NFC East Round Up

With starting running back Brandon Jacobs out with a knee injury, the Giants took to the air to win their sixth in a row.  Manning threw for three touchdowns in his return to the scene of his Super Bowl MVP performance and the New York Giants beat Arizona 37-29 to snap the Cardinals’ seven-game home winning streak.

Manning completed 26 of 33 for 240 yards with no interceptions as the Giants moved to 10-1, tied for the best record in the NFL.

Terrell Owens broke out with seven catches for 213 yards and the Dallas defense played great when it had to, helping the Cowboys beat the San Francisco 49ers 35-22 Sunday.  Tony Romo was 23-of-39 for 341 yards and three touchdowns in his second game playing with a splint protecting a broken pinkie on his passing hand.

Dallas (7-4) has won consecutive games for the first time since starting 3-0. With Seattle coming to Texas Stadium on Thursday, the Cowboys could distance themselves even more from their recent 2-4 rut and could go steaming into December in prime position for a wild-card playoff berth.

Clinton Portis gained 143 yards on 29 carries, including key runs late that helped preserve the Redskins’ first victory in almost a month, 20-17 over the Seattle Seahawks.  It ended a two-game losing streak for Washington (7-4), which hosts the division-leading New York Giants (10-1) on Sunday.

NFC East Roundup

NYG 29   SF 17

Brandon Jacobs ran for two TDs, Eli Manning threw for one, Michael Johnson had two interceptions and the Giants managed to make fewer mistakes than the terrible San Francisco 49ers in a 29-17 victory on Sunday.

The victory was the fourth straight at home for the Giants (5-1) and it sent the 49ers (2-5) to their fourth straight loss.

WASH 14   CLE 11

Led by Clinton Portis and his ground attack that amounted for 175 yards and a score the Redskins pulled out the ugly victory after losing to St Louis the week before. 

The Washington defense gave up only 236 yards and nearly didn’t allow a touchdown for the second straight week. Carlos Rogers, nursing a calf injury, held Braylon Edwards to four catches. Demetric Evans knocked away a fourth-down pass near the goal line. Andre Carter had a sack for the Redskins (5-2), who have won five of six and bounced back from last week’s last-play loss to the St. Louis Rams.

STL 34   DAL 14

Tony Romo told the coaching staff after pregame warmups he wasn’t going to be able to go with a broken right pinkie. He was in uniform however backing up the veteran, Brad Johnson.

The 40-year-old backup quarterback couldn’t keep up with the surging St. Louis Rams’ offense, throwing three interceptions. Steven Jackson ran for 160 yards on 25 carries with three touchdowns and the Rams (2-4) looked like contenders instead of sad sacks for the second straight game under new coach Jim Haslett in a surprisingly easy 34-14 victory on Sunday.  Dallas fell to 4-3 on the year with the loss and seem to be falling apart, more on that to come later.

Manning Will Play Sunday

Two days after bruising his chest on what he considered a questionable hit, Eli Manning practiced with the New York Giants on Wednesday and said he would play Sunday against the 49ers.

Manning was hurt in the second quarter of Monday night’s 35-14 loss to Cleveland when he was driven into the ground by 350-pound tackle Shaun Rogers. The Giants (4-1) were embarrassed by the Browns on national TV in which Manning threw three picks, including one returned 94 yards for a touchdown by Eric Wright.

Manning said his mistakes were responsible for the picks, not his bruised chest.

Eagles Win Ugly

Finally our defense stepped up late in a game and helped the Eags score 23 4th quarter points to take a weird and wild victory from the 49ers in sunny San Francisco yesterday.  Donovan’s players only meeting didn’t seem to stir up much sense of urgency from the get go for the Birds on Sunday and it looked as if Eagle fans were in for another sickening feeling in their stomachs as San Fran scored 10 unanswered right before the half yesterday including a returned blocked field goal.

Being that this game was a must win we somehow someway found a way to pull it out and get the W.  A huge victory for the birds as two NFC East teams lost on Sunday (Dallas and Washington) with New York still yet to take the field until tonight.  For a minute there (well a few) I was really beginning to doubt our chances of making the playoffs this year the way we looked against a BAD San Francisco team.  I’ll give them some credit… well no I won’t, they’re terrible.

Onto the only positives from this game:  Donovan threw for 280 yards and two scores minus his best RB (B West) and his top two WRs (Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown). Oh and David Akers MADE A FIELD GOAL.

Player of the Game: Juqua Parker –  5 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT for TD

Fast Facts: McNabb past Ron Jaworski on the Eagles’ career list for yards passing and pass attempts.

Westbrook Misses Practice

B West sat out of practice for a second straight day Thursday because of a rib injury sustained early in the game against Washington on Sunday.  Westbrook broke two ribs but was able to return after an injection of painkillers.

GOOD.  Take all the time you need buddy.  We need you 110% going into Week 8 against Atlanta.  With a bye in Week 7, two weeks of rest is a must in my mind.  We play San Fran this week and I think we should be able to move the ball against a mediocre defense at best.  Mike Martz’s offense however will definitely be a test for our D as he and JT O’Sullivan have been slanging the ball pretty nicely on the left coast.

B West Just Rest

Eagles’ coach Andy Reid revealed Monday that superstar running back Brian Westbrook fractured two ribs in the opening quarter of the Eagles loss to the Redskins on Sunday as reported earlier by my cohort, the 215 Sportsguy.  His status for Sunday’s game in San Francisco is uncertain at the moment but dont worry, we expect his little bro Byron Westbrook to release his diagnosis on Wednesday.

If it were my call; Do NOT play him.  We all realize that the Birds have already dug themselves into a hole, but unless they feel they are already in panic mode there is no reason to trot him out there.  And like the Bears match up (which is actually making me rethink this whole train of thought, shit put him out there, we’re already tanking) if the Eagles cannot beat the 49ers WITHOUT Brian why was there all of this Super Bowl or bust talk coming out of Lehigh?

Westbrook Breaks Two Ribs in Loss to Skin’s

Well it appears Brian Westbrook’s return to the Eagles’ lineup may be very short-lived.

Big Red said in his press conference Monday that Westbrook, who was back in the lineup after sitting out last week against Chicago with an ankle injury, broke two ribs on the eighth play of the Eagles’ 23-17 loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday.

Westbrook went to the sidenline holding his chest after the play, but after a few stretches and some trainer assistance was back out on the field for the next series.  He managed to finish the game with 12 carries for 33 yards and six catches for 51 yards.

When Andy Reid was asked about Westbrook’s availability for next week against the 49ers, he was his usual “I’m not disclosing anything” – self:

We’ll see how it works out for him.

Eags Deny Sheppard Trade Rumors

So almighty ESPN and the NFL Network both reported that Lito Sheppard, who hasn’t made it through a season healthy since the 2004 Super Bowl season, was given permission from the Eagles to seek a trade.

Last night the Eagles denied broadcast reports that Pro Bowl cornerback Lito Sheppard has been granted permission by the organization.

Sheppard told Comcast SportsNet he wasn’t aware of the story and thought it was a joke when first told about it.

The Eagles however, are believed to be targeting Asante Samuel, the Patriots’ Pro Bowl corner, who hits free agency in a couple weeks, and if they are able to sign Samuel, Sheppard hit the trading block.

Sheppard, only 26, is due $2 million in 2008, $3 million in 2009 and then $3.7 million and $4.25 million. He has a cap number of $2,731,720 this year and cap figures ranging up to $4,258,120 in 2011. Nate Clements’ six-year, $56 million deal with the 49ers that included $22 million guaranteed money — have redefined the marketplace for cornerbacks.