http://www.yardbarker.com/users/phillyphan54 Recent Yardbarker Articles: phillyphan54 en-us The Bengals have been shopping RB Rudi Johnson for a "legitimate receiver" only hours after the revelation of the severity of Chad Johnson's shoulder injury. This is a curious move, why would they trade the only run game they have for another receiver when they have two of the best in the game. I suspect that they are making plans to be rid of Chad Johnson. Seriously, what "legitimate" WR will want to share catches with T.J. and Chad? I can imagine the obvious teams that ought to make an attempt at acquiring Ocho Cinco. The Eagles, now in an even further hole due to an injury to Kevin Curtis, the most productive Birds WR since TO. Is this the chance Philly fans have waited for? Would they choose Ocho Cinco for trade over disgruntled Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin. What would be the value for an injured, angry, loud mouth hotshot WR who can still produce? Lito Sheppard? Reggie Brown? One of those 1st round draft picks? Time will tell. Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:01:36 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/313130 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/313130 Part 2 of my analysis and predictions of every team in every division up to and including the Super Bowl. Now for the NFC... NFC East Cowboys: 12-4: Lets face it, they stacked up this offseason. But the teams division that they play (save for the Giants) have taken significant strides forward. They will, of course, lose the first playoff game they appear in. Eagles: 11-5: A team that truley under-performed last year. No significant losses in the offseason and plenty of good additions. Lorenzo Booker and DeSean Jackson will have larger roles than expected. A true playoff team where they will flourish due to such a great pass defense. Redskins: 9-7: They did get much better this offseason. Jason Taylor plays out all the steam he has left. This offense is very strong, but Jason Campbell could be improved upon. I'd personally like to see Colt Brennan start for this team. Giants: 8-8: Huge losses in the offseason. No Strahan. No Wilson. No Shockey. The reason they got to the Super Bowl and won was the pass rush, and Strahan was the heart of it. It all spells no playoffs, especially in a pass happy division. NFC North Vikings: 13-3: A good team last year. A really good team this year. With Favre they'd be a great team. But they will settle with Jared Allen and Bernard Barrian. Packers: 9-7: Rodgers better impress or he'll be run out of town. Even better McCarthey and Tompson will be. Good Luck. Bears: 6-10: Hester is their offense. Forte is promising. The QB's are not. Expect them to trade up in the draft for a quality QB such as Painter or Tebow. Lions: 3-13: Not too much going on in Detroit. They better spend some cash in free agency. NFC West Seahawks: 11-5: Pretty good team in really bad division. Cardinals: 8-8: Don't expect many winning seasons untill the run defense is bettered. Rams: 5-11: Steve Jackson is pissed and he should be. No Jackson, they go 2-14. That may be exaggerating but he is their biggest weapon. 49ers: 3-13: Yep, the Niners. NFC South Saints: 12-4: Explosive offense. Expect big things from them. Only hamper is defense, but they done well when they moved up to get Ellis in the draft. Bucaneers: 10-6: A pretty good team with two good HBs. Possible playoff team. Panthers: 5-11: The Eagles will be glad they took the trade for a first round pick cause they get a top 10. The Panthers are loosing a lot of steam. The fight that broke out because of Steve Smith (their best player) is a perfect metaphore for the season they will have. They will be big spenders in free agency. Atlanta Falcons. 3-13: Matt Ryan is in head deep of this big rebuilding project. It'll be a few years until the Falcons have a winning season. Playoffs: Wild Card Round: Bucs (L) vs. Saints (W) + Eagles (W) vs. Seahawks (L) Divisional Round: Vikings (W) vs. Saints (L) + Eagles (W) vs. Cowboys (L) NFC Championship: Vikings (W) vs. Eagles (L) Super Bowl: Vikings (L) vs. Chargers (W) Sat, 09 Aug 2008 14:48:25 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/303533 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/303533 Well...waiting for tonights' Pre-Season Opener against the Steelers. So, I'm gonna make my pre-preseason predictions for the NFL. This is a 2 part post: Part 1: AFC AFC East: Patriots: 12-4: They are an incredible team and own one of the best offenses the NFL has seen. But they took a deep hit this off-season in their secondary and LB corps. They win the conference and advance to AFC Championship...and lose. Jets: 9-7: I like to beleive in this team. Brett Favre will do wonders with the Jet offense. They have an off shot for playoffs. Bills: 8-8: They are a pretty good team, but I'm not so sure. Possible playoff team. Dolphins: 4-12 Let the rebuilding begin! They lose Jason Taylor, no truly outstanding players, but they will win a couple games. Parcells was the big addition in the offseason, and his prescence will help a lot. They are stocking up on draft picks...look out for them in 2-3 years. AFC North: Browns: 11-5 What a fun team to watch. They are something for the NFL to be aware of. May make a good playoff run. Steelers: 11-5 GREAT DRAFT! They got SO lucky when they were on the clock in April. The loss of Alen Faneca is gonna hurt though. They tie with Cleveland for the Division title. Ravens: 8-8 They still have a rebound to make, but they have two First round QB's to pick from, one of which won a Heisman. They will return to glory in a few seasons. Bengals: 6-10: Amazing pass game. Thats. About. It. Their defense is doing nothing against the run. They wanted Sedrick Ellis and settled for Rivers. Chad still not happy...trade? It would give them atleast two draft picks to get that defense going. AFC West Chargers: 13-3: A great team in a strugling conference. A deep playoff run is in order. Super Bowl? Don't be Shocked. (chuckle) Broncos: 9-7: Jay Cutler is a good QB. He is forgotten all the time. He was the best QB in that draft. If he switched schools with Lienart he'd be the heisman winner. This is a possible playoff team. Raiders: 6-10: They upgraded the secondary, got a great HB in the draft, picked up an aging (but still good) WR, and yet...the coaching is killing them. Lane Kiffin was looking for a college job in the offseason; does that give a hint at where his heart is at? (Psst! not Oakland!) Russell will do all right and will develope into a true NFL QB in time. The same applies to McFadden. Cheifs: 4-12: Draft Grade: A+++! Larry Johnson is looking better coming off that foot injury. They are gonna use their high draft pick on a QB in the draft (probably Stafford if he's on the board). This team is a potential future powerhouse. But until then...well you know. AFC South Colts: 12-4: Well, they are the Colts. However (please don't kill me for this) I'm not so sure about Peyton Manning's health. It is possible (unlikely though) for him to miss a game or two. This division is tightening up, so the Colts better be ready. AFC Championship is possible if they get past the Chargers. Jaguars: 11-5: A good defense in a tough league. They will make the playoffs and win because of their defense. But not past the Colts. Titans: 9-7: Vince Young got some new toys to play with in his offense. I hate to say it, but those receivers of his... they won't do well in their own conference. Texans: 7-9: The team itself is getting older, but the conference they are in is too good for them to handle. Playoffs: Wildcard Round: Patriots (L) vs. Jaguars (W) + Steelers (L) vs. Browns (W) Divisional Round: Colts (W) vs. Jaguars (L) + Chargers (W) vs. Browns (L) AFC Championship: Colts (L) vs. Chargers (W) Super Bowl: Chargers vs. TBD Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:59:23 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/303521 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/303521 The ballhawk from El Paso is the first drated rookie to sign with the Birds. He has 17 ints in his college career, but the question remains on his hitting abilities. Nontheless, this is some proof of the FO's confidence in this kid. The next superstar S from Philly? Time will tell... Bark it up! E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES! Fri, 30 May 2008 19:27:52 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/272606 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/272606 Nothing to do during May, other than wait for June 1st? Well, u can always look ahead into what the Birds MIGHT do next year . I'm gonna make my own fantasy season for the birds all the way up to training camp. The Eagles go 12-4, making dominating wins late in the season, and tie the Dallas Cowboys for #1 seed in the NFC East. Donovan McNabb has had a great season, passing 27 TDs and 12 Ints. Brian Westbrook has another increadible season with 1000 yards and 6 TDs. The defense is a little week at linebacker, but #2 overall against the pass game. Asante Samuel, Lito Sheppard, and Sheldon Brown are constantly rotating and staying fresh, keeping most teams at bay. Brian Dawkings has a strong season, but retires days after the playoff loss. Back to offense, R. Brown has an OK year, 4 TDs and 650 yards receiving. Kevin Curtis has a standout season with 1200 yards and 10 TDs. TE L.J. Smith has an average year himself, but his presence helped a lot with inproving in the red zone. Rookie WR DeSean Jackson dominates as a punt returner, and a few plays are formed to get him the ball. not many touches, but he records 300 yards receiving and has 2 punts returned for TD's. The Birds have a strong post season, but somehow, after a staggering game to the Vikings lose the NFC Championship. The Great Brian Dawkings retires in a tear filled press conferance after the Super Bowl, which the Jacksonville Jaguars won. In free agency, the Birds sign WR Roy Williams and also Cowboys S Ken Hamlin, as a fill in for Brian Dawkings empty shoes. They also resign Tackles John Runyan and Tra Thomas to 2 year contracts. Sean Considine is signed to a 1 year contract. They lose TE LJ Smith, RB Correl Buckhalter, DE Jorome McDougle, and Ryan Moats has already been cut. The draft. the birds select with the 12 overall pick (from Carolina) OT Ciron Black from LSU. Black will be the next generation as the Eagle's LT, and is bound to be the next Tra ( or is it William) Thomas. now that WR R. Brown is expendable due to Williams being signed, he is traded with the 29 pick for pick 21 and the Eagles select TE Brandon Pettigrew from the OSU Cowboys. He has some off the field issues, but he is doing well to resolve them. he is brought in in the absence of LJ Smith, who had an OK season. Brett Celek and he fight for a starting job at TE over the preseason. The 2009 Birds go into the season with the only injury to the oft-played Lorenzo Booker, who will be back soon from a concussion in training camp. McNabb is well and fine, Westbrook couldn't be happier, and after rebounding from an 8-8 season to the NFC title game, the Eagles have a Super Bowl in sight. Bark it up, comments, suggestions, questions, ideas. dont just be blasting this. E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES! Mon, 26 May 2008 20:37:18 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/271156 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/271156 I'm not one of those raging Philly fans who says that we won't win a Super Bowl without a huge #1 WR. Quite the contrary, it is my beleif that the Birds have enough weapons and health to lead them to a Championship. I can't stand to see what happened to our team when T.O. started all of his antics, aka driveway press conferences. however, currently he's been doing things that the T.O. we all loved and now hate DOES NOT DO. he made a public statement complimenting Donovan McNabb and basically apologizing. We all know that his contract expires soon. SO... WHAT IF the Eagles resigned him when his contract expires with the Cowboys? Would they? Has T.O. grown up? i'm just asking the questions, not supporting any answers. Bark it up! E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!! Sun, 25 May 2008 10:12:49 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/270777 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/270777 Hey, while we have nothing to do (other than wait for June 1st), why not take a peek into what the Birds might be shopping for in next year's draft. I personally dont agree with the selections in this draft, but I respect the locations of our picks. I see the birds taking OT Ciron Black with the pick we recieve from the Carolina Panthers and then try to trade up for TE Brandon Pettigrew with or second selection. E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES! Bark it up! Thu, 22 May 2008 21:39:56 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/269889 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/269889