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Eagles beat the Washinton 34-10 The 2011 NFL regular season is over , and I feel less than satisfied. I want to thank the loyal readers of the site for sticking it out during the most frustrating season of the Reid era, but I need to come clean about a few things I wrote. It started early when , before the season begun , I predicted an 11-5 record for the Eagles (you could say it was all downhill from there). That record would have easily been good enough for the NFC East title and a home playoff game next weekend. Instead, well you know what happened, the Eagles played terrible early and got it together late to finish 8-8 (silver lining: the Eagles, by finishing the season with four straight wins, ended up second in the division behind the Giants but ahead of… wait for it… the Dallas Cowboys! Somehow the Cowboys found a way to destroy their season like the Eagles did except they waited for the last game of the year to rip their fans' hearts out). The week 17 match-up with the Washington Redskins was a meaningless, tough-to-stick-with game (and that's putting it lightly). As one of the only games Sunday with absolutely no playoff or draft position implications, I found myself focused on the Red Zone and the games that mattered while flipping to ch eck on the Birds, in stead of the other way around. To rehash another failed prediction, I thought for sure LeSean McCoy would add the 2011 rushing title to his Pro Bowl selection. For two or three weeks , I declared the Eagles still worth watching because Shady had a chance to end 2011 as the best running back in the league. When the news broke that McCoy would be watching the final game from the sidelines, it was like running down the steps on Christmas morning and finding nothing under the tree. And the tree is on fire. The meaningless game became all the more meaningless. Yes, it's good to finally see the offense click during consecutive games, and yes, it's good to see the defense hold each of the final four opponents to less than 20 points, BUT it s ure is tough to watch a game with nothing at stake. Who gets excited for the preseason? Answer: nobody. That's why I want to give Philly fans something to move on to (with the least possibility of failure and disappointment). The Phillies, the last team to let the city down, are likely to be National League favorites yet again, but we are looking at close to two months before pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater , so there's not much there to get excited for. The 76ers, back from the dead that was t he NBA lockout, started the season 2-2 and have one more game on the road before the home opener against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. I'm thrilled to have the NBA back in my life, but the Sixers aren't in any position to start planning a parade down B r oad Street. By all means, watch because they are an interesting group of players with a coach who fits the team and the city, but after 66 games I see them as 7 or 8-seed in playoffs (kind of like last year when they had to play the Miami Heat in the fir st round. The Sixers should be a playoff team, but teams like Miami and Chicago are head, shoulders , and torsos above Philly. How far can you go with Spencer Hawes as your starting center and no defi nitive answer to the question: w ho do you want taking t he last shot with the game on the line?). That leaves one option. But let's get back to the Eagles for a moment. After a disgustingly, brutally , boring first half, the Eagles scored the game's first touchdown just before halftime. Michael Vick hooked up with Chad Hall for his only catch of the game, a 7-yard touchdown reception. Vick finished the game with over 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes. He played the majority of the game in the pocket, throwing 39 passes and running just once. The running game didn't exist at all without McCoy in the lineup. The Eagles, using rookie Dion Lewis and Ronnie Brown, gained 75 rushing yards on 18 attempts. The game appeared to be shaping into an even match-up between NFC East basement dwellers when , earl y in the fourth quarter , a Washington field goal made it 13-10, Birds. The n the Eagles blew the doors off scoring three touchdowns in the final 12 minutes. DeSean Jackson hauled in a beautifully thrown bomb for a 62-yard score, and Mr. Consistent aka Mr. Reliable aka Brent Celek caught a 4-yard touchdown pass, his fifth of the season. Eagles win, 34-10. The Eagles defense gave up one big play. I n the third quarter , Washingto n set up a screen with Roy Helu who followed his blockers 47 yards into the endz one. Trent Cole had the team's only sack of Rex Grossman, who turned the ball over once on a tipped pass grabbed by Nate Allen, which means Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Babin ended the season with 18 sacks. A great accomplishment, by far his best season, but Reggie White's team record is safe. So, as fans, where do we go from here? Even though the Eagles' season is over, 12 teams are waiting for the chance to start their playoff journey to the Super Bowl. My temporary team (see my week 14 column), the C incinnati Bengals, nabbed the final Wildcard spot and WILL beat the Texans on the road to kickoff the postseason. As for the NFC, can't we just fast-forward to Saints-Packers? Who doesn't want to see that? The MVP vs. the Record Breaker, the last two Su per Bowl champs, and the wide range of offensive weapons on display (Jennings-Jordy-Finley-Driver vs. Colston-Moore-Graham-Sproles). I'm already excited for that one. For Philly fans, look no further than the orange-and-black. The Flyers are battling for position as the best team in the Eastern Conference, and they have their own version of LeSean McCoy in Claude Giroux. They also have legend Jaromir Jagr to go with a handful of talented rookies like Matt Read and 19-year-old Sean Couturier. If you aren 't on board with the Fly Guys yet, and you have a subscription to HBO, try an episode of 24/7 on for size. You'll be a fan before goalie Ilya Bryzgalov has a chance to talk about the unive r se . So the Eagles are already preparing for next season, but for fans there's no such thing as an offseason from sports. Time heals all wounds, and today the Flyers play a game outdoors. Life is good.
Justin Boylan can be reached at justin.boylan@temple.edu
Justin Boylan can be reached at justin.boylan@temple.edu
Jules talks with Brent Celek 6-5-10 Jules: Brent thanks for taking the time to sit down with me here at ITE. I'm excited to have you the opportunity to talk to you. Brent: Thank you for having me, I appreciate it. JULES: Having been born and raised in Cincinnati how have you adjusted to Philly life and how do you like it? Do you go back to your hometown in the off-season? Brent: I like it a lot more. There is a lot more going on in the city as opposed to the suburbs. I do go back to my hometown to visit my family in the off-season. JULES: I'm sure you have tried out a few cheese steak places here. Any favorite? Brent: Jim's is definitely my favorite, Jules. JULES: Nice, ok that's enough of the warm up conversation; let's talk some football because that is what the fans care about most. And of course the biggest change is at the QB position and that not only affects the team but you. What kind of relationship do you have with Kevin? What kind of adjustments to your game do you think you will have to make? Brent: I have a good relationship with Kevin. We came to the team in the same draft class. When neither of us were starting we had a lot of time to work and practice together which I feel has given us enough chemistry to where I won't have too many adjustments to make come game time. JULES: Do you think your role on the field will change in any way? More or less balls thrown your way? Brent: If Coach Reid and Coach Mornhinweg think that it will help us win games then I will see more balls thrown my way. JULES: I realize that losing Donovan was a big change for the team but how do you think the team will adjust to the loss of McNabb and do you think the Eagles will continue to be successful? Brent: Of course I think that we will be successful. Don was a great player and he will be missed but the assumption that we cannot be successful without him is motivation for us. JULES: The Eagles are a very young team now. How do you feel being part of a younger group of guys? Do you see yourself taking on more of a Leadership role with this team? Brent: It feels good because the future is ours. I definitely want to be a leader. I hope to be the type of player and person the new guys can count on for guidance on and off the field. JULES: Brent, the fans love the intensity you bring with your game, do you have any personal goals for the new season? Brent: My personal goal is to help my team reach our goal of winning the Superbowl. JULES: What would any interview be without mentioning the Captain Morgan celebration pose? I think all of the fans really liked it, are you working on some new material for the upcoming season. Obviously, one that won't get you fined by the league or a penalty. Brent: I have a couple of legal but hopefully still entertaining things in mind, keep an eye out. JULES: Brent, you have been a great sport, as we wrap up here can you give me a juicy controversial quote that will make ITE get some big time exposure? Just kidding. But one last question. What do think of passion of the Philly fans? Brent: I have never seen anything like it. The passion that the Philly fans have only adds the passion we have as players. JULES: Thanks for sitting with me and giving me some of your time. Good luck in the upcoming season. Brent: My pleasure. Thank you very much. You can follow Brent on Twitter @BrentCelek or on Facebook too.
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