The Eagles looked to escape week 15 with minimal news on the injury front this week which bodes well for the team heading into a critical matchup with the rival Cowboys on Christmas Eve. DeSean Jackson who suffered an elbow contusion in Sunday’s game is expected to play against the Cowboys.
Jeremy Maclin who’s been limited recently by a hamstring injury came through the Jet game unscathed and is looking to be available against Dallas. It’s been quite a while since both receivers have been on the field playing at or close to full strength together but it appears this Saturday a good possibility exists for that to happen.
“We don’t have time to sit around and wait”, Maclin said yesterday. “We have to go out and take care of business and I want to be out there, and obviously my team wants me out there as well, so I have to suck it up and get out there and do it. Obviously, you never want to put yourself in a position to hurt the team, but if you can go there and play, then you can go there and play. Whether it’s through a little pain or whatever the case may be, that’s what you want to do. So I just want to do anything I can to help us get to the postseason
Coming into this weekend’s showdown in big D number 10 has 49 receptions on the year for 785 yards and 3 TD’s. During the first matchup of the season DeSean had 3 receptions for 31 yards but no touchdowns. Dallas played the safeties deep all night and did a great job of taking DeSean out of the game but his presence allowed the middle of the field to open up for other weapons such as Brent Celek and LeSean McCoy and the running game as the Birds rolled to a 34-7 victory.
Don’t count out DeSean for this game though. Last year he had a game for the ages at the new Cowboy stadium with 4 receptions for 210 yards and a game breaking touchdown. In his first game ever at Dallas he had 6 receptions for 110 yards. DeSean likes the spotlight in the big D and what better place to have a break out game then against Dallas in the biggest stadium in the league.
I believe DeSean will use this game as a springboard to show the front office he deserves to come back to the Eagles. Even at his darkest hour after the Patriots game earlier this season he’s expressed that he wants to return to the team next season. If the Jets manage to beat the Giants and DeSean gets wind of how much this game means for the playoff chase I can see him shining bright on Saturday and using this game as a way for him to put this atrocious season behind him.
The NFL is a what have you done for me lately league and if the Eagles are pushing for a playoff spot by game time Saturday DeSean has a chance to prove to the team he can be still be an impact player in the big game as he was last year in Dallas.
Maclin comes into this weekend with 50 receptions for 682 yards and 4 touchdowns. His stats easily could have been better if it weren’t for his injuries that sidelined him for 3 games. Maclin now in his 3rd season with the Eagles had a solid game in the first Cowboys game this season with 3 receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown. The Birds will need more of the same from Maclin if they want to come out of Dallas with a win on Christmas Eve.
So far in his career Maclin only has the one touchdown from earlier this season against Dallas but prior to the injury Maclin was getting the majority of the throws between him and DeSean. If he gets through the week without and setbacks I expect Maclin to have an impact on Saturday on way or another.
The presence of a healthy DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin will allow Mike Vick to do more of the same against Dallas this weekend as he did in the first matchup. Both receivers demand attention from the secondary and if Dallas chooses to play the safeties out in left field again the short passing game will open up once again at it did back in October.
If Rob Ryan decides to change up his defensive scheme this time around and target the run and short passing attack as the primary items to stop then look for DeSean and Jeremy to come up with some big catches down the field.
If you think about it, the Eagles have remained relatively healthy over the course of the Season only really losing DT A Dixon for the Season and Vick/Maclin a few games as well as Tapp/Parker for a few games.. I really don’t think the Eagles were expecting much from Graham coming off his knee injury/surgery but look around the NFL this Season ton of injuries to QB,RB,WR,DB’s..etc.etc
One thing I do believe is evident and that these smaller WR’s who weigh 180-190lbs are going to gave a difficult time lasting a 16 Game NFL Schedule.. DB & Safeties are 200-220lbs now and these smaller frames take a lot of tough hits.. Eagles need to get a bigger but still quick WR to compliment this WR Corp.. Avant is steady and a great slot/3rd down WR but is not going to run away from anyone, R Cooper has shown some flashes but is really a 4th/5th type of WR and not a Top 3 in anyone’s WR Corp…
I hate the fact that this potential run is contingent on other teams. It sucks that my hopes are now back up and could easily be crushed with a Giants win over the Jets or even next week with a Cowboys win over the Giants.
No one to blame but themselves BTC
I hate the fact that the Eagles blew very winneable games versus the Falcons,49ers,Bears and Cardinals and now are paying the price for a lack of closing out these 4 games… They are what they are and that’s a middle of the road team who happnd to be playing better of late, but is still 6-8 any way you look at it… Personally I don’t believe they should be in the Playoffs at 8-8, but he NFC East has been so weak and up for grabs with no team seeming to want to win it..but my 3-4 months of frustration, inconsistency and overall poor effort,focus and play will not be wiped out with 2-3 good weeks of football though it would be a great comeback for them to sneak in the playoffs as a .500 Team.. I am rooting for them, but really a .500 Team.
See, I personally think they are an underachieving team. I just hope they don’t win out and think they’re good with what they have going into next year. Juan needs to go. The safety and LB positions need major upgrades but I think they can be fixed. Unfortunately, I’m still not sold on Vick nor do I think he can win this team a superbowl. I hope I’m wrong.
Pre-season expectations aside, Pman is right in that blowing all of the 4th quarter leads makes them an underachieving team in my eyes. They only needed one of those games to control their own destiny.
That being said I am more than ok with a 7-9 or 8-8 season and no playoffs IF they take a look at what their issues are and attempt to fix them next year.
Thats what Vick and the Eagles are looking for…for BTC to be sold….who gives a damn if you’re sold or not! This garbage ass talk Vick can’t win a superbowl is stupid! again, you guys know it takes a team to win a SB…I keep stating this and I’ll do it again…Big Ben’s first SB, how did he do? Horrible, and somehow someway he won a SB….Football is a team sport, and until you get that, I guess your right, Vick can’t win a superbowl, by himself!
On another note, Maclin is one hell of a blocking WR….anyone take notice of this man on Sunday running down field setting blocks?
@Bugs – I agree
am I the only one that see’s the oddness of saying “the LB and safety position need to be upgraded” and then read “Juan needs to go” ?
If he was the problem, then they wouldnt need to upgrade any positions. Coleman has played well, and the LB’s have certainly turned it around. I agree that they need an upgrade, but to blame juan, when a bunch of noones are playing LB and S, is silly to me
RT – I noticed and Avant is a hell of a blocker as well – and DJax – he may be small but he definitely gives it 100% – Cooper does a good job as well – but at 220 he should do a better job right?
Like the ‘team’ aspect –
zoltek, I see your point but they’re not mutually exclusive things. One could be the result of the other. Personally, I think the LBs, safeties and Juan have problems. But lets be real, Juan Castillo is not cut out to be a defensive coordinator; at least not at this point in time.
Real, lets bring a down a notch buddy. No need to get all uppity. I never said Vick could or couldn’t win it by himself. My point is that Vick is going to hold this TEAM back from winning a superbowl. He plays the most important position on the field and his careless mistakes this year have been very detrimental to this team (I keep thinking of the Falcons game). You think the Packers, Saints, and Patriots are superbowl contenders will abysmal play from their QBs?
Zoltek, you’re right. Everything that is wrong with this team, goes far beyond Castillo. He didn’t hire himself. Although he looks lost at D-Coordinator, he was a pretty damn solid O-line coach for a long time, wasn’t he? You can’t squeeze apples, to make Orange juice. The problems are the players that are on the field aren’t good enough, because the nitwits who are putting together the roster, are not competent enough to pick the right ones. Castillo is just another scapegoat, to cover up for Square peg in round hole Reid.
Broken record…………………………………………………………….!!!!!