His turf toe sure isn't affecting his vision on spotting Eagles plays

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb likely helped lead his team to victory, even though he was on the sideline for the entire game.

How, you ask?

Can you imagine that the man who was at one point the leader of the Eagles’ offense, who knew every package and scheme that the Birds had to offer, would tell information on Eagles plays to his new team?

Shocking!

If you weren’t already convinced that Eagles head coach Andy Reid’s time in Philadelphia has reached its expiration date, this may just be the story that does you in.

In an interview on Tuesday on 94 WIP’s show hosted by Anthony Gargano and Glen Macknow, Kevin Kolb revealed that Philadelphia still had a number of signals that were the same as during his time with the team, particularly during the two- minute drill. So Kolb, who had nothing to do other than sit on the sidelines and watch due to turf toe , decided to share this information with his team.

And who can blame him? He is no longer an Eagle. If you can use previous knowledge to your present team’s advantage, you would be a fool not to do so.

You would also be a fool not to change this information after trading the man who had gained complete knowledge of your offense over the span of his four-year tenure with your team. » Continue reading “How Kevin Kolb Helped His Team Win from Arizona’s Sideline”

Throwing wasn't really Mike Vick's thing today. Image via D. Hallowell, Philadelphia Eagles

There went the season, ladies and gentlemen. The Eagles lost to the Arizona Cardinals, led by JOHN SKELTON, 21-17. The home crowd at Lincoln Financial Stadium again received no love from their team this week.

This will be a sad and pitiful game recap for a sad and pathetic game. I have no desire to detail the horror that I just witnessed. This team is bad. And no, I’m not referring to the Arizona Cardinals.

For the 5th time this season, the Eagles blew a 4th quarter lead. To the Cardinals. The Eagles fall to 3-6.

The penalties. The dropped passes. The 3 interception by Vick. The brilliant coaching of Juan Castillo of having Jaiquawn Jarrett, in his first NFL start, covering Larry Fitzgerald alone on a critical 3rd down.

We should have known that this game was going to be unpleasant from the surprising news that DeSean Jackson was inactive for the game, as he missed a special team meeting on Saturday. Andy Reid said post-game that he stands beside the decision.

Ray Didinger said on CSN’s Eagles Post Game Live, “The season ended today, for all intents and purposes.”

And he is absolutely right. The Eagles will not make the playoffs, and they don’t deserve to be to anywhere near them. In some ways, it’s a blessing to us all. We won’t be forced to watch any more than the regular season of this awful team.

“We’ve gotta do a better game all around.”

Those were the repetitive and empty words of head coach Andy Reid in yet another press conference. You have to wonder what the point is now. Of doing better, that is. If you haven’t been able to get it together now, there really seems little purpose to trying to work on improving a team that doesn’t seem to have a grasp on the fundamentals of the game. » Continue reading “Cardinals Stick A Fork in the Eagles”

CARDINALS V. EAGLES

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13

1 PM, FOX

There are two storylines that can make Sunday’s Arizona Cardinals versus Philadelphia Eagles game more exciting than it appears on the surface.

The return of Kevin Kolb to the Linc. The former Eagles backup returning to Philadelphia to show what he’s got as a starter. This scenario is unlikely to occur, however, as Kolb risks missing his second straight game due to a turf toe injury. Kolb remains a game time decision.

Well, there goes the first element of intrigue.

The second focus is the more critical one for the Eagles. Regardless of how little fans may be interested in seeing the team play a 2-6 Cardinals team led by backup John Skelton, Philadelphia must fight for its very life this game in order to have any hope of digging out of the hole the team has created. The 3-5 Eagles are currently in third place in the NFC East, and are 3 games behind the division leading New York Giants. » Continue reading “Sneak Peek: Cardinals at Eagles”

You’ve likely heard of the injury but you have no idea what it actually is. I refer to turf toe. The affliction is playing a role in minimizing one of the biggest storylines of the Eagles game Sunday versus the Cardinals on Sunday: Kevin Kolb’s return to Philadelphia. Kolb has missed last week’s game against St. Louis due to the injury, and looks to miss a start in Philadelphia as well.

Turf toe is also affecting the Eagles offensive line, with OG Evan Mathis having missed both Wednesday and Thursday’s practice with the injury.

So what the heck is turf toe? Evan Mathis took to Twitter to try to answer questions from confused followers.

That’s certainly good to know.

What does it feel like?

Poor Evan.

To get a bit more technical, turf toe

can occur after a very vigorous upward bending of the big toe. It got it’s name due to the fact that it occurs frequently in people who play games on artificial surfaces. The shoe grips hard on the surface and sticks causing bodyweight to go forward and so bending the toe up.

Image via sportsinjuryclinic.net

You may now consider yourselves enlightened.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/phillysportmuse.

On the eve of the start of the 2011 season for the Philadelphia Eagles, what better time to look at the season ahead for the Birds?

Though I know you will be watching each and every game on the team’s schedule, here are a few that you should circle on your calendars.

Week 3 v Giants (Sunday, 9/25 – 1 pm on FOX)

So many reasons to look forward to this game. First, it is the home opener for the Birds. It’s the 1st game against a division rival. We get to see Steve Smith go out  against his former team. New York with a slew of injuries already in the season. And last but not least, any games played against the Giants represent the opportunity to make fun of Eli Manning.

Bring it. » Continue reading “The Season Ahead: Circle These Games on Your Calendars”

The Eagle has landed

Free agency started off with a bang Friday evening with a move that topped every other surprise presented in this week of surprises. And that’s saying something, in a week that saw the likes of Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth to the New England Patriots.

As he was the most  sought after free agent in 2011, it was fitting that the Nnamdi Asomugha deal occurred just moments after teams were cleared to begin signing free agents.

The Eagles landed Asomugha to a 5 year, $60 million deal.

Coach Andy Reid and GM Howie Roseman addressed the media shortly after the trade was announced.

Reid stated that the team had a “great plan for free agency and trades and so on,” then stated, simply:

“I think we all know about Nnamdi.

He’ll be a great addition to our cornerback core….right now we have 3 great corners. We’ll see how things go there.”

Yes we will. More on that list bit in a few moments.

Howie Rosen then said,

“We thought it was a great opportunity to our football team and an option we had to explore.”

We all know that Nnamdi is sick. That’s why everyone wanted him. Just how sick? Some info from the Eagles:

“A three-time Pro Bowler from 2008-10 and a four-time All Pro selection (2006, 2008-10), Asomugha (6-2, 210) has played in 122 career games (99 starts), and accumulated 310 tackles, 11 interceptions, 62 passes defensed and two sacks. Widely regarded as one of the top cover cornerbacks in the NFL, Asomugha earned his third straight trip to the Pro Bowl in 2010 after contributing 19 tackles and six passes defensed, anchoring a Raiders defense that ranked second in the NFL behind San Diego by allowing just 189.2 passing yards per game. “

Before the official start of free agency at 6 pm on Friday, it was widely thought that the chase for Asomugha was between the Jets and the Dallas Cowboys. Eagles fans, how happy are we that Nnamdi didn’t go to another NFC East team? » Continue reading “The Eagle Has Landed: Philadelphia Signs Nnamdi Asomugha”

Kevin Kolb's stylish new accessory

It’s been the talk of the football world for the past five months. When there was no other Eagles news out there, it was the topic of constant speculation.

Where would Kevin Kolb be traded for the 2011 season?

It was rumored that the Eagles could get whatever they wanted for him, as so many teams around the league were in need of a quarterback with some experience. The Arizona Cardinals seemed to be the perfect landing spot for Kolb. Kolb himself spoke highly of the opportunity to play with that team in a radio interview, and all signs pointed to the trade being all but signed.

When the lockout ended on Monday and trades could begin on Tuesday, getting the Kolb deal taken care of was thought to be the first order of business for the Birds. But then the waters got a little murky, with Kyle Orton joining the market, and the Seattle Seahawks quickly grabbing Matt Leinart and Tarvaris Jackson.

Seattle, as you may recall, was the team to be widely considered the back-up option for Kolb should a deal with the Cardinals not pan out. But it was no longer an option.

No deal took place on the first day of a return to NFL business, nor on the second. On its third day, the Eagles told Kolb not to come to training camp, signaling that they don’t expect him to be with the team much longer. But what was taking so long? » Continue reading “The Winner of the Kevin Kolb Sweepstakes is…”

It was another busy day for the Eagles. Here’s a rundown of today’s news and developments:

-The Kolb for Rodgers-Cromartie trade is almost a done deal, with the Eagles are still trying to negotiate the draft pick they will receive from the Cardinals for the trade.

How done is the deal? The shop on the Eagles website had a Birds Rodgers-Cromartie jersey on sale for about a half hour today. Oops–a little quick on the trigger there, eh?

-Though Eagles training camp opened today, players aren’t required to be there until Thursday. Because he is expected to be traded at any moment, Kevin Kolb won’t be at camp tomorrow.

-Speaking of training camp holdouts, don’t be surprised if DeSean Jackson doesn’t show up tomorrow. He wants more money. He deserves more money. The Eagles know he should be paid more money. We’ll see how this all plays out. This could be one of the more interesting story lines leading into the season if the situation drags on.

-At the start of the day, the Eagles had yet to sign any of their draft picks. Now, they have 9 of the 11 signed. First round pick Danny Watkins is the one draftee who still needs to work out a deal with the team, as does 7th round pick Greg Lloyd.

-With many concerns remaining on the defensive side of the ball, DE Jason Babin says that the Eagles are 1 of 3 teams he is considering.  Babin had an amazing 12.5 sacks last year. Signing with the Birds would allow him the opportunity to reunite with his former D-line coach Jim Washburn.

-Safety Nate Allen reported to Lehigh on Wednesday and says that his knee is 90-95%.

-Once an Eagle, always an Eagle. Well, at least when it comes to notable news. It sounds like former quarterback Donovan McNabb will be making a home with the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikes and Redskins are trying to work rework his contract, as McNabb was owed $10 million for 2011 had he stayed in Washington, and the Vikings won’t be able to pay that amount of money for Donovan.

Will this blasted thing ever end?
Is the lockout over yet? Sadly, the answer is no. But, but–the owners ratified a CBA–we’re all set, right?

If you haven’t been tied to your television and Twitter feed trying to figure what in God’s name is happening with the lockout, consider yourself lucky. To sum it all up for you, the lockout is still on. The player conference call that took place on Thursday evening did not yield a vote, as players had not been seen the version of the agreement approved by the owners.

Oh come now, you know there had to be some last minute games.

As it currently stands, players will reconvene on Monday to discuss how they will proceed. What has to happen before the lockout can end? The players would need to approve the same CBA approved by the owner, which may not happen  as the owner-approved CBA included some additions not previously discussed or agreed to by the players. Additionally, the owners’ vote is contingent upon the NFLPA re-certifying as a union by Wednesday. So, clearly there are still some significant hurdles to face.

No predictions on end dates here, as it simply leads to increased frustration (how is that even possible?). Need I mention July 21st, anyone?

Kevin Kolb’s heart is in Arizona.  Apparently.
Kevin Kolb’s name was all over headlines this week. Yes, it was still due in part to the unending speculation as to the Eagles plans for the backup QB when football resumes, but the buzz was caused to a greater extent by Kolb’s own comments in a radio interview. Kolb sounds like his bags are all but packed to go to Arizona to play for the Cardinals, and reports from ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio stated that Kolb is already on the hunt for a place there. » Continue reading “Eagles Briefs: Nope, Still No Football”

You’re in the midst of fun in the sun and a wonderful weekend. There’s little time to scour the internet for news about your favorite football team. Never fear–the Morning Muse is here to give you some of the best Eagles headlines from around the web.

Mike Vick will not be in the top 10 players for 2011 on the NFL Network’s countdown – NFL Spin Zone

Training camp at Lehigh is looking less and less likely for the Birds – The Morning Call

Safety Nate Allen making good progress on his road to recovery – Bleeding Eagle Green

Jeremy Maclin hosts his first football camp, with help from Jason Avant – Football News Now

The latest unsubstantiated Kevin Kolb trade rumors–will he be traded to the Cardinals for corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie? Prolly not. – Pro Football Talk

Nate Allen hosts his inaugural football camp at his alma mater, Cape Coral High School – Asbury Park Press