The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl Champions

In the almost ten years that I've been writing online, that headline is one that I honestly never thought that I would write.  Hell, the that time before this season, I'd seen all of three Eagles playoff games, and they had all ended in losses.  One of them even ended in the first playoff win for the Cowboys since Super Bowl XXX, for crying out loud.

None of that matters anymore.

The Road to Super Bowl LII: Top 10 Eagles Moments

What a season it has been for Eagles fans.  Coming into the start of the 2017-18 season, hardly anyone, including Eagles fans, believed that this team was ready to make this much noise this soon.  Yes, there were some good pickups in free agency, but the defense was still regarded as highly suspect in the secondary, and Carson Wentz was entering his second season in the NFL.  For most people, a 9-7, or 10-6 record with a potential playoff appearance would have been seen as a successful season.

What a difference four months makes.  The Eagles hit the ground running, and never really lost momentum.  They overcame injuries at almost every key position, including quarterback, and now find themselves just one win away from their first Super Bowl title.  They've been looked down on all season by national pundits and "experts,"  and even now, no one outside of Philadelphia is giving the Eagles much of a chance to beat the Patriots.  Before the teams take the field, let's look back at some of the best moments of this season for the Philadelphia Eagles.

The State of the Eagles

Admit it, it's ok. Going into the NFL offseason, you had no idea what was going to happen with the Eagles this coming season. It's alright to say it, because no one did. No one was sure that the season would even start on time, and if it did, what players the Eagles would try and pick up. Luckily for us fans, a deal was made, the NFL only lost the Hall of Fame Game, and tonight, the Eagles start up their preseason with a new look team that no one expected to see on the field even a month ago.

The first step was taken in the NFL Draft, when the Eagles took offensive guard Danny Watkins with their first round pick. There were a lot of issues that arose right away, specifically, the fact that Watkins is 26, and will be 27 in November, making him one of the oldest rookies in NFL history. However, Watkins is also very talented, and should be able to pick up his blocking schemes right away. The Eagles needed an interior lineman badly to help with the running game and protect Michael Vick, so Watkins, if you can look past his age, is a solid choice. They addressed a lack of depth at safety by picking Temple's Jaiquwan Jarrett in the second round. Jarrett's a good safety net to have if either Kurt Coleman or Nate Allen have any injury issues, especially Allen, who is coming off of a nasty knee injury that ended his rookie season.

The next two impact picks came in the fourth round, where the Eagles took Casey Matthews, brother of Clay Matthews. You know who he is. He's the guy that knocked Kevin Kolb out of the first game of last season and allowed Michael Vick to get going. If he's anything like his brother, this was another good pick, and from where he is on the depth chart (more on that later), he's already looking like a steal. The other pick was Alex Henery, a kicker out of Nebraska. He's the highest kicker taken since Stephen Gostkowski by the Patriots, but he certainly could be worth it. First and foremost, Henery's selection spelled the end for David Akers as a member of the Eagles. However. Henery has a great leg, hitting a 57 yard field goal last season for Nebraska, and is the most accurate kicker in NCAA history. It's not a bad start, even for a rookie. The rest of the draft helped the Eagles fill a few more needs, such as a backup running back in Dion Lewis and a solid backup fullback from USC named Stanley Havili.

Then came the lockout, and a long period of waiting. Everyone wanted to see what the Eagles were going to do with Kevin Kolb, how they would address their pass rush and whether or not they could land Nnamdi Asomugha, the biggest free agent to be on the market. Three long months went without any sort of deal, and then it happened. Finally, the players and the owners reached an agreement, and the NFL was back on schedule. Now we don't have to deal with any sort of labor situation for ten years, and that's good enough for me. The salary cap for the season was set at $120 million, and with the Eagles only having about $80 million in contracts on the books, they had room to work. Everyone expected them to come out and make a big splash, considering they pretty much said that they were going to once free agency began.

On July 27, free agency began, and the moves started coming in. Not one involved the Eagles, save for their announcement that they would not be bringing back any of their unrestricted free agents, meaning that players like Stewart Bradley, David Akers, Quintin Mikell and Sav Rocca would be finding new homes. Leonard Weaver was also let go after he could not pass his training camp physical. The NFL year was only one day old, and fans were already getting restless. Why hadn't Kevin Kolb been traded? What was taking so long bringing in a big name free agent? The team has money to spend, why aren't they spending any?

After another day with no big moves, things started to come into focus for the Eagles. Talks were in place for a Kolb trade, and there were rumbles about a few of the bigger free agents possibly coming to Philadelphia. What Eagles fans got instead was a tidal wave of moves that hasn't stopped yet. Let's break them down, one by one.

Jason Babin signs a five year, $28 million deal.

This was a great first move by the Eagles, and was probably one of the ones that a lot of people saw coming. The Eagles had a need for another pass rusher opposite Trent Cole, and Babin had his best success last year with the Titans, where current Eagles D-line coach Jim Washburn was last year. Babin is 31 years old, but the contract only has $5-6 million worth of guarantees, which means it won't cost that much to let him go if he does turn out to be a one year wonder or he starts to slow down in three or four years. Regardless, Babin fills a huge need for this team, and as one of the best pass rushers on the market, the Eagles got him for a great price. Just look at what the Panthers paid to keep Charles Johnson in Carolina.

Eagles trade Kevin Kolb to Arizona for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie & a 2^nd round pick.

Now, this was what every Eagles fan was waiting for. The only questions about this trade were where Kolb was going to end up, and how much would the Eagles get back for him? Arizona was the most likely destination, and the Eagles managed to get not only a second round pick for Kolb, but also Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a Pro Bowler back in 2009 who is only 25 years old. DRC is a tall, fast corner, though he does have some issues with tackling. In that regard, he's more like Asante Samuel, who goes for the pick and the big play rather than the tackle. There's nothing wrong with that, but it does put more pressure on the safeties to make sure that they can make a play if the corners don't. I like Kolb, I really do, but the fact remains that he's still an unproven quarterback. He's struggled at times during his few starts, and he's looked great in others. No one's sure what he's going to be, but he'll figure it out in Arizona. This was a good trade for both sides in my mind.

Vince Young signs a one year deal.

Who better to have back up Michael Vick than Michael Vick, Jr.? Young was released by the Titans at the start of free agency and quickly found a home with the Eagles. The deal is only for a single year, but Young has a chance to learn the West Coast offense, or whatever it is that the Eagles are running now, and mature more as a player. Young has looked great at times, but he can be a bit of a head case as well. Signing him as a backup puts little pressure on him, and allows him to relax more and fit into the system that the Eagles have going. This was a nice, low risk pick up by the Birds.

Just these three moves made fans happy, but the Eagles weren't done yet. The very next day...

Nnamdi Asomugha signs a five year, $60 million deal.

Just when everyone thought that the Eagles were out of the running for Asomugha, they swoop in and steal him away from the Cowboys and Jets. After getting DRC in the Kolb trade, no one thought that the Eagles would make a move for Asomugha, because they didn't think they needed him. The fact of the matter is that Asomugha wanted to come to Philadelphia. He left money on the table to sign with the Eagles for a chance to win right now. Where Samuel and DRC are more big play corners that can shut down opposing receivers, Asomugha is the best shut down corner in the NFL, save for maybe Darrell Revis. He's strong and can bang with bigger receivers, meaning that the Eagles can put him in the slot to face off against the strong tight ends that the NFC East just loves to have. Asomugha does give up big plays from time to time, but other teams just don't even throw at his side of the field in some games. He's that good. When you look at the Eagles' depth at corner, aside from Samuel and DRC, you were looking at players like a Trevard Lindley or Joselio Hanson. They're not bad players, but compared to Samuel, DRC and Asomugha, a lot of corners look weaker. In this more vertically based offense that is running through the NFL right now, there's nothing wrong with having three Pro Bowl cornerbacks.

Cullen Jenkins signs a five year, $25 million deal.

Another day went by, and the Eagles made another huge move in free agency, picking up Cullen Jenkins. Jenkins played on the end in Green Bay's 3-4 defense, but will be moved to DT with the Eagles in the 4-3. Either way, it doesn't really matter. Jenkins is a beast of a player that can get after the quarterback very well. His biggest issue is staying healthy, but even in just 11 games last year, Jenkins had seven sacks, a new career high. Jenkins was also one of the leaders on Green Bay's defense and helped the Packers win the Super Bowl last season. When you stack him up against Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley, there's not much to compare, which leads to the next move the Eagles made.

Eagles trade Brodrick Bunkley to Cleveland Denver for a 2013 late round pick.

The original trade for Bunkley was to the Cleveland Browns, but Bunkley refused to report, so the Eagles sent him to Denver for a late pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. The plus to this is that the Eagles got anything of value for Bunkley, who had worn out his welcome with the Eagles and never really played up to his potential. He looked like a stud coming out of Florida State, but could never put it all together when he was with the Eagles. Maybe a change of scenery is what he needed. Good trade by the Eagles, just to get anything out of it.

Ronnie Brown signs a one year deal.

After letting Jerome Harrison walk, the Eagles turned around and signed former Miami starter Ronnie Brown to a one year deal. Brown is a good power back, but he's had injury issues in the past, and had his worst season as a pro last year. However, as a backup to LeSean McCoy, there's not many people that you could find out there that would be better. Not getting as many carries should help him stay healthy, and he'll be great down at the goal line and in short situations. He can start in a pinch as well and can be used in the Wildcat formation if need be. This was another out of nowhere signing, but this free agency period was full of them for the Eagles, and they weren't done yet.

Ryan Harris signs a one year deal.

Not many people noticed this move, but it might be one of the best ones that the Eagles made in their spending spree. Harris was a starter in Denver and was pretty solid, but had some injury issues and has missed ten games in the past two seasons. However, when he's been healthy, he's looked like one of the best young offensive tackles in the league. This is a one year deal, which means he could just be here for this season, or, if he impresses, he could sign an extension and be in Philadelphia long term. Right now, the Eagles already have him as their number one right tackle, ahead of King Dunlap and the PUP Winston Justice. He's fitting in well with new offensive line coach Howard Mudd's scheme, and looks like a steal already.

Steve Smith signs a one year, $4 million deal.

This move just happened last night, and shocked more Giants fans than Eagles fans. Smith was expected to stay with the Giants, even after having micro fracture knee surgery in the offseason. However, last night the Eagles managed to sign Smith, leaving Giants fans angry and scratching their heads. While Smith probably won't be able to play for six weeks at least, he's another solid pick up, especially if he can come in at even close to what he was with the Giants. Smith is another great slot receiver, and if you pair him up opposite Jason Avant, opposing teams are going to have a hell of a time trying to stop both of them going over the middle. There's two trains of thought on this deal right now. There's people that love it and those that hate it. As you can tell, I love it. Smith is only guaranteed $2 million, so if it doesn't work out, there's no big loss. If he's healthy, the Eagles just stole another Pro Bowl player.

Those were just the biggest moves that the Eagles made, but there were more. Evan Mathis, Donald Lee, Jarrad Page, Akeem Jordan and Johnnie Lee Higgins all signed as well. Mathis is a solid backup guard, Lee is a good backup tight end and can provide insurance for Brent Celek, and the same goes with Page at the safety position. Jordan was the only free agent that the Eagles actually did bring back, and Higgins might be one of the fastest players in the NFL. He's a good kick returner and will help take DeSean Jackson out of those plays. Higgins is certainly an upgrade from Ellis Hobbs last year.

With all of these moves, the Eagles certainly do look like a completely different team. However, there are still some questions that surround them that could throw the entire season off the rails.

Is there enough depth on the defensive line?

Just after the trade that sent Brodrick Bunkley out of town, Mike Patterson had a seizure during a practice. An MRI revealed that he has a tangled cluster of blood vessels in his brain. While there are thoughts that he might be able to come back soon, his health has to be his number one priority. Cullen Jenkins also has had injury issues, leaving third year man Antonio Dixon as the potential last man standing at DT. The depth doesn't get much better after that, with Trevor Laws being pretty much the only name that most people have heard of, and that's not a good thing. Laws hasn't exactly panned out with the Eagles either. Hopefully, Dixon and Jenkins can stay healthy, and Patterson can come back, but if more injuries to happen, the Eagles will need to address that depth.

What is going to happen with the linebackers?

Right now, according to the Eagles depth chart, the starting linebackers are set to be Jamar Chaney, who played well at the end of last season, starting the last three games, including the playoffs. However, that's the start and finish of his starting time with the Eagles. Chaney was a seventh round pick just last season, and still has a lot to prove. On the other end is Moise Fokou, a seventh round pick from 2009 that started 11 games last year and picked up 51 tackles. In the middle is rookie fourth round pick Casey Matthews, who is slower than Chaney and Fokou, but has shown good ability in camp so far. Out of every position on the Eagles, linebacker scares me the most. There's potential in the three starters, but potential doesn't win games or pay the bills. Sometimes, having “potentially” good players out on the field can lead to more problems than anything else.

There's still a few options out on the free agent market, like Lofa Tatupu, who would be the best fit for this team right now. Tatupu would bring more experience and some leadership to the Eagles at linebacker, which is something that they do need. I like Matthews, but I'm never sold on a rookie being the leader on offense, unless it's a Ray Lewis or a Brian Urlacher type of player. These three guys in the middle of the defense are going to be the glue that holds the unit together, so they need to play well. If they don't gel, things could get bad.

Are DeSean Jackson and Asante Samuel going to be happy all year?

Jackson just reported to camp this week, and the Eagles are hopefully going to get negotiations going on a new deal with him. Honestly, Jackson has outplayed his current contract, which is paying him the veteran minimum without incentives this year. He's worth more than that, just as a returner. While having him back in camp is a good thing, you have to wonder how much he's bothered by the Eagles spending all this money on other players. He knows he's worth more than what he's making, and to see the Eagles, who have never spent like this before in free agency, break the bank for a lot of players could be seen as disrespect. I'm not saying that anything bad will happen, and hopefully a deal gets done, but we've all seen what happens when a wide receiver makes a stink about a contract. I don't want to go down that road again.

As for Asante, the additions of DRC and Asomugha have started rumors that he might be traded for a linebacker or draft picks. To say that he wasn't happy about the rumors might be a bit of an understatement, but for the moment, things seems to have died down on that end. The Eagles haven't made a deal to send him out, and they seem happy to keep all three Pro Bowl corners on the roster. On the depth chart, Samuel is positioned as a number one, opposite Asomugha. That's just amazing to look at, so I wanted to point it out. DRC is on the second team, but he'll see plenty of time on the field. Managing these egos at that position will be tough, but if all three can stay happy all season, then opposing defenses are going to have a rough time.

What's going on with Jeremy Maclin?

Maclin was late to camp because he's battling an undisclosed illness. Today, he left camp again to get more tests done to see what can be done to make him better. When you combine that with DeSean Jackson just getting into camp, the wide receiving corps looks a little thin. Steve Smith can't play yet, and there's talk that he was brought in as insurance in case Maclin's issues are worse than expected. Hopefully, he can get back on the field at 100% this season, because he was the best receiver that the Eagles had last year. Plus, if he can't, and Jackson goes down with another injury, the depth chart suddenly turns to Jason Avant and Riley Cooper as the starters if Smith isn't healthy yet. I like Avant and Cooper, but not as the two starting wideouts. At this point, I just want Maclin to get healthy and fix whatever's going on with himself.

How do the Eagles do this season?

That is the biggest question on everyone's mind right now. After adding all of these pieces and hoping they fit, all anyone has been hearing about is the Super Bowl. Honestly, it should be what people are talking about. The front office, after years of hearing about how they don't spend money, went all in at the table this year and brought in free agent after free agent after free agent. The offensive line looks a lot different than last year, and Howard Mudd was brought in to help fix that unit, while the defense is completely overhauled. The talent is there, that's for sure, but now it's up to the team to come together and win games. Chemistry usually isn't an issue with the Eagles, but this year, they might have some problems. There's just so many new players, none of us have ever seen this kind of movement with this team before. Can they all gel right away? Of course, but there could be issues along the way as well.

Then there's the regular season. Signing all of these players is one thing, but you don't win a Super Bowl in the offseason. If you did, the Redskins would have five in the past decade. The real test comes in September, when the games count and everyone plays four quarters. Looking at the Eagles schedule, it does seem pretty favorable. Before all of these moves, I would have pegged the Eagles as a 9-7 or 10-6 team this year. They'd probably have gotten into the playoffs through the backdoor and then gotten knocked out in the first round, like last season. Now, after all the moves, I see something different.

The biggest challenges on the schedule should be Week 2 in Atlanta against the Falcons, Week 12 at home against New England, Week 15 at home against the Jets and Week 16 in Dallas against the Cowboys. Of course, that doesn't mean that the Eagles can't win all of those games and lose others. The week after the New England game, the team travels on a short week to Seattle to play the Seahawks. That could be a trap game right there. Then, there's the fact that they play in the NFC East, one of the toughest divisions in the NFL where any team can take out one of their rivals any time. The Giants have more motivation now that the Eagles signed Steve Smith, Rex Ryan is already flapping his gums down in Dallas and Washington has Rex Grossman...who thinks the Redskins can win the division. He's so cute when he's delusional. The schedule does benefit the Eagles as well, as they only go out west one time for the Seahawks. The 49ers and Cardinals both come to Philadelphia, as do the Patriots and Jets, the two toughest AFC opponents the Eagles have this season.

So, how will the Eagles do this year? I have them at 12-4, with 13-3 not out of the picture. If everyone can stay healthy enough, and the linebackers find their way, this is going to be a good season. I'm not going to tell you all to expect a parade in February, but it's certainly in the back of my mind. One thing is certain, though. It's going to be a hell of a ride, and it starts tonight.

So, some things happened today, didn't they?

Well then, today was a busy day, and I'm glad that my "NFL Lockout" rule is over on this blog. Yes, I wasn't posting anything major until the lockout ended, as per me. Today, however, makes things even better.

It's a bit late tonight, and I can't really comment on much, but I'll be here tomorrow for all kinds of responses on the moves made by both the Phillies and Eagles today.

Let me just say this....it's a good day.

Now this is cool.

The Eagles might not have much to do on the field during the week leading up to the Super Bowl, but that doesn't mean that they're not doing things off the field. This morning, DeSean Jackson, Todd Herremans and Jamaal Jackson all appeared on the ABC show The View. Is that a show that I would normally watch? Not unless I didn't have a choice, but they were there for a very good reason this morning.

You see, 13 year old Nadin Khoury was attacked by a group of other teenagers back in January and was left hangning on a fence by his jacket. One of the kids, if you can call them that, filmed the whole thing on his cell phone, and the incident just came to light. Six of the apparent seven assaulters have been arrested, and today, Khoury went on television to talk about his experience and how people need to know more about bullying.

This is one of those times that I want to get on my soapbox. As someone that had to deal with people either teasing or trying to fight me, I know what it's like to be bullied. It still affects me today. There are some things that are part of my subconscious now that I can't get rid of, and that's due to what happened to me back in grade and high school. Not many people speak up about it, and in this day and age, more and more kids can film what they do and brag about it. That's what almost happened here, but Nadin is standing up for himself.

Luckily, the Philadelphia Eagles found out about this situation, and they got involved. Today, Jackson, Herremans and Jamaal Jackson showed up in New York City in support of Khoury, and DeSean gave him the jersey off of his back. The Eagles didn't have to tell their players to do this. Those three were there anyway, and it's stories like this that make people feel better about professional athletes in general. For every Michael Vick or Ben Roethlisbeger story, there's something like this that goes unseen. Well, I want to make sure that people see it.

Here's the clip from the show. Try not to get a bit emotional during the whole thing.

Juan Castillo is the defensive coordinator...Really?

In case you've haven't noticed over the last day or so, the Eagles have found their defensive coordinator. In a field that apparently included Dick Jauron, Jeff Fisher and several possible candidates from the Steelers and Packers, the Eagles selected Juan Castillo. Who is Juan Castillo? Well, he was the offensive line coach for the Eagles since 1998, which also happens to be the last year the Eagles had a head coach not named Andy Reid. In moving Castillo over to the defense, the Eagles hired former Indianapolis offensive line coach Howard Mudd to the same position.

While most people, myself included, like the hire of Howard Mudd, just about everyone is left scratching their heads over Castillo's promotion. Sure, Castillo has been with the Eagles since Ray Rhodes was here, and while that is impressive in itself, it doesn't necessarily mean that he should have been promoted. Castillo hasn't coached on the defensive side of the ball since 1989. In case you don't know me, I was five years old at that point. It's been that long. Sure, he studied with Jim Johnson and said he wanted to be a defensive coach, but that doesn't mean that he should be one. There's people out there right now that are saying he should have been fired, not promoted to another job, on the other side of the ball.

That is the biggest issue that most people have with this move. Yes, the offensive line had more injuries than normal during this past season, but the fact remains that they were just a below average unit throughout the year. Michael Vick was sacked 34 times in 12 games, and Kevin Kolb was brought down 15 more times in just four games. The 49 sacks allowed were the most for the Eagles since the 1998 season, which was also Castillo's first on the job. When one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the league is brought down 34 times in just 75% of the games that were played during the regular season, that's not good enough. It doesn't matter who is playing on the offensive line.

Plus, the defense was just about as bad as the offensive line this year. The Eagles ranked in the bottom third in points allowed and had the worst red zone defense in the NFL in just over 20 years. The time was right for an all inclusive change on both the offensive and defensive end, but instead, the Eagles have gone for a more circular move. Instead of replacing the coach of the worst part of the team from the last season, they've made him the coach of the second worst part of the team from the last season. Yes, there is that familiarity to the Eagles that Juan Castillo has, and there's also the added benefit of hiring Howard Mudd, who helped the Colts make Peyton Manning a Super Bowl quarterback, but that's not the point here. What the point is that the Eagles had other candidates that were much more prepared for this job, and they picked someone that they were comfortable with.

Being comfortable with a coach doesn't mean that promoting him is a good hire. Castillo had been the offensive line coach for over a decade without a promotion for a reason. It might just have been that he wasn't good enough to be promoted, or that he was happy with where he was, but either way, it shouldn't have taken him this long to get to another spot on this team. Jim Harbaugh went from special teams coach to head coach of the Ravens in just a few years. If Castillo was that sought after by the rest of the NFL, why was he still with the Eagles? He doesn't have any link to Andy Reid, because it was actually Ray Rhodes that brought him in. If he loved coaching the offensive line, then so be it. I just feel as if the Eagles could have done more with this move.

Only time will actually tell how well Juan Castillo does with the Eagles on the defensive side of the ball. One thing is certain, though. With this move, Andy Reid has officially put his fat behind on the hot seat. Another poor year by the defense, and it won't be Castillo looking for another job. It'll be Andy Reid.

CSNPhilly.com: Eagles promote Juan Castillo

The axe is falling on defense

Less than two weeks after the Eagles were knocked out of the playoffs in the Wild Card round for the second year in a row, it was clear that changes needed to be made. Well, changes are starting to come down, as the Eagles have fired both defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and defensive line coach Rory Segrest. The McDermott firing came a few days ago, as he's already been picked up by the Carolina Panthers to be their defensive coordinator.

While some people are questioning how McDermott went from being one of the best young coordinators with the Eagles to out of a job just two years later, there is some substance to this firing, rather than McDermott just being a fall guy. McDermott wasn't working with the best group of players out there, but the fact of the matter is that coaches and coordinators need to do the best with who is out there. It doesn't matter if you have a bunch of first round picks or undrafted free agents. A good coach can make it work. Jim Johnson was able to do that with players that weren't first round picks, and he got through injuries as well. Remember, the Eagles had Shawn Barber, Levon Kirkland and Carlos Emmons as their starting linebackers in 2002...and they only allowed 241 points. This year's group allowed 377, the most in one season by the Eagles since 1974.

Let's not even talk about the red zone defense, either. The Eagles had the worst red zone defense in the NFL, and allowed a franchise high 31 touchdown passes this season. Yes, that's the most in team history. A large part of that does come down on the players, but the fact is that some of the blame also has to go to the coordinator. Sean McDermott should have seen some of the mistakes his guys were making out there and attempted to adjust for them. The secondary wasn't that great, but we've all seen worse groups out there that have had better results.

However, a large portion of the passing and red zone defense did lie with the defensive line, and that's why Rory Segrest had to go. By the end of the season, the defensive line was getting little to no pressure on the opposing quarterbacks, and even Joe Webb looked like a solid NFL quarterback in his first career start. Trent Cole disappeared, Brandon Graham looked like a disappointment even before his knee injury, and Chris Clemons and Jason Babin each made the Pro Bowl with double digit sack totals...for teams other than the Eagles. Again, there were injury issues with the defensive line as well, but the Eagles struggled even before the injuries. The defense as a whole just wasn't that good this year. Go ahead, look back. It really wasn't. The run defense had it's moments against some of the best backs in the league, but when this team needed a stop, how many times did they actually get it?

Do I agree with firing both McDermott and Segrest? Not necessarily, but something needed to be done. You can't fire the players, but the coaches are fair game, and after the season that this defense had, just two years removed from being led by the late, great Jim Johnson, it was time to do something. The writing was on the wall, even when Andy Reid said his coaches were going to be safe. There's a lot of people that the Eagles are looking at to run the defense, from Dick Jauron to Jim Mora Jr, and honestly, they would be an upgrade from McDermott.

The Eagles had been regressing on defense over the last two years. When a team has had this much turnover with players in the last two seasons, it's somewhat clear that it's not the players that are the problem. It just might be the coaches. Giving up 377 points on the season, having one of the worst red zone defenses of the last two decades and not getting pressure on the quarterback for most of the season sounds like good enough reasons to make some changes to the defensive coaching staff. Now all that's left to do is see who comes in to replace McDermott and Segrest and hope that they can improve what is, at this moment, a very poor defensive unit.

Eagles Aftermath: NFC Wild Card Edition: Packers-21, Eagles-16

What happened?
The Eagles had their season end in the NFC Wild Card playoffs for the second straight season, as Michael Vick's last minute interception finished off any chance of a late comeback against the Green Bay Packers.

The Good:
Very little to see here.

Jason Avant did have a couple of drops, but also caught seven passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.

Jamar Chaney played well for Stewart Bradley in the middle.

Kurt Coleman didn't have a bad game at safety, recording seven tackles.

The Bad:
Michael Vick was just average in his last game of the season. He completed 20 of 36 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown, and ran for a touchdown as well, but his poor pass that led to the game ending interception will be what's remembered.

LeSean McCoy only carried the ball 12 times for 46 yards. That's a 3.8 yard per carry average. Not good enough against the 18th ranked rush defense in the NFL.

DeSean Jackson only caught two passes for 47 yards.

The defense let James Starks, a rookie who had all of 101 yards rushing during the regular season, go off for 123 yards in his first ever playoff game.

The Eagles got called for seven penalties that cost them 50 yards.

The Ugly:
Michael Vick was sacked three times and pressured a lot more than that. By the end of the game, Winston Justice was watching from the bench.

David Akers went 1-3 on field goal attempts. After the game, it came out that he was dealing with some family health issues, but this isn't the first time he's come up small in a big playoff game.

The Eagles allowed the Packers to convert eight of 13 third down attempts.

The offense only scored one touchdown in three trips to the red zone, while the Packers scored on all three of their trips.

For the second year in a row, the season has come to an end too soon.

The Breakdown:
For a season with all kinds of twists, turns and adventures, it came to an end almost the same way that it started. The Green Bay Packers came into Philadelphia and stopped Michael Vick's last minute attempt at a comeback for the second time this year. The first time, it came on a stop on a fourth down and short. This time, it was on a Tramon Williams interception in the end zone with under a minute to play and the Eagles down by five points. It wasn't a pretty game by the Eagles, but they were in it until the end, they just didn't have enough to get it done.

To be fair, that was the problem with the Eagles all season long. No matter how well Michael Vick and the offense played, there was this sense that something was going to happen, and this team would stop being able to score points at will. Late in the season, the offensive line, which had been bad all year, somehow got even worse, and that carried over against the Packers. On the first play of the game, Vick got hit hard, and that was the story for the rest of the game. Vick never got a chance to get comfortable, and he couldn't read the blitz well when it was coming. It was just a bad situation that had gotten worse as the season went on, and it reached its climax on Sunday.

This isn't going to be a retrospect on the entire season. That's going to come after the Super Bowl. For now, I just want to look at this game in the same regards that I looked at every other game the Eagles played this year. For the most part, it was the same mistakes that the Eagles made in every game that they lost that came back to bite them in the game against the Packers, and that's why their season is over now. First and foremost, LeSean McCoy didn't get nearly enough touches against the 18th ranked rushing defense in the NFL. All you have to do is look at what the Packers did with James Starks, who had all of 101 rushing yards in his career before this game, to see what the Eagles should have done with McCoy. Just establishing a running game would have kept the blitz off of Vick a bit more and made things easier for the entire offense. Instead, Andy Reid did what Andy Reid does, which is throw the ball more and more as the season moves along. This isn't the first time I've seen this from Reid in the playoffs, and the result is almost always the same.

DeSean Jackson took too long to get established as well. For someone that wants to get paid this offseason, he didn't do a whole lot to justify that. Sure, he's still going to get his money, but in five career playoff games, Jackson is averaging just 53.6 receiving yards and has just two touchdowns. That's not good enough for the biggest weapon that this team has on offense. I don't care how much he has to rely on the big play, he should get more involved than that. It's not good enough. The story is the same with Brent Celek, who had another game with next to nothing on the stat line. Yes, he had to block a lot this season, thanks to the offensive line, but he still should have been able to do more on offense than what he did in this game and during the season.

I don't even want to get into the offensive line, but I guess I have to. Gone are the days of Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan...now the Eagles have Jason Peters and Winston Justice, and Justice couldn't even finish the game against the Packers. He struggled so much, and was called for so many penalties, that he spent most of the fourth quarter on the bench, with King Dunlap out there for him. Justice just signed an extension last year, but he might have played his way out of Philadelphia with this last showing. He struggled all year against the faster rushers, which is something that's plagued him throughout his career. The one thing that the Eagles had throughout Donovan McNabb's time in Philadelphia was bookend offensive tackles. Now, they almost have turnstile offensive tackles, and it's only been two years since Tra and Jon last played here. Not good at all. That needs to get better, and fast.

Then, there's the defense. You can talk about injuries all that you want, but the fact of the matter is that the players that stepped in for the ones that went down played almost as well. Kurt Coleman isn't Nate Allen, but he did well enough. The problem lies with the linebackers, who all need to be upgraded, the defensive line and the secondary, save for Asante Samuel/Nate Allen/Kurt Coleman. Against the Packers, Aaron Rodgers was able to check down time and time again to open receivers on third downs. That's why the Packers went eight for 13 on third downs during the game, and that's how good teams keep drives alive. It's another problem that the Eagles have had all season, and that goes hand in hand with the problems in the red zone. Once again, the Eagles couldn't stop the Packers in the red zone, and Green Bay made them pay with three touchdowns from inside the 20. That lies with the entire defense, and there's more than enough blame to pass around. Trent Cole seems to disappear in situations, the rest of the line is average, at best, and don't get me started on the linebackers. Once again, it was something that was brewing all season and it came to a head last Sunday.

Overall, it just wasn't a good game for the Eagles. Even David Akers, the longest tenured Eagle, had a bad game in what could be his last game in Philadelphia. There are things going around about him having a family health issue, so I can understand why his head might not have been in the game, and I hope he comes back for at least another year. He's the best kicker that the Eagles have ever had, and if it weren't for that guy in New England and Indianapolis, he would be known as the best kicker of the 2000s. That's how good he's been. For this game, and all the failures during the season, the blame lies with the entire team. Players couldn't make plays when they needed to, and even Michael Vick couldn't get it done by himself. This team tried, and was talented, but they were good, not great. Whenever they played a better team, they struggled, and it showed throughout the season. Against the Packers, everything that had been a problem during the regular season: the lack of a good offensive line, an inconsistent running game, dumb penalties, poor red zone defense, all of it, it all came tumbling down. Now, the Packers get to keep playing, and the Eagles get to resume a familiar sight...watching the playoffs from their couches.

Change has to come to this team. The only question is what will it be?

Eagles Aftermath: Cowboys-14, Eagles-13

What happened?
In what was basically a preseason game for the Eagles, the Cowboys managed to score a last minute touchdown to earn a season split with the Eagles. Philadelphia finished the season at 10-6 and will host the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round on sunday.

The Good:
Jerome Harrison got the start, and finished with 99 yards on the ground on 21 carries.

Chad Hall had six catches for 84 yards and his first career touchdown.

The defense played very well against the first team of the Cowboys, giving up just 272 yards of offense and not allowing a touchdown until the last minute of the game.

David Akers went 2/2 on field goal attempts.

The Bad:
Jason Witten was able to break loose at the end of the game and catch that game winning touchdown.

The offensive line, despite being mostly backups, still gave up five sacks. The Eagles finished second to the Chicago Bears in sacks allowed this season.

Sav Rocca punted the ball seven times for an average of just 38.3 yards per punt.

The Ugly:
Kevin Kolb had a week to get ready for this game, and all he did was show Eagles fans that Michael Vick was the better option this season. He threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball late in the second quarter. The fumble was returned by DeMarcus Ware for a touchdown.

The Eagles still lost to the Dallas Cowboys. Regardless of whether the second string was playing or not, that's not a good feeling.

The Breakdown:
There honestly isn't that much to say about this game that's going to matter through the rest of the season. With their loss on Tuesday to the Minnesota Vikings, the Eagles were locked into the number three seed in the NFC, so last week, they rested most of their starters against the Cowboys. The second team defense looked impressive, holding Stephen McGee and the Dallas first team offense to just seven points, but it wasn't enough as Kevin Kolb looked every bit like a backup quarterback against a tough Dallas pass rush.

You do have to give the defense credit for going out there and playing as well as they did. Some first teamers did play, like Dimitri Patterson. He still needs to prove more after being burned by the Giants three weeks ago. Patterson is going to get the start against the Packers this Sunday, and with Aaron Rodgers having one of the better wide receiving corps in the NFC, you can bet that Patterson will be tested early and often.

The game went about as well as it could have for the Eagles, in all honesty. The starters that needed rest got to rest, and the team played the Cowboys to the limit with their second string. Sure, the Cowboys had a bad season, but it's still fun to watch the Eagles backups take Dallas to the limit and back. That never gets old. There are still some questions going into the game against the Packers this weekend, however.

Green Bay has one of the few offenses in the league that can go toe to toe with the Eagles and still come out on the winning side. Despite the lack of a solid running game, Aaron Rodgers more than made up for it with his arm. Rodgers passed for over 4,000 yards and likely would have made it to the Pro Bowl had it not been for Michael Vick. Greg Jennings is Rodgers' favorite target, but he'll likely have Asante Samuel on him all day long, so it will be up to the rest of the secondary to cover Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson and James Jones. Just because you might not know the names other than Driver doesn't mean that the Packers can't destroy you through the air. The Eagles have given up some big plays this season, and they can't afford to do too much of that on Sunday.

The Eagles also have to keep Michael Vick on his feet as best they can. The Eagles allowed more sacks this season than any team since the 1998 year, and when you have one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the NFL under center, that's not a good thing. The Packers brought a tough pass rush against the Eagles in Week 1, and it knocked Kevin Kolb out of the game and allowed Vick to get his season started. This time, they'll be prepared for Vick. The Green Bay pass defense is still one of the best in the league, but their run defense ranks in the bottom third. The Eagles have to run the ball more with LeSean McCoy and Jerome Harrison in order to keep the Packers from being able to go after Vick on every play and sit back and look for interceptions or fumbles. Charles Woodson may be older, but he's still a top defensive back. Plus, the Packers also have A.J. Hawk and Clay Matthews, as well as B.J. Raji up the middle. Matthews led the Packers with 13.5 sacks, and was the one that knocked Kolb out of the game in Week 1.

Can the Eagles beat the Packers? Of course they can. Even with Vick only playing half of the game at the start of the season, they almost were able to win. Vick said after the game that he thought the Eagles would have won had he started. Now, he's got his chance to prove it. The Packers were a trendy pick to make it to the Super Bowl when the season started, and they're looking that way again. Just remember, three weeks ago, the Eagles were almost everyone's pick to go to the Super Bowl. It only takes one game to swing everything around. These are the playoffs, anything can happen now.

The Top Ten Philadelphia Sports Moments of 2010

It really was a good year for Philadelphia sports, wasn't it? Despite there not being a parade down Broad Street, fans had a lot of reasons to celebrate this past year. There were historic moments left and right, miracle finishes and a nice early Christmas present to close out the year. That being said, with 2011 now here, let's look back at what I thought were the top ten moments in Philadelphia sports this year.

Honorable Mentions:
Donovan McNabb is traded to Washington (April 4), Roy Halladay pitches a complete game to win the NL East for the Phillies (September 27), Roy Oswalt is called upon to play left field (August 24), The 76ers get the second overall pick in the NBA Draft (May 18), Jamie Moyer becomes the oldest pitcher in baseball history to throw a shutout (May 7).

Now, on to the top ten!

#10: The Philadelphia Union are born (March 25)
For those of you that don't actually know me that well, let me make this clear. I do not like soccer. I'm not sure why. It might have something to do with being forced to play it when I was younger and being horrible at it, but the same thing happened with baseball, and I love that. Regardless, when I first heard the news that Philadelphia was getting an MLS franchise, I wasn't that thrilled. Then, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Soccer clubs have some of the most passionate fans in the world, and where better to put a team than in Philadelphia?

The Union were founded back in 2008, but didn't play their first game until this season. While they had their ups and downs, just like any expansion team, they showed a lot of promise. Sébastien Le Toux was one of the top goal scorers in MLS, putting 14 shots in the net, and PPL Park is absolutely beautiful. The Union already have the support of Philadelphia fans, who didn't really need another reason to go to a sporting event, but have one now anyway. A seventh place finish in the Eastern Conference wasn't great, but the future is already looking bright for this young franchise. The first season for the Union, and the support that they got from the fans, was certainly one of the better moments of 2010.

#9: The Flyers beat the Rangers in a shootout to make the NHL Playoffs (April 11)
Don't let this current season fool you. The 2009-10 Philadelphia Flyers were, for most of the season, an average hockey team. They fired coach John Stevens 25 games into the regular season, and still only finished the year six games over the .500 mark. Philadelphia picked Michael Leighton up from Nashville, and somehow, Leighton became the starting goalie, only to be injured in March. Brian Boucher took over and led the team to the last two games of the regular season against the New York Rangers. All the Flyers had to do was win one of the two games. If they did that, they would clinch a spot in the playoffs. If they lost both, New York would go to the playoffs, and the Flyers would be sitting at home.

So, what did the Flyers do? They lost the first game of the home and home against the Rangers and then went into a shootout in the last game of the regular season, with the playoffs on the line. Danny Briere and Claude Giroux each scored for the Flyers in the shootout, leaving the pressure on Boucher as he faced Olli Jokinen. Jokinen made a move, but Boucher was ready, keeping the puck out of the net and sending the Flyers back to the playoffs for the third straight season. The regular season wasn't always pretty, but the playoffs were, and without this shootout win, none of it would have happened.

#8: Michael Vick is named the starting quarterback of the Eagles (September 21)
After the trade of Donovan McNabb, Eagles fans were expecting the Kevin Kolb era to begin in Philadelphia. After all, Kolb took the majority of the snaps during the preseason, and when Michael Vick got out onto the field during the preseason games, he still looked like the average player that he was back in 2009. There was no way that Vick was going to take over for Kolb.

Fast forward to the first game of this NFL season. Kevin Kolb lasted all of one half against the Green Bay Packers and was concussed, leaving the Eagles with no choice but to bring Vick into the game. Not only did Vick play well, but he almost led the Eagles to a come from behind win against a preseason Super Bowl pick in the Packers. Vick started for Kolb in Week 2, a 35-32 win against the Detroit Lions, and two days later, Andy Reid named him the starting quarterback for the rest of the season. While Vick did miss two games with a rib injury, his play this year more than justified Reid's starting of him. Yes, I have to eat some crow on this one. Vick has passed for over 3,000 yards with 21 touchdowns and just six interceptions while rushing for 676 yards and nine touchdowns. He was also elected as the starting quarterback for the NFC in the Pro Bowl later this month. Plus, the Eagles won their first NFC East title since the 2006 season. Overall, I'd say it was a good move.

#7: The Monday Night Massacre (November 15)
One week after defeating the Indianapolis Colts, the Eagles were making their first trip to Washington D.C. without Donovan McNabb in over a decade. Instead, McNabb was waiting for them as a member of the Washington Redskins, who, just five weeks before, had defeated the Eagles in Philadelphia and injured Michael Vick. McNabb got his revenge against the Eagles in that game, and the Eagles would get theirs on Monday Night, with the entire country watching.

It didn't take long for the Eagles to strike. In fact, it happened on the first play of the game. Michael Vick rolled out and hit DeSean Jackson for an 88 yard touchdown pass that set the tone. The rest of the first half was more of the same. The Redskins would punt the ball to the Eagles, or McNabb would turn the ball over, and the Eagles would march down the field and score. Philadelphia led 28-0 after the first quarter and 45-14 at the half. It was the most points scored by a road team against the Redskins in the first half in Washington history. The Eagles would score twice more in the second half to finish the game with 59 points. Michael Vick had insane, video game numbers, passing for four touchdowns and 333 yards while rushing for 80 yards and two more touchdowns. The 59 points were the most scored by a single team in Monday Night Football history, and Michael Vick became the first NFL quarterback to throw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for over 50 yards and two touchdowns. This game set the stage for the rest of the season for the Eagles, and while it's not over yet, this win sure was fun.

#6: Flyers win the Eastern Conference Finals (May 24)
The 2010 NHL Eastern Conference Finals might have been the most unlikely in NHL history. Not only were the Flyers there as the seven seed, but they had home ice advantage, due to the Montreal Canadiens making it there as the eight seed. In a conference with Washington, Pittsburgh, Boston and Buffalo, the Flyers and Canadiens were going to face off to see who was going to the Stanley Cup Finals. Michael Leighton had returned from injury and was starting in goal again for the Flyers. He didn't waste his chance, recording back to back shutouts in Games 1 and 2 to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead in the series. Montreal took Game 3 back in Canada, but Leighton responded with his third shutout of the series in Game 4, putting the Flyers one win away from their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals since 1997.

Montreal scored just a minute into Game 5, but Mike Richards would answer back with the goal of his season, getting a shorthanded breakaway three and a half minutes later. Jaroslav Halak came out to play the puck and collided with Richards and Roman Hamrlik. Somehow, Richards got up first with the puck on his stick and put it in the net. You could feel the energy get sucked from the Canadiens at that point. It was an amazing goal that was one of the best moments of the year for the Flyers. Arron Asham and Jeff Carter each scored in the second period, and when Carter added the empty netter at the end of the third period, the dream that had just gotten past the Flyers year after year since 1997 was finally a reality. They were headed back to the Stanley Cup Finals. The end result wasn't what everyone wanted, but let's be honest. It was one hell of a ride.

#5: Cliff Lee returns (December 15)
As the 2010 MLB offseason began, there was one big player that everyone was talking about. It wasn't Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth, but Cliff Lee. While Crawford and Werth were rumored to sign just about everywhere, Cliff Lee was apparently down to two teams. Either the Texas Rangers, who Lee had helped guide to the World Series with victories in the ALDS over Tampa and the ALCS over New York, or the New York Yankees, who Lee always seemed to beat when the spotlight shined brightest. The Philadelphia Phillies weren't given much of a chance at all, since they already had most of their pitching budget spent on Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels. With the winter meetings winding down, and Jayson Werth signing with the Nationals, Phillies fans were just about to resign themselves to having a winter without a major splash in the baseball market.

Then came the news that a third, mystery team was in the running for Lee. The news came fast at that point. The Yankees were out of the running, and it was down to Texas and this other team. Rumors were flying around. Was it the Red Sox? Could the Nationals really make another big free agent move? If it was the Phillies, where did they find the money? It turns out, it was the Phillies, and just hours after the news about the mystery team broke, Cliff Lee had decided to come back to a city where he had spent just one half of one year, but fell in love. It wasn't the Phillies that got in touch with Lee, it was the other way around. Lee had asked his agent to talk to the Phillies and see what it would take for him to come back. Ruben Amaro got clearance from the owners to make the offer, and this time, Cliff Lee is staying for the next five years. The $120 million contract he signed doesn't hurt, either. Now, the Phillies have Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee. Go ahead, pick a pitcher you want to hit against.

#4: Roy Halladay's playoff no-hitter (October 6)
The Phillies brought in Roy Halladay for the sole reason of winning big games when it mattered the most. As this past season went along, Halladay did that more and more, finishing his regular season with a complete game shutout against the Washington Nationals that gave the Phillies their fourth straight National League East championship. His next start wouldn't be until Game 1 of the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds, who won the National League Central for the first time in over a decade and boasted an offense that was one of the best in baseball. Halladay had already thrown a perfect game during the regular season, so there was no way that he could top that in the playoffs, right?

He sure came close. In his first ever playoff start, Roy Halladay pitched just the second no-hitter in playoff history. He struck out eight and walked just one batter on a full count in the fifth inning. Aside from that, the Reds couldn't figure out Halladay, and the Phillies scored four runs in the first two innings. That was all Halladay needed. He wasn't quite perfect against the Reds, but he was damn close. Just like the Flyers, the playoff run for the Phillies didn't end how they wanted it to, either. A sweep of the Reds was still nice, and having one of two pitchers in baseball history to throw a playoff no-hitter didn't hurt. There's one more moment from Halladay on this list. I bet you know what it is.

#3: The Miracle at the New Meadowlands (December 19)
The last moment to happen this year came when the Philadelphia Eagles staged that remarkable comeback against the New York Giants just two weeks ago. I really don't have anything new to write about it, so here's part of the recap from the game.

You have to give love to the special teams as well. First came the onside kick with the Eagles down 31-17. The Giants weren't prepared for it, and Riley Cooper did a great job making sure that the ball went ten yards before he touched it. The Eagles would score on that drive, cutting the lead to 31-24. Then came the last play of the game. This one falls more on the Giants than the Eagles, because, thanks to a high snap and a poor kick, the ball came right to DeSean Jackson, which was pretty much the one place that Tom Coughlin didn't want the ball to go. The kick was so bad that Jackson had time to fumble it, pick it up and find a hole to run through before the Giants even made it down the field to try and tackle him. Jason Avant had a huge block at midfield, and that was all Jackson would need. Did he have to start celebrating at the 25 yard line? Of course not, but with the smack that the Giants were talking during the week and for most of the game, I don't blame him. This game was a likely once in a lifetime comeback, so it's fine to showboat a little bit.

What else can be said? It was literally the most improbable ending to a game that I have ever seen in my life, and I'm sure it ranks right up there with just about any ending to any NFL game ever. When you get the first ever walk off punt return for a touchdown in NFL history, it's something amazing.

How can this just be number three on the list? Well, there was a little more history that was made this year in Philadelphia.

#2: Roy Halladay throws a perfect game (May 29)
At the end of May, the Phillies were going through some struggles that they usually reserve for the start of the baseball season. Coming into their series with the Marlins, the Phils had been shut out for an entire series against the New York Mets, and while they had won the first game of the series against Florida, with Josh Johnson going against Roy Halladay in the second game, it was going to take an even bigger effort to make sure the Phillies would win their first series since the middle of the month.

Roy Halladay had come close to pitching a no-hitter before, but he had never been able to get to the end. On this night, he would do just that. Halladay worked just the 20th perfect game in major league history, recording 27 straight outs against the Florida Marlins. Wilson Valdez scored the only run of the game on a Chase Utley fly ball that was misjudged by Cameron Maybin, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Roy Halladay was able to pitch the second perfect game in Phillies history, and that all the hype surrounding Halladay when he came to Philadelphia was legit. Halladay was a big game pitcher that could make history on any night, and he would do it again in the playoffs against Cincinnati, as I already discussed. There's a reason Halladay won the Cy Young Award this season, and the perfect game was the cherry on top of one of the best pitching seasons in recent Phillies history.

How can this not be number one? Well, at the same time Halladay was throwing his perfect game, the Flyers were playing Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks. Two weeks before that...this happened.

#1: The Flyers come back from an 0-3 hole to beat the Bruins (May 14)
Being down three games to none in a best of seven series is the worst feeling for any team. Not only does your opponent only have to win one more game to knock you out, but for you to win, you have to do something that's only been done a handful of times in sports history. You have to win four straight games, with at least one or two of them coming on the road. Not only is is next to impossible, it's damn near improbable. Only twice in the NHL before last season had teams come back from an 0-3 hole to win the series, and it hadn't happened in over 30 years. That was the task in front of the Philadelphia Flyers after they lost Game 3 at home to the Boston Bruins by a 4-1 score.

Going into Game 4, they had two things going for them. First, they were still playing at home, and the fans were behind them every step of the way. Second, Simon Gagne was able to return from injury. Gagne's return proved to have the biggest impact in the series, as he scored the game winner in overtime to force a Game 5 back in Boston. The Flyers had a tiny flicker of hope still there. Game 5 went even better for the Flyers as they won 4-0, but lost Brian Boucher to injury, meaning that Michael Leighton would find himself back in goal for the Flyers almost two months after his injury. Leighton made the most of his chance, stopping 30 shots in Game 6 as the Flyers won 2-1 to force a Game 7 back in Boston with the chance of an historic comeback.

Things didn't start out that well in Game 7 for the Flyers. By the time most fans were getting comfortable to watch the game, Boston had already built a three goal lead. Flyers fans had seen this before and figured that their nice little run was about to end, but not with this team. James van Riemsdyk scored his first playoff goal late in the first period to give the Flyers life again, and then came the second period. Scott Hartnell scored two and a half minutes in, and Danny Briere scored on a wraparound goal six minutes later. Just like that, the game was tied heading into the third, where Simon Gagne would strike one more time. Boston was called for having too many men on the ice, and on the ensuing power play, Gagne managed to fire a shot into the back of the net. The Flyers had a 4-3 lead that they would hold onto, making them just the third NHL team to come back from being down three games to none and win the series, and they were the first team to ever complete the feat after being down 3-0 in Game 7.

These type of moments don't normally happen to Philadelphia sports teams. That's why this was the best moment of 2010 in Philadelphia sports. Hopefully, 2011 can provide us with just as many good memories, as well as a parade or two.

Eagles Aftermath: Vikings-24, Eagles-14

What happened?
The Eagles and Vikings played the first NFL game on a Tuesday since 1946, and the Vikings completely outplayed the Eagles. Michael Vick turned the ball over three times as the Eagles locked themselves into the number three seed in the NFC playoffs.

The Good:
It took him all season, but Brent Celek finally showed up, catching ten passes for 97 yards. Of course, most of those catches came because Vick was busy running for his life from the Minnesota pass rush.

The Bad:
LeSean McCoy carried the ball 13 times for 44 yards. That's not good enough.

Michael Vick completed 25 of 43 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw an interception and fumbled the ball twice. He ran eight times for 63 yards and a touchdown.

DeSean Jackson had two catches for 32 yards.

Adrian Peterson rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown, and was a big reason why the Vikings were able to kill the clock in the fourth quarter.

The Ugly:
The Eagles lost to a rookie quarterback, making his first career start. Joe Webb only passed for 195 yards, but he ran for 31 more and a touchdown and the Eagles didn't have an answer for him.

The Eagles had less penalty yards than Minnesota, but got called for 12 penalties. That's very, very sloppy football.

Michael Vick was sacked six times, including twice by Antoine Winfield, who completed the play with a strip and fumble recovery for a touchdown late in the second quarter. That play turned the entire tide of the game.

The Breakdown:
This was a typical let down game by the Philadelphia Eagles. Coming into a game that was postponed due to snow, the Eagles had what most people thought was going to be an easy victory in front of them. They were facing a rookie quarterback making his first career start, and the conditions were perfect for the offense to come out and take care of business, especially with another day of rest thrown in to the mix.

Well, that wasn't the case on Tuesday night. Joe Webb showed that he could be a decent NFL quarterback, while the Minnesota defense did what they needed to do and beat up Michael Vick and the offense, moving the Eagles down to 10-5 on the season and putting them in the number three spot in the NFC playoffs, meaning that Philadelphia now has to play three straight weeks to make it to the Super Bowl.

The game was another by the Eagles where they looked like they were completely out of it from the start. After their second drive of the game resulted in a touchdown, the Eagles seemed to expect the Vikings to roll over and give the game up. After all, Minnesota had nothing to play for, save for maybe getting Leslie Frazier the full time coaching job next season. As is so often the case in the NFL, the teams that have nothing to play for are the most dangerous. Minnesota had the same game plan that the Bears and Giants used against the Philadelphia offense, and they worked it just as well as those two teams did. Just like Chicago and New York, the Vikings played their coverage back deeper, preventing the long passes to DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, while blitzing either a corner or a safety most of the time. Antoine Winfield did most of the damage, picking up two sacks and getting pressure on Vick for most of the game.

The Eagles had no answer for the Minnesota pass rush, and it's not a good thing to have something like that happen just before the playoffs are going to start. It's not like the other NFC playoff teams don't know how to play the Eagles, but it's not good for Michael Vick to be getting hit like he did on Tuesday over and over again. It's likely that Vick is going to sit out tomorrow's game against the Dallas Cowboys, especially now that it doesn't mean anything for the Eagles. Whether they finish 11-5 or 10-6, they're going to host a first round game against the Giants or Green Bay Packers, and if they win that, then they go on the road for at least one game. It's not an ideal schedule, especially when there was a good chance for a bye week just a week ago.

That's the biggest problem with Eagles teams under Andy Reid. It's not the clock management, or the two minute offense. It's coming into games and thinking that they should win, just because they're the Philadelphia Eagles. It happened last year against the Oakland Raiders, and as it turned out, that game cost the Eagles the NFC East championship and a potential first round bye. Would last season have turned out any different? Probably not, but it's still something to look back on. Now this season, the Eagles have had their big let down game. You could have expected something, what with the team coming off of that win against the Giants and then having the game pushed back two days because of snow, but it's nothing to be proud of.

The offense came out flat and was unable to respond to the Minnesota blitz, and while the defense wasn't that bad, they continually let Joe Webb complete short passes on third downs that resulted in first downs. Webb had very few deep throws, but his underneath passing picked the Eagles apart and cost them time and eventually the game. It was just a sloppy game on both sides of the ball, and these guys really need to get their act together as the playoffs are now just a week away.

Tomorrow's game against Dallas doesn't mean much, save for it being against the Cowboys. Kevin Kolb will likely start for Michael Vick as the Eagles close out the regular season. After that, the real fun begins. Next week, the NFL playoffs start, and the Eagles will be involved. Can they make another run towards the Super Bowl? Right now, I have no idea, but the bandwagon just got a whole lot lighter.

The Eagles are back on top of the NFC East

The Eagles may not have played today, thanks to the snow that is currently burying my car, but they still managed to clinch the NFC East when the Giants lost to the Green Bay Packers. New York's 45-17 loss clinched the division for the Eagles for the first time since 2006 and gives the Eagles six division crowns in the last ten seasons.

To be honest, this might be the most improbable division championship yet. Save for the Jeff Garcia season when he took over for Donovan McNabb, no one had the Eagles winning the division this year. Kevin Kolb was starting for the first time with a young team that was rebuilding, not not that much was expected. Well, this year started with the Green Bay Packers, and now, thanks to the Packers and Michael Vick, the Eagles are NFC East champions. Green Bay knocked Kevin Kolb out of the first game of the season, and Vick came in to replace him. Vick played well against the Packers and Detroit Lions the week after that, and the rest of the season has gone from there. Kolb is sitting on the bench, and Vick is headed to the Pro Bowl and a top three finish in the MVP voting. Plus, the Eagles are headed to the playoffs once again.

There's nothing set in stone yet for the Eagles, because they could finish anywhere from the three seed all the way up to the top team in the NFC, if the Falcons lose to the Saints and Panthers, and the Bears drop their last game of the season to the Packers. As unlikely as it sounds, it could happen. If it does, it would be the capper to one of the most improbable seasons that I can remember. The Eagles need to get one of the two first round byes, though. If they don't, they'll play the Packers or Giants, and that's not a game that many people want to see.

For now, it's time to celebrate in the snow. The Eagles are champions of the division for the first time in four seasons and are at least going to host one playoff game. That's reason enough right there.

Eagles Aftermath: Eagles-38, Giants-31

What happened?
Down 31-10 with eight minutes to play, the Eagles scored 28 points, the last of which came on a DeSean Jackson punt return for a touchdown as time expired. The win puts the Eagles in control of the NFC East with two games to play.

The Good:
Michael Vick started slowly, but picked things up as the game went along, completing 21 of 35 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran the ball ten times for 130 yards and another touchdown.

LeSean McCoy didn't get many carries, but he still did well for what he got. He carried the ball ten times for 64 yards and caught four passes for 13 yards.

Jeremy Maclin had seven catches for 59 yards and two touchdowns, giving him ten touchdowns on the season.

Brent Celek had a huge 65 yard touchdown catch that started the comeback in the fourth quarter.

DeSean Jackson only had three catches for 52 yards, but his punt return for a touchdown to end the game was the first ever walk off punt return in NFL history.

The Eagles held Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw to a combined 100 yards on 31 carries.

Jamar Chaney played very well in his first ever start, getting 16 tackles and playing an overall solid game.

The Bad:
The Eagles played horribly in the first half, as they were outgained in yards 222 to 74.

Vick was sacked three times and was hit several more times as well.

Nate Allen was lost for the season with a torn patella tendon.

The Eagles had three turnovers, including fumbles by DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, though neither one was really a fumble.

The Ugly:
Dimitri Patterson got burned all day long by Eli Manning. He was targeted on every one of Manning's four touchdown passes. It was not a good game.

Andy Reid didn't challenge the fumble by DeSean Jackson that wasn't a fumble, and decided to call passing plays in the last 30 seconds of the first half. Both of those mistakes led to touchdowns by the Giants and almost put the Eagles down for the count.

The Breakdown:
It's been almost three days, and I still can't believe what happened up in East Rutherford last Sunday. In the Eagles first game in the New Meadowlands, they christened it with a new Miracle. Down 31-10 with just eight minutes to play, the Eagles got big play after big play from Michael Vick and the offense and had a little help from the Giants on special teams to complete the most amazing comeback possibly in Eagles history.

The fourth quarter was simply amazing. Not only did it give the Eagles sole possession of first place in the NFC East, but it put the Giants on the ropes for even making the playoffs. The most important thing is that the Eagles now control their own destiny. With just one win in their final two games, the Eagles will clinch their first NFC East crown since the 2006 season, when Jeff Garcia was quarterbacking the team. Nothing is decided yet, but with home games against Minnesota and Dallas left, things might be wrapped up shortly.

There's nothing else you can say about Michael Vick this season. The man is on another level. New York shut him down for 52 minutes, but it wasn't enough. Just like the first matchup, the Giants brought blitz after blitz at Vick, but this time, Vick was able to get through and run the ball against the New York defense. He destroyed them in the fourth quarter on two of the scoring drives, and his four yard touchdown run put the Eagles back to within a touchdown. Vick was able to do things with his arm as well, as he hit Jeremy Maclin for two touchdowns, and his 65 yard strike to Brent Celek started the entire comeback. Without that first long touchdown, there might not have been enough time for the Eagles to even score three more times in regulation. It's the quick strike ability of this offense that makes them so dangerous, even against some of the better defenses in the NFL. There's not a game that this team is out of.

You have to give love to the special teams as well. First came the onside kick with the Eagles down 31-17. The Giants weren't prepared for it, and Riley Cooper did a great job making sure that the ball went ten yards before he touched it. The Eagles would score on that drive, cutting the lead to 31-24. Then came the last play of the game. This one falls more on the Giants than the Eagles, because, thanks to a high snap and a poor kick, the ball came right to DeSean Jackson, which was pretty much the one place that Tom Coughlin didn't want the ball to go. The kick was so bad that Jackson had time to fumble it, pick it up and find a hole to run through before the Giants even made it down the field to try and tackle him. Jason Avant had a huge block at midfield, and that was all Jackson would need. Did he have to start celebrating at the 25 yard line? Of course not, but with the smack that the Giants were talking during the week and for most of the game, I don't blame him. This game was a likely once in a lifetime comeback, so it's fine to showboat a little bit.

The end of the game was the most amazing, improbable thing that any Eagles fan has seen since the original Miracle at the Meadowlands back in 1978, but you have to remember that the Eagles were outplayed in this game for three and a half quarters, and there are some things to be worried about. Eli Manning picked on Dimitri Patterson all day long, and Mario Manningham worked Patterson for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Manning's other two touchdown passes also came on Patterson's side of the field, as the Giants basically ignored Asante Samuel and focused on the rest of the Philadelphia secondary, which isn't the best in the NFL, that much is proven. That secondary is going to be tested even more now that Nate Allen is out for the year with a torn patella tendon in his knee. Allen was having a very solid rookie season and was looking like the safety of the future for the Eagles, but now he's got a long road to recovery, and seventh round pick Kurt Coleman will be starting the rest of the way. Coleman did well in a start for Allen earlier in the year, so he already has experience, but there's a reason he was a seventh round pick. I think anyone would rather have Allen in there, but the Eagles have played through plenty of injuries this year, and they can do it again.

For the first three and a half quarters on Sunday, this was the ugliest game that the Eagles had played all year. Andy Reid made questionable call after questionable call, including passing the ball at the 15 yard line with under a minute to play in the first half, and not challenging a DeSean Jackson fumble in the fourth quarter. Both those mistakes led to touchdowns by New York and really should have cost the Eagles the game. If not for that amazing comeback, every single Eagles fan would be bashing Reid inside and out right now. Thankfully, Michael Vick made things happen and the defense came up with big plays when they needed to. Rather than have to write about needing help to get into the playoffs, the Eagles now get to enjoy the inside track to the NFC East title and a possible first round bye if things go their way.

There's just two weeks left in the regular season, and the Eagles have two home games left to play. This Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings, with or without Brett Favre, come into town. This one's for the division crown, so hopefully, there's no let down or a need for a fourth straight fourth quarter comeback.

Eagles Aftermath: Eagles-30, Cowboys-27

What happened?
DeSean Jackson had 210 receiving yards, including a 91 yard touchdown catch, and LeSean McCoy rushed for 149 yards, most of them coming in the fourth quarter as the Eagles defeated the Dallas Cowboys and remained tied for first place in the NFC East.

The Good:
LeSean McCoy was a beast when the Eagles needed him the most. He carried the ball 16 times for 149 yards, with most of the yards coming in the fourth quarter as the Eagles were trying to run down the clock.

DeSean Jackson played through a foot injury to catch four passes for 210 yards and a touchdown. The 91 yard touchdown catch by Jackson was the longest scoring play from scrimmage in the NFL this season.

Michael Vick had another decent game, completing 16 of 26 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball eight times for 16 yards and a touchdown.

Dimitri Patterson had a big interception in the fourth quarter that led to points.

David Akers was 3/3 on field goal attempts, including a 50 yarder.

Todd Herremans caught his second career touchdown pass.

The Eagles held Dallas to 110 yards on the ground between four ball carriers. Felix Jones led the Cowboys with just 41 yards on 13 carries.

The Bad:
Michael Vick also threw two interceptions and was under pressure for various parts of the game. Even though he only got sacked twice, he was hit far more than that.

Aside from DeSean Jackson, the next leading Philadelphia receiver had just 18 yards.

Dallas made it inside the red zone three times, and scored touchdowns on two of those trips.

The Eagles only went two for four inside the red zone.

Brent Celek went another game without a catch. He has just 30 on the season.

The Ugly:
The Eagles lost both Stewart Bradley and Brandon Graham to injuries. Bradley dislocated his elbow, and Graham tore his ACL, knocking him out for the season.

The Breakdown:
For the second week in a row, the Eagles went into the fourth quarter trailing after having a lead at the half. Once again, Michael Vick was able to lead the offense to two fourth quarter scores, while the defense did just enough for the Eagles to hold on for another win, putting them at 9-4 on the season and keeping them tied with the New York Giants for first place in the NFC East.

Just as they did against the Redskins on Monday Night Football, the Eagles came out and went for a big play on the opening play of the game. The call was just about the same, and the result was similar as well, as DeSean Jackson caught a 60 yard pass from Michael Vick that silenced the Dallas crowd early. Vick later scored on a one yard touchdown run, and while the drive was good, the defense still had to do their job, and once again, they ran into some trouble when it mattered the most.

I have no idea how this defense got like this in such a short period of time. Part of it has to do with how young most of the players are, I'm sure, but then there's just a lack of discipline on that side of the ball. The defense can look very good at periods of time, and believe me, they get key turnovers just about any time that they need them, but then they can have drives where they keep the opposing offense on the field with stupid penalties and blown coverages. Yes, Asante Samuel has missed the last three games, but it's not all on him. It can't just be that. This defense was giving up big plays with Samuel in there. They still had stupid penalties called, and they still gave up a ton of points down in the red zone. Against Dallas, the Eagles allowed two touchdowns inside the 20 yard line, and one from 22 yards away. That can't happen against the better teams in the NFC. Teams like the Bears, Saints, Falcons and yes, the Giants, will kill the Eagles if they can't buckle down in the red zone.

Luckily for the Eagles, they still have one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. This past Sunday against Dallas was no exception, as Michael Vick helped move the offense down the field with quick scoring drives that always seemed to come just as the Cowboys were about to take full control of the game. It wasn't exactly how you want a game to be run, with the offense only on the field for three to five minute drives, but as long as they result in points, then there's no problem with it. Dallas had an answer for every receiver that the Eagles had, save for DeSean Jackson. Though he only caught four passes, he averaged 52.5 yards per catch. That's some kind of video game number right there. His 91 yard touchdown catch on what was a quick slant pattern turned the game back around in favor of the Eagles and once again silenced a Dallas crowd that was just about to get back into the game. That's what this offense can do to any team. They can look dead for stretches, but all it takes is one big play, one mistake by the opposing defense, and the game is blown wide open again.

It doesn't even have to be DeSean Jackson that does it. The Eagles also have Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant, Brent Celek and even Riley Cooper that can make big plays in the passing game. Then, there's LeSean McCoy, who had the biggest game out of everyone on offense this week. McCoy didn't find the end zone, and only had four yards receiving, but it was his ground work at the end of the game that sealed things up for the Eagles. With the Cowboys having just scored with over four minutes to play, the Eagles had a three point lead. There wasn't an Eagles fan alive that wanted the Cowboys to get the ball back, and if you did, then you were insane. Dallas had just driven right downfield, and as tired as the Philadelphia defense looked, another score seemed almost like a formality if the Eagles had to punt again.

Then, McCoy got to work. The only pass play of the entire drive came on the first play, when Vick hit McCoy for a six yard gain. On the next play, McCoy picked up 12 yards for a first down, then got 19 more, moving the ball to midfield and forcing the Cowboys to start using their timeouts. A 13 yard run followed, and after a run for no gain by Jerome Harrison, Vick ran and stayed in bounds for a nine yard gain, setting up a third down and one with the game on the line. In just about every other situation under Andy Reid, the Eagles would have thrown the ball here. For some reason, Reid stuck with his running back, and McCoy picked up six yards and the game was over. I have no idea why the offense called the plays that they did on that drive, but I'm sure as hell glad that they did. That was a drive that didn't result in any points, but was just as satisfying as one that did. It was well run, took four and a half minutes off the clock, and finished off the Cowboys. I wouldn't have it any other way.

The game wasn't without its casualties, though. Stewart Bradley dislocated his elbow, knocking him out for at least a few weeks, if not until the playoffs start, while Brandon Graham tore his ACL, ending his rookie season just as he was getting into a nice groove. Considering the state of the Eagles on defense, these were two injuries that they could not afford to have. Bradley was finally showing the spark that he had two seasons ago before his ACL injury, and Graham was doing well on the defensive line with Trent Cole and Juqua Parker. Parker will have to step in for Graham, while seventh round pick Jamar Chaney will start in place of Bradley. Chaney looked good while playing against Dallas, and now he's had a full week to get ready, but you know that the Giants are going to take shots at him early and often.

This week is the biggest game of the season as the Eagles travel up to East Rutherford to take on the Giants. The winner gets control of the NFC East with just two games to play, and with the NFC playoff picture still looking cloudy, you want to have control of your division. This is the last road game of the year for the Eagles, so hopefully they can continue their run over the Giants and get one step closer to another division crown.