You can’t trust these Eagles, yet

Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid isn't a particularly expressive man, but he appeared angry after his club's 31-26 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Just when you thought an elite team might emerge from the NFC East, the Eagles shrunk to the occasion at Soldier Field and were overwhelmed by a team that had built its 7-3 record against the softest schedule in the league.
In the postgame locker room, Reid angrily called out wide receiver DeSean Jackson for his immature actions leading up to, and during, Sunday's game, according to a source. By the time reporters arrived, Jackson was sitting in front of his locker with his head buried in his hands. The one saving grace for the Eagles is they will not have much time to think about this loss with a home game against the Houston Texans on Thursday. With the New York Giants coming from behind to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, New York and Philadelphia are now tied atop the NFC East with 7-4 records.
Last week, the Giants showed glimpses of how a team can slow down the Michael Vick Experience, but the Bears took the next step. Vick was 29-of-44 for 333 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, but those numbers are misleading. He wasn't close to being the best quarterback on the field Sunday. That honor goes to Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who finished with the best passer rating of his career and threw for four touchdowns.
Vick was sacked four times and he was chased down from behind on at least two occasions by Bears defensive end Julius Peppers. The Bears were able to apply pressure with their front four and drop everyone else into coverage. The defensive linemen used stunts to confuse the Eagles' offensive line and repeatedly knocked Vick to the ground. He padded his stats in the fourth quarter, but he spent much of the game waiting for Jackson and Jeremy Maclin to flash open instead of dumping the ball off to his other options. Several Eagles players suggested they'd beaten themselves, but that's not giving the Bears enough credit.
The game turned on Vick's first interception in his past 240 attempts. Trailing 14-13, the Eagles had driven to the Bears' 4-yard line with two minutes left in the first half. Vick attempted to hit Maclin on a slant, but the ball was tipped by defensive tackle Tommie Harris and then intercepted by Chris Harris and returned 37 yards. It only took the Bears six plays to find the end zone and they took a 21-13 lead. Just like a red zone fumble in a loss to the Tennessee Titans in October, the turnover appeared to suck the life out of the Eagles.
"There was a protection breakdown," said Reid. "Obviously, if I had to do it again, I wouldn't call that play, I would call something else. We've got to do a better job there. And then you've got to rebound from that. When you're down, you've got to bounce back."
The Eagles were 1-of-5 in the red zone against the Bears. And that's a week after they allowed the Giants to hang around because of their problems in the red zone. Things almost became comical when Reid opted to attempt a field goal with his team trailing 31-16 with 4:52 left in the game. He said the points were important to him, but you could not tell it by watching his offense Sunday.

VICK BY THROW DISTANCE

Chicago's defense limited Michael Vick's chances to throw deep. Vick threw more than 10 yards downfield on 27 percent of his attempts, down from his season average of 34 percent. Chicago sent four or fewer pass rushers on 77 percent of Vick's pass attempts, leaving plenty of defenders in coverage.

Pass attempts	Season	Sunday
10 or fewer yards	66%	73%
11 or more yards	34%	27%
Source: ESPN Stats & Information

"I have to be better in the red zone," said Vick. "I have to get better in red zone efficiency and get more touchdowns than field goals. I think that's been the biggest thing for us the last couple of weeks, of not capitalizing in the red zone. So, we definitely have to work on that."
But it would be wrong to put this game solely on Vick and the offense. Bears running back Matt Forte ripped off a 61-yard gain on the second possession of the game. He is the first running back to surpass 100 yards against the Eagles this season and he brought some balance to Mike Martz's offense. The Eagles were playing without Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel, and it showed.
Bears wide receiver Earl Bennett owned the secondary in the red zone with two touchdowns and the Eagles did a horrible job of tackling. On the Bears' second touchdown, cornerback Joselio Hanson fell down and allowed Johnny Knox to waltz in for the score. The Eagles were getting to Cutler in the first half, but then Martz had him start taking three-step drops and firing quick passes to offset the rush.
"They showed some stuff early on," said Cutler. "It was just a matter of us weeding through it and figuring out what protections are going to be best, what routes are going to be best against it. Once we got our hits, it kind of felt good after that."
Now the Eagles have three days to prepare before hosting the Texans. And maybe that's a good thing.
"Honestly, I want to go back out there," said Eagles tight end Brent Celek. "I feel disgusted with how we played, so I'm ready to go again."
A lot of us came into this game thinking the Bears were pretenders in the NFC. But on Sunday afternoon, the Eagles were the team with the most flaws. Unfortunately for them, their next five opponents now have a pretty good blueprint on how to beat them.

Week 12 Power Rankings

32. Carolina Panthers 1-9
They may have lost by 24 points, but they sure made Baltimore work for the win.
31. Arizona Cardinals 3-7
The Cardinals have now lost five straight. In those five games, they've given up 154 points, an average of 30.8 per game.
30. Detroit Lions 2-8
For the third straight game, the Lions D lacked ferocity in the second half. No surprise – they lost all three.
29. Minnesota Vikings 3-7
Did Favre drive Chilly to the airport or unemployment office?
28. Cincinnati Bengals 2-8
Cincinnati led Buffalo by 17 at halftime and still managed to lose by 18. A negative 35-point swing.
27. San Francisco 49ers 3-7
Does the 49ers front office have the balls to fire Mike Singletary?
26. Denver Broncos 3-7
You can't let Philip Rivers throw four TDs and allow a 100-yard runner.
25. St. Louis Rams 4-6
Stick a fork in 'em
24. Cleveland Browns 3-7
The Browns could be close to .500 if they knew how to finish a game.
23. Houston Texans 4-6
Speaking of teams that can't finish games - Houston is up four with 55 seconds left and lets Mark Sanchez trot his Jets down the field for six.
22. Seattle Seahawks 5-5
Hasselbeck had a monster game: 32-of-44 for 366 yards, 1 TD and a 104.9 QB rating. And the Hawks lost by two touchdowns.
21. Tennessee Titans 5-5
Does Vince Young's move to the IR mean he's done in Tennessee? Could be.
20. Washington Redskins 5-5
Just when you think the Redskins have nothing left, they go and steal a win.
19. Miami Dolphins 5-5
Tyler Thigpen didn't stand a chance against the Bears defense.
18. Buffalo Bills 2-8
Impressive win for the RED-HOT Bills. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Steve Johnson connected for three touchdowns in the second half.
17. Dallas Cowboys 3-7
Jon Kitna had 4 TDs and a 129.7 passer rating. They are a completely different team under Jason Garrett.
16. Oakland Raiders 5-5
Note to Tom Cable: Darren McFadden MUST touch the ball more than 12 times for your team to win. Write that down if you think there's a chance you'll forget.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars 6-4
If, in September, you thought the Jags would be leading the AFC South now, you were lying to yourself. But they are so, you know, good pick.
14. Kansas City Chiefs 6-4
I think it's time we talk about Dwayne Bowe possibly being the best wide receiver in football. He leads the league with 11 touchdowns on only 45 catches.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-3
Mike Williams' urine came back clean, so the Bucs are safe. Is this the most underrated team in the NFL?
12. Indianapolis Colts 6-4
Peyton Manning led the Colts on two 70-yard TD drives, and it still wasn't enough because he threw a pick with the game hanging in the balance. Seems like he only makes mistakes against the Patriots.
11. San Diego Chargers 5-5
The Chargers are getting guys back from injury at just the right time.
10. Chicago Bears 7-3
If Jay Cutler and da Bears can score 16 points a game from here on out, they'll be tough to beat.
9. New York Giants 6-4
With all the baseball played in New York, you'd think Eli would know how to slide! Somebody please call Joe Girardi for lessons.
8. New Orleans Saints 7-3
Marques Colston finally broke out of his slump with 8 catches for 113 yards and 2 TDs. The Saints need him.
7. New York Jets 8-2
For the 3rd time in 3 weeks, Mark Sanchez led his team to victory in the final seconds. He's the real deal.
6. Baltimore Ravens 7-3
The Ravens scored 2 TDs on defense. Take those away and they only win by 10.
5. Atlanta Falcons 8-2
It's official, the Falcons are really good. I wasn't sure they could win on the road, but after seeing them man-handle the Rams, I'm a believer.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers 7-3
In the six games since Ben’s return, Mike Wallace has 24 receptions for 548 yards (22.83 avg.) and 6 touchdowns (29,53,39,15,33,52).
3. Green Bay Packers 7-3
The Packers look scary good. Brad Childress can thank Aaron Rodgers for getting fired.
2. New England Patriots 8-2
Danny Woodhead presents a threat that is very difficult to defend.
1. Philadelphia Eagles 7-3
Mike Vick committed his first turnover of the season. Still, the Eagles are the team to beat until I see otherwise.

Week 11′s five most valuable players

Green Bay Packers v Minnesota Vikings

Aaron Rodgers(notes), QB, Green Bay Packers. Rodgers tops the list in a week littered with fantastic performances. He worked the Vikings defense like a speedbag, finishing the day with 301 yards on 22-of-31 passing, with four touchdowns against zero interceptions. He did it without the benefit of a running game, too. Dimitri Nance(notes) and Brandon Jackson(notes) combined for a paltry 65 yards on 24 carries. It was a spotless, MVP-caliber performance that left another team looking inept and helpless.

Maurice Jones-Drew(notes), RB, Jacksonville Jaguars. It's gotten overshadowed by a bunch of things this week, but Jones-Drew's 75-yard screen play is one of the plays of the year. It's not like the guy caught the pass, and then had loads of daylight in front of him -- it looked like a moderate gain, at best. Vision, strength and speed all played a part, though, and Jones-Drew willed it down to the goal line and punched it in one play later. A game-winning individual effort, and part of a huge day for Jones-Drew.

Michael Vick(notes), QB, Philadelphia Eagles. It wasn't like last week, when Vick used the Redskins defense as his personal playground. In some ways, though, his performance against the Giants was just as impressive. It was a tougher night against a better defense in a bigger game, and Vick couldn't just go out there and overwhelm. He had to take what was there, and that's what he did -- he stood tall and delivered the football, and when there was a play to be made, he made it. Other Eagles were brilliant last night, too, like LeSean McCoy(notes), Jeremy Maclin(notes), Jason Peters(notes), Winston Justice(notes) and a defense that forced five turnovers. But Vick was efficient, poised and a leader. Sometimes, pure physical ability won't get the job done all by itself. Now Vick can win on those nights, too.

James Harrison(notes), LB, Pittsburgh Steelers. Harrison led a dominant Steelers defense that was able to do what few others could do this year: lock down the Raiders running game. And this week, no one can even accuse him of being the dirtiest player on the field. Bonus! Darren McFadden(notes) came into the game averaging 5.2 yards a carry, but was greeted all day yesterday by closed holes and angry Steelers. Fourteen yards on 10 carries was McFadden's haul for the day. Harrison's stat line was a little nicer: five tackles, two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.

Santonio Holmes(notes), WR, New York Jets. No one can ever accuse Santonio Holmes of not making plays. Two weeks in a row, he's had the football on the good side of the goal line at the end of the game, and the Jets might not be where they are without him. Heaps of credit go to Mark Sanchez(notes), too, who is slowly turning me into a believer. His passer rating is 20 points better than it was a year ago as he morphs from caretaker to legitimate passing threat.

Giants-Cowboys MNF Preview

The run game could decide this one tonight
It’s Giants-Cowboys. It’s Monday Night Football. Is there anything better? The Giants have won 3 straight and look terrific, while the 1-4 Cowboys are struggling and need this game to stay in the playoff hunt. Must win? You bet. Let’s preview Giants and Cowboys
INJURIES:
Giants:
OUT: OL Will Beatty (foot), DE Mathias Kiwanuka (neck), FB Madison Hedgecock (hamstring)
QUESTIONABLE: WR Hakeem Nicks (hamstring)
PROBABLE:   DE Osi Umenyiora (knee), LB Keith Bulluck (toe), DB Brian Jackson (neck), RB DJ Ware (groin), K Lawrence Tynes (ankle), DE Justin Tuck (ankle)
Cowboys:
OUT:  G Kyle Kosier (Ankle)
PROBABLE:  WR Dez Bryant (Ankle), C Andre Gurode (Knee),  LB Bradie James (Knee), CB Mike Jenkins (personal)
OFFENSE:
The offense has been great in recent weeks, whether it’s the run or the pass. Even with a hobbled Hakeem Nicks (who I fully expect to play), the Giants offense has so many weapons that it doesn’t matter who they use. With Bradshaw and Jacobs looking like the 1-2 punch of the 07 playoffs, Manningham, Smith and Nicks playing great, the offensive line playing better, the offense can move the ball on anyone. I do worry about David Diehl’s ability to stop or slow down DeMarcus Ware. In the beginning of the year, Diehl had trouble with top pass rushers, like Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers. Ware is up there with those guys. Bear Pascoe, playing fullback, will be huge. If he can help out Diehl as a psuedo tight end, it will go a long way. If he can’t, Eli will be running around a lot.
DEFENSE:
What’s there to say about the defense? The pass rush has been terrific. The secondary has been great. The linebackers have been solid. This is just a great defense. They needed a few weeks to gel and learn Perry Fewell’s defense, but now that they have, there are seemingly no limits. If they can get a pass rush, which shouldn’t be a problem, the Giants will be fine. Osi Umenyiora is having a resurgent season. Justin Tuck has been great. Antrel Rolle, Deon Grant, Kenny Phillips. There are no weak parts on this defense.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
With Lawrence Tynes expected to play, the onus once again is on Matt Dodge. After a rough start last week, he rebounded to have some pretty good punts. He’s still inconsistent, and his first time on a really big stage is worrisome. We know he has the ability; he just needs to get it done. Darius Reynaud continues to be just average and kick and punt returns. And as always, coverage needs to improve. Special teams is the weakness of this team.
THE COWBOYS:
The Cowboys are a team in turmoil. A team that many (myself included) predicted to win the NFC East are now 1-4 and in need of a win to stay in the playoff team. The ‘Boys have all the talent. But, discipline has been a huge problem. Too many penalties. Too many mistakes. When that happens, the blame has to go to the coach, Wade Phillips, whose seat is scalding right now. This has to be a team that’s desperate. Win, and they are still hanging on (barely) in the playoff race. A loss, and they are pretty much out of it. This is a must win game. Which Cowboys team shows up?
PREDICTION:
You have to think the Cowboys are going to come out desperate. Monday Night in Dallas, this is their season. Still, the Giants are the better team right now. They are playing great football. They have had no trouble going into Dallas in the past. I think this will be a good night for Giants fans. FINAL SCORE: Giants 24, Cowboys 17
COVERAGE:
As always, GiantsGab has got you covered for the game. Follow our Twitter page, as we’ll be tweeting during the game. Check back at halftime for our feature “Halftime Thoughts”, where we break down the first half, and tell you what to expect in the second. Hang out after the game for all the post game info you need.

How NFL uniform numbers come into being?

In the NFL, players wear uniform numbers based on the position they play. The current system was instituted into the league on April 5, 1973,[53] as a means for fans and officials (referees, linesmen) to more easily identify players on the field by their position. Players who were already in the league at that date were grandfathered and did not have to change their uniform numbers if they did not conform. Since that date, players are invariably assigned numbers within the following ranges, based on their primary position:



    * Quarterbacks, placekickers and punters: 1–19
    * Wide Receivers: 10–19 and 80–89
    * Running backs and defensive backs: 20–49
    * Offensive linemen: 50–79
    * Linebackers: 50–59 and 90–99, or 40–49 if all are taken
    * Defensive linemen: 60–79 and 90–99
    * Tight ends: 80–89, or 40–49 if all are taken
Prior to 2004, wide receivers were allowed to only wear numbers 80–89.[54] The NFL changed the rule that year to allow wide receivers to wear numbers 10–19 to allow for the increased number of players at wide receiver and tight end coming into the league. Linebackers are allowed to wear numbers between 40–49 when all of 50–59 and 90–99 numbers are taken. Prior to that, players were only allowed to wear non-standard numbers if their team had run out of numbers within the prescribed number range. Keyshawn Johnson began wearing number 19 in 1996 because the New York Jets had run out of numbers in the 80s. Oakland Raider offensive center Jim Otto wore a 00 jersey during most of his career with the AFL team and kept the number after the leagues merged. Devin Hester is a wide receiver/return specalist for the Chicago Bears but wears number 23 because he was drafted as a cornerback but transferred to wide receiver after his rookie year.

Occasionally, players will petition the NFL to allow them to wear a number that is not in line with the numbering system. Brad Van Pelt, a linebacker who entered the NFL in 1973 with the New York Giants, wore number 10 during his 11 seasons with the club, despite not being covered by the grandfather clause. In 2006, New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush petitioned the NFL to let him keep the number 5 which he used at USC. His request was later denied.[55] Former Seattle Seahawks standout Brian Bosworth attempted such a petition in 1987 (to wear his collegiate number of 44 at the linebacker position which he used at the University of Oklahoma), also without success. The Seahawks attempted to get around the rule by listing Bosworth as a safety, but after he wore number 44 for a game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL ruled Bosworth would have to switch back to his original number, 55.

It should be noted that this NFL numbering system is based on a player's primary position. Any player wearing any number may play at any position on the field at any time (though offensive and defensive players wearing numbers 50–79/90-99 and wishing to play at end or back must let the referee know that they are playing out of position by reporting in as an "eligible receiver").

Normally, only players on offense with eligible numbers are permitted to touch the ball by taking a snap from center, receiving a hand-off or catching a pass. It is not uncommon for running backs to line up at wide receiver on certain plays, or to even have a large offensive or defensive lineman play at fullback or tight end in short yardage situations. Also, in preseason games, when teams have expanded rosters, players may wear numbers that are outside of the above rules. When the final 53-player roster is established, they are reissued numbers within the above guidelines.  

NFL honors veterans, active-duty military in November

NFL honors veterans, active-duty military in November

TheNational Football League will honor veterans and active-duty members of the military in November, with teams designating home games as special "Military Recognition Games" throughout the month.

During this weekend's games and the NFL Network's first Thursday Night Football telecast of the season, on Nov. 11, when the Baltimore Ravens visit the Atlanta Falcons for a Veterans Day showdown, the NFL's network partners will support the USO through promotion of a special text-to-give campaign to benefit active-duty troops and Wounded Warriors.
TheNFL has a long history of supporting America's armed services, including a 45-year partnership with the USO that includes overseas visits to troops and trips to military hospitals nationwide.
Among the new initiatives:
» The first NFL-Tillman Military Scholar -- Army Staff Sgt. Patrick Nelson of Dawson, Minn., a former paratrooper with 39 months of combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan who attends Minnesota State University -- will be recognized at Sunday's Vikings-Cardinals game in Minneapolis. The NFL earlier this year announced the establishment of a scholarship with the Pat Tillman Foundation to honor a former servicemember who exemplifies former Cardinals defensive back Pat Tillman's enduring legacy of service.
The Tillman Foundation supports educational opportunities for veterans and their families. The foundation's Tillman Military Scholars program covers not only direct study-related expenses, such as tuition, fees, and books, but also other needs, such as room and board and child care.
» The NFL will expand its relationship with Pro vs. GI Joe, a non-profit organization that connects servicemembers with professional athletes, through the "Rehabbing with the Troops" program Wednesday in San Diego and Nov. 16 in Washington. Wounded Warriors will work out with Chargers and Redskins players using the new EA SPORTS Active NFL Training Camp, a football-based training program that simulates the football drills and conditioning workouts of an NFL training camp. These workouts are part of a season-long physical therapy and rehabilitation program for Wounded Warriors.
» The NFL will continue to offer its Game Pass HD service free of charge at USO Centers for military members stationed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Germany, Italy, South Korea and Japan. At the USO facility in each of these locations, servicemembers can watch every NFL game live and online in its entirety.
In addition, teams will honor veterans and the armed services with a number of pregame and in-stadium initiatives during November.

 

The NFL has a “hard cap”: an amount no team under any circumstances may exceed

The salary cap is defined as the maximum amount that a team may spend on player compensation (see above) in a given season, for all of its players combined. Unlike other leagues, for example the NBA (which permits certain exemptions) or Major League Baseball (which has a "soft cap" enforced by "luxury taxes"), the NFL has a "hard cap": an amount no team under any circumstances may exceed.
The NFL salary cap is calculated by the current CBA to be 59.5% of the total projected league revenue for the upcoming year. This number, divided by the number of teams, determines an individual team's maximum salary cap. For 2008, this was approximately $116 million per team. For 2009, it increased to $127 million. As a result of the NFL owners opting out of the CBA two years early, in the absence of a new CBA 2010 will have no salary cap.
Teams and players often find creative ways to fit salaries under the salary cap. Early in the salary cap era, "signing bonuses" were used to give players a large chunk of money up front, and thus not count in the salary for the bulk of the contract. This led to a rule whereby all signing bonus are pro-rated equally for each year of the contract. Thus if a player receives a $10 million signing bonus for a 5 year contract, $2 million per year would count against the salary cap for the life of the contract, even though the full $10 million was paid up front during the first year of the contract.

Player contracts tend to be "back-loaded". This means that the contract is not divided equally among the time period it covers. Instead, the player earns progressively more and more each year. For instance, a player signing a 4-year deal worth $10 million may get paid $1 million the first year, $2 million the second year, $3 million the third year, and $4 million the fourth year. If a team cuts this player after the first year, the final three years do not count against the cap. Any signing bonus, however, ceases to be pro-rated, and the entire balance of the bonus counts against the cap in the upcoming season.