Former Eagles safety Brian Dawkins has announced his retirement from the NFL after 16 seasons.

Shortly before 10 a.m. on Monday morning, Dawkins made his decision known via Twitter stating,

The Lord has blessed me to play in the NFL for 16 years. I would like to thank the Eagles & the Broncos 4 believing In me. I would like 2 thank all my teammates & Coaches that I have been blessed 2 go to battle with. Along with u, the fans 4 helping make my career 1 that i have enjoyed tremendously. In other words. I am announcing my retirement from the NFL. #BBTB

A 9-time Pro Bowler and 6-time All-Pro, Dawkins was a 2nd round pick for the Eagles in the 1996 NFL draft. Over the next 13 seasons, Dawkins accumulated 898 tacked, 34 interceptions, and 21 sacks while being one of the Eagles biggest emotional and physical defensive presences of all-time.

In a surprising move, the Eagles allowed Dawkins to leave the team as he signed a 5-year, $17 million deal with the Denver Broncos on February 28, 2009. Dawkins played three seasons for the Broncos and was named the 2009 and 2011 Pro Bowl teams.

Throughout his 16-year career, the 38-year old Dawkins accumulated 1,131 tackles, 26 sacks, and 37 interceptions.

According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles have an open invitation on the table for Dawkins to come back to Philadelphia and retire with the team.

This Week: 2-0-0

Week 13: 9-6-0

Season: 90-76-9

GIANTS (-5.5) over Redskins
The Eagles extremely slim playoff hopes now rely on Rex Grossman winning a road divisional game with two backup offensive tackles starting. It’s not going to happen.

Packers (-11.5) over CHIEFS
The Packers haven’t lost a game in 364 days. Their winning streak will continue for at least another week as they take down new head coach Romeo Crennel and starting QB Kyle Orton in Arrowhead.

Saints (-7) over VIKINGS
The Saints offense has been outstanding when the team plays indoors. New Orleans is simply the more talented team and should roll to victory.

BEARS (-3.5) over Seahawks
Chicago is in a free fall after losing three straight. The Bears desperately need a victory and their defense will find a way to win on Sunday.

BILLS (PK) over Dolphins
Miami has been playing better football but I think they suffer a big letdown after head coach Tony Sparano was fired earlier in the week.

Panthers (+5) over TEXANS
The Texans are due for a letdown game and I think it comes the week after they clinced the AFC South. The Texans defense might suffer without defensive coordinator Wade Phillips at the game.

Titans (-6.5) over COLTS
Tennessee needs the victory as they try and stay in the playoff hunt. The Colts are shooting for 0-16. The Titans will roll in this game.

Bengals (-7) over RAMS
St. Louis will start Kellen Clemens at Quarterback. Cincinnati needs to win this game and will in convincing fashion on the road.

Lions (-3) over RAIDERS
This should be a great matchup between two teams that have struggled as of late. I think it could go either way but my gut tells me to go with Detroit on the road.

Patriots (-7) over BRONCOS
I have never seen anything quite like what Tim Tebow and the Broncos have pulled off over the past two months. That being said, I think Brady and Belichick have a huge offensive day and don’t allow Tebow to have any chance at a 4th quarter comeback.

Jets (+3) over EAGLES
The Jets need the win and the Eagles will be eliminated from the playoffs before they take the field. It has been a disastrous season for Philadelphia up until this point. Winning meaningless games at the end of the season will only make it worse.

CARDINALS (-6.5) over Browns
Do I really have to pick this game? It’s a battle of backup quarterbacks between two bad teams. I guess I’ll go with the home team.

CHARGERS (-2.5) over Ravens
San Diego is due to have one of those games that makes you realize how good people thought they were going to be this season. It might as well come against the playoff bound Ravens.

49ERS (-3) over Steelers
A lot of this hinges on whether Ben Roethlisburger plays on Monday night. It looks like LB Patrick Willis will miss the game for San Fransicsco but if the Steelers are without Big Ben, the 49ers should win this game.

This Week: 0-1-0

Last Week: 8-5-1

Season: 81-70-9

We’re going with gut instincts this week.  That didn’t work too well for Thursday night’s Eagles debacle.  As always, home teams in capitals.

BILLS (-1) over Titans
Buffalo needs to win to save their season (for now) and always plays better at home. Their defense is a major issue but I think they can pull out a close win.

Chiefs (+7) over BEARS
Even though Chicago is at home and I expect them to win a close matchup, I am not ready to spot Caleb Hanie a touchdown over a tough Kansas City that will fight.

DOLPHINS (-3) over Raiders
Miami has been playing inspired football over the past several weeks and it is always tough for a west coast team to travel across the country and play an early game.

STEELERS (-6.5) over Bengals
The Bengals are in the midst of a brutal five-week stretch and while I really like Andy Dalton and the young Bengals team, I don’t think they’ll cover at Heinz Field.

Jets (-3) over REDSKINS
Mark Sanchez has regressed significantly this season but the Jets still have far more talent than the abysmal Redskins. I think we see the “good” Sanchez on Sunday.

Falcons (-1.5) over TEXANS
Houston’s quarterback situation is very unfortunate as T.J. Yates will make his first career NFL start. Although the Texans will try and win by running the football and playing tough defense, I’m going with the Falcons.

Broncos (-1.5) over VIKINGS
Honestly, at this point, how can you pick against Tim Tebow? It makes absolutely no sense but the guy simply finds a way to win. Adrian Peterson is out for the Vikings which will make things even more difficult for Christian Ponder.

PATRIOTS (-20.5!!!!) over Colts
The last time I can remember a line being this high was when the Eagles went into Foxboro to take on the undefeated Patriots in 2007. It seems ridiculous to give this many points but when Dan Orlovsky is starting at quarterback, it might be justified for the winless Colts.

Ravens (-7) over BROWNS
Baltimore has been a team that plays down to the level of their opponent all season. Even though they are on the road, I think the Ravens begin to gear up for the stretch run this week.

49ers (-14) over RAMS
If you had told me the 49ers would be 2 touchdown favorites over St. Louis at the beginning of the season, I wouldn’t have believed you. San Francisco comes into this game with 10 days to prepare and focus on playoff positioning. They’ll come out of today with a big home win.

Cowboys (-4.5) over CARDINALS
Dallas is suddenly in the drivers seat in the NFC East. I don’t think they’ll let a returning Kevin Kolb and the Cardinals stand in their way this week.

Packers (-6.5) over GIANTS
Through 11 games the Packers have only played one game in which they didn’t win by at least a touchdown. After watching New York’s “defense” against Drew Brees and the Giants on Monday night, is there any chance Aaron Rodgers and the Packers don’t win big?

SAINTS (-9) over Lions
Detroit was a great story at the beginning of the season but things are falling apart down the stretch. The Saints potent offensive attack should have success against a Ndamukong Suh-less Lions defense.

Chargers (-3) over JAGUARS
Does anyone really care? One team fired their coach and the other will fire their coach at the end of the year. Considering all of the changes made in Jacksonville this week, I’ll go with the Chargers on the road.

Well, it started good. (Image-B. Garfinkel)

It looked great!  Vince Young threw a deep ball down the right sideline and Riley Cooper made a superb catch.  A few plays later, LeSean McCoy crept into the endzone for a touchdown.  The Philadelphia defense made a short drive look easier than I could have ever anticipated against a dominant New England offense.  Another deep ball to DeSean Jackson and a seemingly unimportant stalled drive resulted in a field goal and 10-0 Eagle lead.  Three drives and the Eagles looked like the dominant football team.  The problem is three drives do not a football game make.

Eagle fans learned that in a blink of an eye.  The Patriots rattled off a run that I am still working on fathoming to this very moment close to three hours after the the scoreboard ticked zero.  After the initial ten points put up by the Eagles, the Patriots outscored the birds 38-10.  Tom Brady had his way with the lackluster Eagle defense for the next three and half quarters.  He would connect with four different receivers twenty-four times for a total of three hundred sixty-four yards.  Wes Welker would catch two touchdown passes and Rob Gronkowski would continue to be a Brady favorite as they hooked up for another touchdown.  Add on two rushing touchdowns from BenJarvus Green-Ellis and a field goal from Stephen Gostkowski, and you have yourself one lopsided football game.

Young had a career record 400yds passing. (Image-Drew Hallowell)

If someone were to tell me that Vince Young would throw for four hundred yards and end up with only one touchdown pass and a tally in the loss column, I would never have believed it.  So where did it go wrong?  Hard to say, but I will start with the 10 carries given to McCoy throughout FOUR quarters.  There is absolutely no good reason as to why a pro bowl caliber running back should be limited to ten carries.  Taking the ball out of your best players hands is unacceptable, especially when your weapons are limited by injuries.

Then, there is Desean Jackson and his horrendous showing (I give credit where it may not be due by even calling it a “showing”).  Jackson dropped two touchdown passes in the three score loss.  One in the second half that let slip through his hands.  The other, more disappointingly, appeared as though he pulled a Todd Pinkston and alligator armed a touchdown opportunity in the first half.  Andy Reid would bench the “confident” wide receiver.  Jackson would later tell reporters, “Nothing I can do.”  Uh, yes there is.  If you want the big contract, catch the ball.  Earn it.

Perhaps equally as embarrassing as the final score and the showing that the team had all in all is the alleged argument between defensive line coach, Jim Washburn and offensive coordinator, Marty Mornhinweg.  Apparently, Washburn was not happy about the playcalling and the two had a bit of a spat during the most embarrassing loss I have witnessed in my near quarter century as an Eagle fan.  I know many fans share my sentiments because of the near empty stadium that is usually filled with fans who are willing to chant “E-A-G-L-E-S…EAGLES!” during baseball season.  I know my thoughts are similar to their’s as they chanted to have the decade tenured coach fired.

More than anything else, I know my idea is in the minds of others because we are Philadelphia fans.  And let’s face it.  When a loss like that clearly mirrors an entire season in a city like our’s…that is just plain unacceptable.  Enough is enough…

- MA

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This week: 0-1-0

Last Week: 9-6-1

Season: 73-65-8

My sincere apologies for the lack of detail regarding these quick picks. I’m going with gut feelings across the board this week. Home teams in CAPITALS.

DOLPHINS (-3) over Bills
It just seems like Buffalo’s season took a major turn for the worse two weeks ago against the Jets. The Dolphins have won two straight and are playing better football at the moment.

RAVENS (-7) over Bengals
Ray Lewis will miss his first game since the 2007 season but I’ll still go with Baltimore. The Ravens seem to play to the level of their opponent and have looked good in big games this season. Cincy being without AJ Green and Leon Hall will really hurt the Bengals chances.

Jaguars (+1.5) over BROWNS
Cleveland has underachieved mightily this season and Jacksonville is playing strong defensive football. I’ll take the Jaguars and the points.

Raiders (+2) over VIKINGS
Oakland is a better football team and has had 10-days to prepare for this matchup. The Vikings are playing better with Christian Ponder under center but they will lose this game at home.

LIONS (-7) over Panthers
I think the Lions will bounce back from their porous performance in Chicago last week. Even with Matthew Stafford playing with a broken finger, I expect Detroit to score a lot on the Carolina defense.

Buccaneers (+13.5) over PACKERS
The Packers will likely win this game and head into their bye week undefeated but I think that Tampa Bay will be able to keep this game closer than most people think.

Cowboys (-7) over REDSKINS
Rex Grossman gets his turn at quarterback for the Redskins again. Even with a full week of preparation, I don’t think the Washington offense will have any success against Rob Ryan’s defense.

49ERS (-10) over Cardinals
John Skeleton won’t be facing the Philadelphia Eagles defense this week. Arizona is coming off of a nice road win but won’t be able to carry that momentum into a tough road matchup in San Francisco.

RAMS (-3) over Seahawks
I’ll go with the home team and the points. Stay away from this matchup.

FALCONS (-6.5) over Titans
Atlanta will bounce back after a very tough loss to New Orleans last week. I could definitely see Tennessee keeping this game close but I will ultimately go with the Falcons in this matchup.

BEARS (-4) over Chargers
Chicago is better than most people realize. The 2011 Chargers are not as talented as most people thought they were on paper. I think Chicago pulls out a hard-fought, home victory.

Eagles (-6) over GIANTS
I’m totally a sucker. For some reason I think Vince Young and the Eagles have a strong performance against the Giants on Sunday Night Football. The Eagles season is over. They will just prolong the inevitable with a frustrating victory.

PATRIOTS (-15) over Chiefs
Even though New England’s defense is highly suspect, they are going up against Tyler Palko.

By Mike Azzalina, Philaphans’ Columnist

As quickly as someone could make it happen on a Madden videogame, John Skelton made it happen to the Philadelphia Eagles.  Or was it the Eagles that made it happen?  I mean it would make sense, would it not?  The fourth quarter seems to be the anti-destiny point for this Philadelphia football team.  Even without Desean Jackson playing due to his one game suspension handed down from Andy Reid, the Eagles were favorites at home against the then 2-6 Arizona Cardinals.  Yesterday looked like it should have been a shoe-in W for the struggling birds, but they found a way to turn it into another frustrating loss in what has become a season to forget.

Early on, it looked like it would be a game that might actually finish in a 0-0 tie (something that has not happened in collegiate or professional football since Notre Dame and Army did it in 1942).  Ok, maybe I am being a bit harsh, but the offenses looked humiliating.  It was not until the second quarter with nine and a half minutes left that Asante Samuel picked off a Skelton pass intended for Larry Fitzgerald and waltzed twenty yards into the endzone.  It would only hold for a mere 5 minutes because Skelton would walk his team down the field and hit Fitzgerald for a ten yard touchdown connection; Number one of two for the duo on the day.  The Eagles would not be denied as Lesean McCoy would carry the Eagles t a 14-7 lead with a one yard scamper.  The Eagles took the lead into halftime and through almost a quarter and a half until it all began to falter again.

While the offense stalled behind a quarterback with broken ribs, a banged up receiving core, and inexplicable ignoring of the star running back, the defense began to falter…quickly.  Nnamdi Asomugha, the usual dependable corner, lined up offsides allowing thee Cardinals to convert on a third and five that should have been a third and ten.  What seemed like a fluky drive ended on a fluky play as Joselio Hanson was crossed up on a ball off Jason Babin’s fingertips.  Hanson then tipped a ball to the perfectly positioned star wideout and Fitzgerald walked into the endzone for the game tying score.

After the score and a quickly failed Eagles drive, Asomugha made up for his previous blunder.  He picked off a Skelton pass that led to difficult to come by points.  On that drive, Vick was hit in the aforementioned ribs and had to come off the field.  Vince Young handed the ball to McCoy who was stuffed at the line on a third down play.  Andy Reid called for his rookie kicker on the lazy drive and Alex Henery converted to give the Eagles a 17-14 lead with five minutes left.

Skelton was not going to go down easy, and quite frankly, why would he?  The Eagles have not been able to put anyone away all year, so last night would be no different.  On a 4th and two from his own thirty-two, Skelton hit LaRod Stephens-Howling for a thirty yard strike that kept the game winning drive completely alive.  Of course, he would make another big throw to his number one receiver and Fitzgerald would make sure to come down with it.  The catch he made was one of the most incredible plays I have watched this year and he tumbled down on the one-yard mark.  When Beanie Wells was stuffed at the line on the next play, there was a glimmer of hope.  Maybe this defense would make the long-awaited stop, but before the thought was even through my mind, Skelton hit Early Doucet to quiet a stadium that was howling with hopes this offseason.

Michael Vick threw an interception on the final drive and it seemed fitting.  Would this game have been different if Jackson were on the field?  Maybe, but due to irresponsible decisions, we will never know.  At this point, the Eagles season is all but over.  They are staring at a record that could be disappointing enough to have them drafting in the lottery.  It could be a record to make many Eagle fans’ wishes come true and cause their long-tenured coach to be walked out the door.  Or they could play with pride until season’s end.  If they continue to play 4th quarter games in that fashion, we will all be counting down the days until this season of high expectations finally ends.

-MA

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Last Week: 6-7-0

Season: 57-52-7

I’ll look to bounce back from a sub .500 performance with a week highlighted by a rematch of Super Bowl XLII. Will the Colts or Dolphins pick up their first wins of the 2011 season? Can Drew Brees and the Saints bounce back from a bad loss in St. Louis last week? Will the Eagles continue with their recent strong performance and shut down Matt Forte and the Bears? As always, home teams in CAPITALS.

Falcons (-7) over COLTS
Atlanta is coming off of their bye and will look to build momentum on their win over Detroit from two weeks ago. The Colts continue to look like a defeated team and I don’t expect that to change on Sunday.

SAINTS (-9) over Buccaneers
I think that New Orleans bounces back in a big way from their subpar performance against the Rams one week ago. The Buccaneers have been a jekyll and hyde type of team this season and I’m not sure that their offense can be counted on to keep up with the Saints in the Superdome on Sunday.

Browns (+10.5) over TEXANS
I have an odd feeling that Cleveland plays just well enough on Sunday to keep this game somewhat close. Watch… the Texans will now end up blowing them out.

Jets (+2.5) over BILLS
Buffalo has the definite home field advantage but I’ll go with the better defense in this matchup. One of these weeks Mark Sanchez is going to have a game in which he actually looks like a good quarterback. It could happen this week against Buffalo’s defense.

CHIEFS (-4) over Dolphins
Miami has played a couple of close games recently but their still arguably the worst team in the NFL. Kansas City could be in for a classic letdown performance following their big Monday Night win against San Diego, but I think they do just enough to pull this one out. Proceed with caution…

49ers (-4.5) over REDSKINS
I refuse to pick John Beck and the Redskins until they prove they can actually perform on offense. Things shouldn’t get any easier against a stout San Francisco defense.

COWBOYS (-11) over Seahawks
Dallas is coming off of an embarrassing loss to the Eagles and will look to take out their frustration on the Seahawks. I expect the Cowboys defense to tee off on Seattle’s offense and win this game in convincing fashion.

RAIDERS (-7.5) over Broncos
I’m not confident in this pick but I have to think Carson Palmer and the Raiders offense will look better after two weeks of practice. Until Tim Tebow proves he can be a competent NFL quarterback, I can’t pick the Broncos.

TITANS (-3) over Bengals
This is a tough game to pick as well but I have a feeling that the Titans do just enough at home to move to 5-3 on the season and remain in the playoff hunt. Andy Dalton and the Bengals are due for a down week at some point.

Rams (+3) over CARDINALS
With Kevin Kolb’s status uncertain due to a turf toe injury, I’ll pick the Rams on the road. St. Louis could be in for a letdown performance after their big home win last week but I’m not sure that the Cardinals are talented enough to take advantage.

Giants (+9) over PATRIOTS
I think New England wins this game but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Giants keep it within single digits. Eli Manning should have success throwing the ball on the Patriots suspect defense.

Packers (-6) over CHARGERS
Green Bay has been on a roll all season and their strong play should continue in San Diego on Sunday. The Chargers are coming off of a bad Monday Night loss and have injuries across the board. Phillip Rivers has not been himself all season. Green Bay wins by at least a touchdown in this game.

STEELERS (-3.5) over Ravens
Pittsburgh will be looking for revenge after being embarrassed in their Week 1 matchup against the Ravens. Joe Flacco and the Baltimore offense has been an absolute mess recently. Their challenge doesn’t get any easier against the Steelers defense.

EAGLES (-7.5) over Bears
The Eagles seem to be on the upswing and can amazingly get back to .500 with a win over the Bears on Monday night. Philadelphia’s pass rush should be able to tee off on Jay Cutler and if the Eagles can control Matt Forte, they should be able to win convincingly.

Last Week: 8-4-1

Season: 51-45-7

The NFL rounds out the month of October with a strong week of matchups highlighted by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots traveling to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers, and the Eagles and Cowboys matching up in a critical NFC East showdown on Sunday Night Football. As always, home teams are in CAPITALS:

Saints (-12.5) over RAMS
New Orleans is coming off of an impressive offensive explosion beating the Colts on Sunday Night Football by a final score of 62(!)-7. The Saints offense should have another field day this weekend against the disappointing Rams. Even though RB Mark Ingram is unlikely to play, the Saints offense has far too much firepower to be stopped. With QB Sam Bradford likely to miss a second straight week due to an ankle injury, AJ Feeley will get another start. St. Louis simply doesn’t have enough firepower to keep this game close.

GIANTS (-9.5) over Dolphins
The Giants need to pick up a big victory on Sunday before they begin a brutal 5-week stretch of games. New York has a major letdown game a home a couple of weeks ago against a bad Seattle team. I can’t see the Giants having another home letdown in a matchup against arguably the worst team in the entire NFL. Tony Sparano knows he’s already out of a job and the Dolphins are simply doing their best to ensure the number one overall pick in April’s draft. I think the Giants win convincingly at home on Sunday.

TITANS (-9) over Colts
Will this finally be the week that RB Chris Johnson justifies his big new contract? Johnson has been arguably the biggest disappointment in the entire NFL through the first two months of the season. He has just one touchdown on the season and has yet to rush for over 100 yards in a game. Even though the Titans offense has been porous since coming off of the bye two weeks ago, they should have some success against Indianapolis. One would hope that the Colts played inspired football coming off of an embarrassing 55-point loss, but I simply don’t think they will keep this game within single digits on the road.

PANTHERS (-3.5) over Vikings
It’s a battle of rookie quarterbacks as Cam Newton leads the Panthers into a home matchup against Christian Ponder and the Vikings. The Panthers offense should have a lot of success against a very poor Vikings secondary. Although Ponder played very well in his debut against the Packers, I think he might struggle in his first road start. I’ll go with the Panthers at home in this matchup.

RAVENS (-13) over Cardinals
Baltimore returns home after one of the worst offensive performances in franchise history. The Ravens will look to take out their frustration and make a statement against a bad Arizona defense. The Cardinals are traveling across the country for an early game and QB Kevin Kolb will likely struggle against the aggressive Baltimore defense. Even though they are giving up nearly two touchdowns, I like the Ravens in this matchup.

BILLS (-6) over Redskins
Buffalo plays much better at home and I simply don’t trust QB John Beck to keep this game close for the Redskins. Even though the Bills defense gives up a lot of points, I think Buffalo can win a shootout if need be, and I expect the Bills offense to have a big game coming off of the bye and on the heels of QB Ryan Fitzpatrick’s new contract extension.

Jaguars (+9.5) over TEXANS
Jacksonville has quietly been playing some of the best defense in the entire NFL this season. Even with the firepower that Houston has on offense they have not been incredibly impressive in the way they’ve played the past several weeks. Even though I expect Houston to win this game at home, if Jacksonville controls the time of possession and their defense plays the way they have over the past month, I think they will cover the spread.

Lions (-3) over BRONCOS
If QB Tim Tebow and the Broncos are playing against nearly any other team besides the Miami Dolphins last weekend, there is now way they come back and win that game. The Broncos offense was an absolute mess last week. Now that they are going up against a legitimate defense in Detroit, I don’t expect it to be any better. If the Lions want to prove they are a legitimate playoff team, they need to go on the road and win this game. As long as Matthew Stafford plays I think Detroit will win in convincing fashion.

Bengals (-3) over SEAHAWKS
The Seahawks have any incredibly strong home-field advantage. Additionally I am yet to be sold on Andy Dalton and the Bengals going on the road across the country to win in Seattle without RB Cedric Benson. Even though most things are pointing towards the Seahawks in this matchup, I simply have a gut feeling that the Bengals will win and cover the spread. I’d stay away from this matchup but if I have to pick I’ll reluctantly go with Cincinnati.

Patriots (-3) over STEELERS
When I was looking at this matchup I kept coming back to the fact that Pittsburgh hasn’t beaten a good team yet this season. When the Steelers matchup against quality opponents they have been overmatched. Until they prove they can beat an elite squad, I simply can’t pick them. Even at home, I have questions about their ability to beat Tom Brady and the Patriots. The Steelers offense should have success moving the ball against New England’s defense but will it be enough to win the game?

49ERS (-9) over Browns
San Francisco’s defense and special teams are significantly better than Cleveland. The 49ers should have success stopping Colt McCoy and the Browns offense and will likely win the special teams battle by a significant margin. If Alex Smith continues to manage the game the way he has over the first seven weeks of the season, the 49ers will be looking at an extremely impressive 6-1 start under Jim Harbaugh.

Cowboys (+3.5) over EAGLES
It truly pains me to make this pick. The Eagles need to win this game to have a chance to get back into the NFC East race. A victory could catapult the Eagles into a great position in the division after a horrific start to the 2011 season. That being said, Philadelphia has yet to show any indication that they are ready to take that next step. Even in their victory against Washington two weeks ago, the Eagles offense was shut out in the second half and relied on four Rex Grossman interceptions. I think the Cowboys defense will get a lot of pressure on Michael Vick and have success against the Eagles rushing attack. If the Eagles offensive line gives Vick enough time to throw the ball down the field, Philadelphia will have success. However, if Vick is under pressure all evening and the Eagles LB corps is exposed, it could be a long night for the Birds. I hope that I’m wrong and I’m placing the reverse jinx on the Eagles this week. I just fear that I’m not.

CHARGERS (-4) over Chiefs
Phillip Rivers has been under scrutiny all week for his lackluster play this season. I have a feeling that the Chargers offense responds in a big way on Monday Night against Kansas City. The Chiefs are coming off of an outstanding defensive performance but it needs to be kept in perspective. The Chargers are the better team and should come out with a decisive victory on Monday night.

Last Week: 5-6-2

Season: 43-41-6

The Eagles are on the bye and six different quarterbacks around the league are making their first starts for their respective teams.  It’s another round of quick picks as I look to build on last week’s sub .500 performance.  Home teams in CAPITALS.

Buccaneers (+2) over Bears (In London, England)

Redskins (+2.5) over PANTHERS

JETS (PK) over Chargers

BROWNS (-3) over Seahawks

Broncos (-2) over DOLPHINS

Falcons (+5) over LIONS

RAIDERS (-4) over Chiefs

COWBOYS (-14) over Rams

Packers (-10) over VIKINGS

SAINTS (-14) over Colts

Ravens (-9.5.) over JAGUARS

Undisciplined play, poor fundamentals, and questionable decision-making led the Eagles to a disappointing 31-24 loss to the Buffalo Bills. It’s the same story in a different week for the Eagles. They are now 1-4 on the season and continue to sit in the basement of the NFC East. The team is a mess and their performance is far below what was expected heading into the season.

Dating back to last season the Eagles are 1-7 in their last eight games. This quickly became a bad football team. Major changes have to be made. A season that started with such high expectations has turned into a nightmare that doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon.