Luck is the real deal in my opinion and will be 7-8 Time Pro-Bowler
Over his Career and their Team and him personally are just scratching the Surface as is RGIII and the Redskins are
They were only bad because they lost peyton manning.. He has just as many interceptions as touchdowns and thats horrible
You’re such a putz Larrwd.
Look at you defending Freeman and slagging Luck.
Anyone and Everyone would take Luck over Freeman as a QB 7 days a week and 2x on Sundays.
Give it up.
Josh freeman is a fair weather player who folds up when the pressure rises.
Since the Buch became a playoff contender he’s gone 54%, 45%, 41% and is barfing up another pudrid performance in a game tb needs desperately.
Look at his games this year….awesome against the Chiefs, Raiders, and early reeling Saints of hte worlds…but the moment the pressure amps up, he deteriorates.
So go ahead…you pump up the dude that shrinks when the pressure rises…I’ll take the guy who does the pposite.
The stupidity on this site, never ceases to amaze me. Lay off the drugs boys!
Youre name calling shows class. I let the statistics speak for themselves. Im not impressed with 18 interception and 18 touchdowns.. Im just not.
Bullshit you let stats speak for themselves. You’re still a Vick fan.
Here is a rookie in Luck who is going to break all time rookie records for passing yards, passing touchdowns and probably wins.
He’s got a bunch of comebacks already.
He’s got a team that was 2-14 last year in the playoffs.
But you’re not impressed.
Of course not.
Why would you be.
Freeman is obviously better.
Who have they played ..ten ten jac jac buff det cle min nyj
the only 2 good teams they played they got killed ne and chi
and there going to lose to houston..
play fair
You can only play the teams on your schedule.
I like Foles and supported him in the draft before you even knew who he was.. but since you wanna bring up vick.. Foles has the most dropped interceptions in the league with the fewest amount of pass attempts.. Now go be gay on another site
Vick is 10-15 in his last 25 NFL Starts with more combined Turnovers (int’s and Fumbles) that any other NFL QB in that same 25 Game Stretch
Vick is done in Philadelphia, the MV7 ship is warming up on the Tarnac and cannot leave Town fast enough. Good Riddance
But lets go further then that paulman since 2009 the top two QB’s in combined turnovers are Eli and Sanchez why look at the last 25 games how about you look at the last 15 games? Those stats don’t work for you? Vick’s time is probably up but don’t act like you can read anything into his numbers like it means a damn.
They mean a damn to me BigLion because of Vick’s age (approaching 33) and his Recent Health/Concussion Issues.. and the fact that he’s not played a “Full Season” since about 2006. So when I see an Older QB whose physical advantages start to deteriorate (which is his legs & explosion) and his inability to even play a full season anymore and then
add a losing record to it.. Yes I am more than concerned,
I make a change is what I do.. (and exactly what the Eagles are doing and should be doing) If your Winning and missing 2-3-4 Games a Year, I guess you can put up with it.. But being 10-15 since the 2011 Season, why even bother with him and pay him $20 MIllion..when you have a younger QB who you need to find out about and can better use this $20 Million on 2-3 Other Players to upgrade other Positons like (Safety,OL,CB,OLB,WR,TE)
Paulman there was no way he was getting paid that money regardless in my opinion. But again is that record all on him, look at the way this franchise has been run the last two years but we focus on the QB like that is the cure.
4-10. Cellar Dwellers. Where is Schiller? He should be eating crow with Navy. As history will have it all their criticism of posters was for naught. LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
BigE, they won’t show their fraudulent faces on here again! They ain’t real fans! They’re Reid & organizational apologists, that only came on here to condescend, name call, say we weren’t real fans, & tell everyone that they didn’t know what they were talking about. Now if we can get rid of 5, or 6 more, of the idiotic, nitwits on here, it would be great!
Man larrwd you wrong on this one, freeman is a bum backup at best. Luck is a rookie who shows leadership, just like RGIII. Mike Vick is straight booty meat he stinks. It’s not all his fault, until he came to the Eagles nobody wanted to teach him how to read defenses. But he should have took the initiative and tried to learn his craft better but he didn’t.
pdiddy, he is one of the ones, that have race issues, & can’t look past it. We have many on here, on both sides of argument. Don’t waste your breath! It’s funny to me, that all of the comparisons, & comments are about White vs. Black QB’s, & not comparisons against White vs. White, or Black, v. Black. Idiots can’t look past the color, it’s sickening! It should be rooting for OUR team, not any one particular player, color, or race, & who can play, & who can’t play, but these sickening, morons, can’t do it! GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEADS, THE VICK EXPERIMENT HAS FAILED, & IT”S OVER! Foles, probably isn’t the answer, but we have very limited options, going forward. No FA’s, no Franchise QB’s coming out of the draft. Also, Barkely, & Geno Smith, ARE NOT going to be Franchise QB’s! PERIOD!!!!
Statistic wise Luck hasn’t been good this year but he shows up big time at end of games, Freeman is a good QB but the defense on that team is horrible so it doesn’t matter what he does. Both are better than what we have here.
Freeman has regressed a bit, & only had 1 good season, thus far. He had a great 2010, & looked like the next coming of an elite QB, but last year & most of this year, has looked pretty pedestrian. Could have something to do with the coaching carousel, but who knows? I’d rather have him than Vick & Foles. Rivers too, for as a matter of fact!
DCar I would take Freeman in a minute but Rivers something about him I don’t like of course he would be an upgrade but I wonder how he’d be received here.
y. He’s a malcontent asshole who spends 1/2 his time on the field with a perma-scowl. Pointing and yelling at his teammates.
Stafford is a frat boy, spring break partying, backwards hat wearing, immature brat…why d you think his team plays the same way? (Well, him and the fact that Schwartz is ths same)
Freeman is another run down the field celebrating when the highlight TD comes inbut first to shrink when the heat turns up a bit….just like his team who have folded like a cheap tent the past 2 seasons…
Body language and behaviour play an incredible role on a team’s mentality….and is just another reason why our own sideways hat wearning, sitting alone on the bench with an everyone out to get me look on my face QB never was able to rise to the level his “talent” should have afforded him. (of course not just Vick on this team…Desean, DRC, and even Celek celebrating every first down are all guys who put on big shows when something goes right, and sulk when it isn’t.)
FOr all his strengths/weaknesses….I don’t see that out of Foles, and its refreshing. When he threw the TD in Tampa he smiled, got picked up by a teammate and then walked off the field…
My sentiments exactly on Rivers, can’t get a read on Stafford except until this year he seems made out of glass. Freeman I just don’t know about. You know my feelings on Vick. Bottom line is this team can be fixed and back in contention soon considering there are no elite teams in the NFC east.
anyone else see Brady slam the ball down during the game? Where was the penalty? Vinnie…. I agree about Foles…. i LOVE how humble he seems.
As of Today, the NFL Draft Order as of Today
#1) KC Cheifs (2-12) – QB Geno SMith (West Virginia – 6-3 220lbs)
#2) Jaguars (2-12) – DT Star Lotuleile (Utah 6-3 320lbs)
#3) EAGLES (4-10) – OT Luke Joeckel (Texas A&M 6-6 305lbs)
Geno Smith wont even go in the first round bro. Come on.Maybe re-think that.
Brandon Graham has been productive all season long….Just so happens he has now gotten more snaps so its a little easier to follow his productivity in game. But with limited snaps early on this season, Graham was still playing well. I think he may actually turn out to be a good pick up moving forward. Happy for him, he isn’t hearing the same old “bust” talk at this time.
I wouldn’t Draft Geno Smith either EROCK,
but with the advent and success that Athletic QB’s who can make plays with their Legs as well as their Arms in Today’s Game is where the NFL is going
(RGIII, Russell WIlson,R Tannehill, Cam Newton,etc,etc) and the KC Chiefs
need excitment back into their Offense and Franchise and may be just the type of Team to take a chance on him..
I really think the Chiefs would like to trade down a few sports and get addistional pickls and then grab Matt Barkely.. But either way, they need a fresh face of the Franchise who also will hav a makeover this OFf-Season as well as the Eagles.Chargers and Arizona who will be cleaning house and looking for that next Franchise QB (the Eagles probably feel that FOles is that guy already so I don’t expect them to Draft a QB in the early Rounds at all)
Agree, he is way to raw of a prospect to be taken that high. No QB in this draft should be taken that high. However, we are talking about the chiefs so you never know. I would think that they may want to trade down but the question is who will be willing to trade up? There is no Luck/RG3 in this draft so even for the Eagles sake, I think it would be hard to trade down in this draft…
I still say they should take Teo and find a way to jump back in the 1st round and take Matt Elam (doubt he lasts to the early second)…I wouldn’t care what they did with the rest of the draft if they could land those 2…
I also Chase Thomas OLB Stanford…and Logan Ryan CB Rutgers in later rounds
the kid from Rutgers is an early round pick – he might be available in the 2nd but he won’t be in the 3rd ( at least that is what my barber told me who loves RU football)
If Geno Smith has off-the charts Indy Combine/Team Workouts,
he will go early (I am not saying that I would do this,but the temptation for some Teams to take a chance on a Athletic QB who can Run,Throw, Lead, run the Spread Option may be too great to pass up rather than a Solid OT or DT player..
Teams,Ownership in Kansas City,Jacksonville are losing fans and fan interest,and need to get their Franchises a reason to get excited about ..
This Draft is Solid at 5 Positons only (OL, DT, LB, Safety & TE)
and below average at the QB,DE,CB Positions
and average at best at the WR & RB Positions
A smart Strategy would be to use the early picks (First 4 Rounds- Top #125 Players) from the Positions of Strength & Depth of this 2013 Draft which the Eagles need the updgrades at all these Positions) and should be able to end up with quality players in posiotns of need..
I don’t care how off the charts Geno Smith’s workouts are he’s not going number 1, Eagles sure picked a great year to suck. We need difference makers on defense and of course nobody top 5 worthy. I sure do hope they somehow land Matt Elam or Kenny Vaccaro though.
Brandon Graham had a nice game on Thursday
I didn’t think he had it in him
If I had a say, I would not trust him to continue it next year and certainly would not hesitate to take a DE with a first pick ——