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Okay, this is starting to feel a little bit like a joke now.


Two days after adding Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Jason Babin and one day after signing top free-agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, the Philadelphia Eagles have added yet another coveted piece to their rapidly improving defense, announcing a five-year contract for free-agent defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins. Adam Schefter reports via Twitter that the deal is worth $25 million.

Jenkins had been connected in pre-free-agency speculation to a couple of NFC East teams, the Redskins and the Cowboys. He was pursued by many teams because of his versatility -- he's played in 4-3 schemes as well as 3-4 schemes during his time in Green Bay. The Eagles' official release announcing the deal describes Jenkins as a defensive tackle, which might offer some idea of how they plan to use him. But he's been an end in multiple schemes and is likely to rotate his pass-rushing skills around to multiple line positions under first-year Eagles defensive line coach Jim Washburn. He will provide a lethal interior rush to complement the outside rush they hope to get from Babin and Trent Cole.

Folks, there's really no other way to put this. The Eagles have gone from suspect to loaded on defense in the span of three days. Could they use some help at linebacker yet? Sure. The idea of rookie Casey Matthews as the starting middle linebacker amid all of this veteran excellence is justifiable cause for concern. But there are still players out there they could get for that role, and it's become very clear that Michael Vick's Eagles are a team for which people want to play. Whoever they end up with at that spot will be playing behind a stacked defensive line and in front of a secondary overflowing with talent. Juan Castillo, the former offensive line coach in his first year as defensive coordinator in Philadelphia, is set up in a pretty good position from which to succeed. Sean McDermott, who was fired after two seasons in that job, has to be wondering where this came from all of a sudden.

One of the offseason's weirdest moves (back when there was an offseason) was the Eagles' decision to take their offensive line coach, Juan Castillo, and make him their new defensive coordinator. The jobs do not appear to be similar, and there was likely a long line of very qualified, very experienced defensive coaches that had to be turned away. But "coaches coach," as coaches say, and Castillo's an Andy Reid guy who's going to be on Andy Reid's staff somewhere. They decided they'd rather bring in new line coaches than a new coordinator, so Castillo got shuffled over to the other side of the ball and handed a lot more responsibility and pressure.

Because of this, one of our most popular questions here on the blog is how different Castillo's defense will be than that of his predecessor, Sean McDermott. I have no idea, since I was not consulted on the move. But the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane sat down with Castillo recently to try to get some idea for himself.

McLane's biggest conclusion seems to be that Castillo plans to blitz less than "mad scientist" (Jeff's words, not mine) McDermott did. It seems as if Castillo and Reid will be counting on new defensive line coach Jim Washburn, who was known as the best in the business while in Tennessee, to generate a pass rush with the front four. That makes you wonder if the new defense will be as focused on forcing turnovers as McDermott was, or if it'll be more focused on ... you know ... stopping other teams from gaining yards. I personally think it would do well to try the stopping thing, but we'll see. At least I think we will. Right now, Castillo has no players to work with. Fortunately, we're doing better than that, because we have ... links!

More Eagles

David Akers tells CSN Philly that he thinks it's time to get a labor deal done. Akers said he's called NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and told him as much. I can't imagine Smith is enjoying Akers' public rhetoric, since it conflicts with the current litigation strategy that has yet to play out. And the fact that Akers' comments seem clearly rooted in a selfish desire to figure out where he's going to play next year bodes ill for the players' side. If they're going to start demanding a shift in strategy before the court cases are all heard, then they're setting up to give the owners what they want -- a cracked, broken group of players that will take any deal just to get back on the field.

Washington Redskins

Speaking of De Smith, he apparently ducked out of his D.C. office Tuesday and went to watch 41 Redskins players work out together at a Virginia high school. London Fletcher worked out the defensive players. John Beck and Rex Grossman worked out the offensive players. There's a story in here about how Beck called Roy Helu after Helu was drafted. I marvel at the idea that either guy knew who the other was.

While there, the Washington Times reports, Smith updated players on the state of the lockout and the significance of the pending court cases.

New York Giants

Big Blue View talked to Brian Witherspoon, who's trying to hang on to the back end of the Giants' roster as a return specialist. Interesting look at the case of a guy just trying to scrape out a living in pro football without anybody really paying much attention.

Former running back Mickey Kobrosky, who played for the Giants in 1937 and scored a touchdown playing against them in an exhibition game while at Trinity College, is being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In other news, for some reason it's been especially tough to find Giants links over the past couple of weeks. I'm taking suggestions.

Dallas Cowboys

Jean-Jacques Taylor offers a "hand clap" for Jerry Jones for his refusal to cut pay of coaches and other employees during the lockout, and rightfully takes other owners to task for doing so at a time when no team has yet lost any money. We've hit this angle a few times here, and the Cowboys aren't the only team doing this. They're just, sadly, part of the minority.

Blogging the Boys is trying to delve into the "Right Kind of Guys" concept Jason Garrett used to explain the team's draft philosophy last month. Having watched last year's Cowboys, I'm thinking "Guys Who Can Tackle" would have been a good way to go, too, but whatever works.

All right, that should get you started. I'm going to go see if I can remember where I put my sunglasses two weeks ago. Be back later, of course.

With the offseason in full swing, let's take a look at one major question facing each NFC East team as it begins preparations for the 2011 season:

DALLAS COWBOYS

Can Rob Ryan fix this defense?

I understand that folks are already predicting a bounce-back season under new coach Jason Garrett, but that would have to be fueled by the defense. The defense caused a lot more turnovers once Wade Phillips was fired at midseason, but teams still put up plenty of points.

The Cowboys gave up an embarrassing 27.2 points per game, which ranked 31st in the league. The passing defense was ranked 26th. And help might not be on the way when you consider the fact that a lockout could wipe out free agency this offseason. (Do we really think free agency could take place during a one-week period in, say, late August?) The Cowboys need to make changes at safety and cornerback. But at this point, their best hope is landing a starter in the draft.

The thought is that Ryan's fiery presence will spark some of the veteran players. Nose tackle Jay Ratliff's coming off a down season -- by his standards. Perhaps Ryan will turn him loose as a defensive end this season if the Cowboys can find a suitable replacement in the middle. And it will be interesting to see what Ryan does with second-year inside linebacker Sean Lee. Will this be the season when Lee supplants veteran Keith Brooking on the field?

NEW YORK GIANTS

What can GM Jerry Reese do about the back end of this defense?

It would be a mistake to make massive changes to this talented unit, but a major flaw was revealed down the stretch. With a chance to lock up the division, the Giants' defense out and out collapsed against the Eagles and Packers. It was a stunning turn of events for a team that had fed off its defense throughout the season. Reese has vowed to address the situation that allowed Michael Vick and Aaron Rodgers to put up monster numbers in consecutive weeks.

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell was a head-coaching candidate after the 2010 season, but he'll be back with the Giants for at least one more season. I didn't like the fact that he was bemoaning the loss of the versatile Mathias Kiwanuka late in the season. Did anyone hear the Green Bay Packers complaining about losing all those starters to injured reserve?

As defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul continues to develop, it can only help this secondary. It took him a while to find the quarterback, but once he did, Pierre-Paul began causing havoc. I think this defense will be a lot more instinctive in its second year with Fewell. I like the three-safety look with Antrel Rolle, Kenny Phillips and Deon Grant, but Reese won't be complacent when it comes to acquiring talent. He needs more speed on the back end. Terrell Thomas has emerged as a solid cornerback, but he needs more help. Watch what the Giants do in this draft. Something tells me Reese will continue to focus on defense.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

How will Juan Castillo perform as defensive coordinator?

You have to hand it to coach Andy Reid. The man knows how to keep us on our toes during a coaching search. Who knew that he was disguising his future defensive coordinator as an offensive line coach all these years? I've discussed the O-line with Castillo over the years, and I believe him to be one of the most underrated offensive assistants in the league. How does that translate to defense? I have no clue.

I do think he'll bring a tremendous amount of energy to the job. Sean McDermott was undermined by injuries in his two years in that role. The Eagles didn't take enough quality cornerbacks into the 2010 season, and they paid dearly. You can't afford to send Asante Samuel and the Funky Bunch out there in 2011. Dimitri Patterson and Joselio Hanson are serviceable players, but they were eventually exposed. Howie Roseman and Reid have to address this position. And then Castillo has to figure out a way to put the teeth back in this pass-rush. At least the man knows what a quarterback sack looks like.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

What will Mike Shanahan do about this quarterback situation?

Seems like we're asking this same question every year. It looked like the Redskins had the answer heading into 2010, but the Donovan McNabb experiment was an epic failure for all involved. Shanahan certainly bears a lot of the blame. Now we'll see what he can do with a young quarterback. Cam Newton's suddenly vaulted into the top five in some of the mock drafts, so the Redskins might be looking at Missouri's Blaine Gabbert.

Gabbert has less of a boom-or-bust factor, according to ESPN's Mel Kiper. He might be ready for prime time sooner than Newton. Shanahan and son Kyle will have to get Rex Grossman ready as the starter until a young quarterback is ready to take over. And that can't sound good to Redskins fans who are starving for a playoff appearance.

Dan Snyder told me two weeks ago that he hopes McNabb will return as his starting quarterback. That's nonsense when you consider what happened last season. But no matter who lines up behind center, Shanahan has to surround him with more talent. The Redskins might be able to re-sign Santana Moss, but he's no longer a true No. 1 receiver. The Redskins desperately need an impact player at that position. At running back, it looks like Ryan Torain will get a shot as the starter. The only way Clinton Portis is coming back is if he restructures his contract. He may have a season or two left, but you can't count on him to make it through 16 games anymore.

It's all about the quarterback, though. As usual.

I spent the better part of my day Tuesday talking to Packers and Steelers assistants about the defensive coordinator vacancy for the Eagles. Turns out it was a colossal waste of time.

The Eagles have promoted longtime offensive line coach Juan Castillo to replace Sean McDermott as defensive coordinator. Coach Andy Reid had been interviewing secondary coaches and it was believed he would talk to one of the assistants from either Pittsburgh or Green Bay.

I think Castillo has been an enormous part of the Eagles' success on offense. But he hasn't coached on the defensive side of the ball in years. He was once a linebackers coach in the USFL and I loved his work at Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Eagles will hold a news conference for Castillo at 6:30 p.m. ET this evening, so maybe they'll shed some light on the decision.

I don't think Castillo has ever received enough credit for the work he does on offense. He comes up with plays and protection schemes all the time that Reid and Marty Mornhinweg immediately use. But this will be a tough sell for Reid with a frustrated fan base. This was one of the most important decisions Reid has made in years. The defense has undermined the offense the past two seasons.

Putting Castillo in charge is a very curious decision. And I'm wondering what took the Eagles so long to make this announcement if they were pretty sure it was what they were doing. It makes it look like something else fell through. I don't normally look forward to Reid's news conferences, but I can't wait for this one.

The Philadelphia Eagles have given an enormous amount of power to coach Andy Reid over the years. But there are signs that his job security is starting to fade.

New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin has a Lombardi trophy, but he always seems a couple of losses from being on the chopping block. Meanwhile, Reid has overseen one of the winningest organizations in the league -- that hasn't won the Super Bowl. Jeff McLane of the Inquirer has taken account of everything that's happened since defensive coordinator Jim Johnson died in July '09, and there are definite signs that Reid's no longer a sure thing to remain head coach following the 2011 season.

McLane points to the end of Jeff Fisher's reign with the Titans and the fact that several of Reid's closest allies have been ushered (or allowed) out of the building:

"General manager Tom Heckert left to take the same position at Cleveland, conveniently under Reid friend and mentor Mike Holmgren," writes McLane. "Quarterback Donovan McNabb was traded to Washington -- then considered a much friendlier landing spot than other possible destinations. And [defensive coordinator Sean] McDermott was given a two-day head start and conveniently was hired for the same job by friend and former colleague, and new Panthers head coach, Ron Rivera.

"These were Reid's guys and while a case could be made that each deserved to go, the coach obviously had to be coaxed into cutting the cords."

Reid didn't sound like a man who was preparing to fire McDermott immediately after the season. He was defiant in his defense of McDermott, indicating the organization would stay the course. When the Eagles fired McDermott 72 hours later, it created the appearance that Reid might have been overruled by one of his colleagues. McLane cites a source saying that Reid had already made up his mind about firing McDermott when he delivered those strong words the day after the season. But I don't believe Reid is that good of an actor.

With Michael Vick likely under contract for one more season via the franchise tag, I think it's fair to say that more is at stake than ever for Reid. When he pushed in his chips and replaced Kevin Kolb with Vick early last season, he lost the benefit of a "transition" season.

Now it looks like his future is officially on the clock.

In case you missed it, Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bob Ford, an avid supporter of this blog, had a very amusing take on Andy Reid's search for a defensive coordinator today. Here's a quick sampling:

Jan. 17: Sean McDermott hired as defensive coordinator in Carolina by new head coach and former Eagles assistant Ron Rivera. Andy Reid leaves on Caribbean vacation, thus depleting rayon supplies throughout the Lesser Antilles.

Jan. 21: Eagles defensive backs coach Dick Jauron hired as defensive coordinator in Cleveland. Jim Mora removes name from consideration for Denver and Philadelphia jobs. Leaves door open to becoming ambassador to France. Tanned and rested, Reid returns to Philadelphia.

Jan. 26: Mike Trgovac, interviewed by reporters in Green Bay, says he's only thinking about beating the Pittsburgh Steelers and won't comment on anything other than the game. "There's no 'I' in Trgovac," he says, but won't divulge what happened to the "u" and the "e."

Jan. 30: Michael Vick is MVP at Pro Bowl in Hawaii. Cornerback Asante Samuel was selected to roster, but doesn't play because of lingering injury. Jay Cutler on Twitter: "U kid'n me? Sam got to man up, dog!!"

Feb. 4: Allegedly unhappy with housing market in the Charlotte area, McDermott abruptly resigns as coordinator of the Panthers.

Feb. 5: Reid returns from lunch trip to Martinique, calls 5 p.m. news conference and announces the new defensive coordinator is . . . Sean McDermott. "We looked around and he's still our guy," Reid says. "I know that he's going to do nothing but improve as a coach, just like all of us, with experience. I've got a lot of respect for him and the way he does business."

By the way, Paul Domowitch from the Daily News has put together a list of five candidates for the Eagles' vacancy at defensive coordinator. You'll notice that every one of them is involved in coaching the Super Bowl.

The Philadelphia Eagles continue to search for a replacement for Sean McDermott at defensive coordinator. Jeff McLane of the Inquirer says the team has compiled a "detailed list of candidates" from which to choose from, but we haven't seen much evidence.

There's a decent chance the Eagles will interview an assistant from the final four teams in the playoffs. Mike Trgovac is the Packers' defensive line coach, and he has experience in the 4-3 scheme. I'd be stunned if the Eagles decided to change from the 4-3 to the 3-4, as I've pointed out several times.

The Eagles were going to talk to Saints secondary coach Dennis Allen this weekend, so we'll see if anything comes from that. New Orleans coach Sean Payton went out of his way to praise Allen and indicate the 38-year-old was ready to become a coordinator.

The Saints did a tremendous job getting takeaways in '09, but they tailed off this past season.

The Cleveland Browns are expected to name Eagles secondary coach Dick Jauron their defensive coordinator, according to a report in The Plain Dealer. Jauron was believed to be a candidate to replace Sean McDermott in Philadelphia, but it's not like coach Andy Reid was in a hurry to hire him.

Reid's expected to return from Antigua this weekend and interview 38-year-old Saints secondary coach Dennis Allen for the vacant defensive coordinator position. Allen's lack of experience makes it unlikely that he would replace the 36-year-old McDermott, who didn't have any trouble finding a job.

Perhaps Reid felt comfortable taking a vacation because he's planning to hire an assistant from one of the four remaining teams in the playoffs. But if that's not the case, the Eagles may end up with egg on their faces. I'm sure Allen's a bright young coach, but hiring him would make fans wonder why Philadelphia didn't simply stick with McDermott.

This is one of the most laidback coaching searches we've seen in some time. The Eagles reportedly showed some interest in Rob Ryan, but he joined Jason Garrett in Dallas. Jonathan Tamari of the Inquirer has a really nice summary of this search if you're interested.

He even gets in a mention of Iran's nuclear weapons program at the end. And by the way, let's hope TMZ wasn't able to capture any of Andy's beach photos.

Over the weekend, former Seahawks and Falcons head coach Jim Mora emerged as the leading candidate to replace Sean McDermott as the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive coordinator. But now the Denver Broncos have entered the picture, and they could have a decided advantage.

Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News has a story this morning about a promise Mora made to his family. And since Mora's current home, Seattle, is closer to Denver than Philadelphia, it looks like Broncos coach John Fox has "home-court" advantage.

If Mora ends up with Denver, the Eagles may have to settle for veteran coach Dick Jauron. It certainly didn't take McDermott long to find a job after being fired by the Eagles. And with such an important decision on the line, does anyone else find it strange that Andy Reid has gone on vacation?

I realize that he can be reached by phone, but it seems like you'd want the lead decision-maker in your organization to be in the building during a coaching search. I'm pretty sure Jason Garrett's been in the office this week while trying to finalize his staff.

The Eagles have been undermined by their defense in consecutive seasons. And that's why this is the most important hire Reid will make in some time.

Jeff McLane of the Inquirer has a story this morning indicating Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott was put on "watch" late in 2009. Eagles safety Quintin Mikell, a vocal supporter of McDermott's, told the Inquirer on Sunday that coach Andy Reid had become much more involved with the defense during the 2010 season and confirmed that players had complained about their roles.

"That's one of the things I have heard," said Mikell. "Everybody's a different type of player. There were schemes he put us in that had the simplest tasks and we messed up. And there were complex things that we did right."

The Inquirer report also indicated that one or two defensive starters suggested to Reid in their exit interviews that McDermott should be fired. But honestly, it's not like these players had a whole lot of ground to stand on. I'm sure Reid made this decision based on what he saw on film this season, not on what one of his players told him. When players give up 31 touchdown passes, I don't think they should have a huge say in the matter.

In fact, I would expect several more "exits" this offseason.

The Philadelphia Eagles want to talk to former Falcons and Seahawks head coach Jim Mora about their opening at defensive coordinator, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. Sean McDermott was fired by the Eagles this weekend, but he's quickly become the lead candidate for the same position with the Denver Broncos.

Mora's been working for the NFL Network after being fired by the Seahawks following the '09 season. The Eagles also had interest in Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, but he'll be joining Jason Garrett's staff with the Dallas Cowboys.

Mora and Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg are good friends from their days with the San Francisco 49ers. The Eagles also fired defensive line coach Rory Segrest. McDermott and Segrest were both seen as up-and-coming coaches in the league, but it's tough to overcome giving up 31 touchdown passes. Reid said he wanted all his coaches back last Monday, but it only took him a few days to change his mind.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid told reporters Monday that he expected all of his coaches to return in 2011, but apparently he's changed his mind. Reid has fired defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

The Eagles' defense gave up 31 touchdown passes and the pass-rush disappeared down the stretch. But even with those dismal numbers, you figured Reid would show some patience with McDermott based on how many injuries occurred on that side of the ball. The Eagles finished the season with rookies starting at safety and middle linebacker. Both Kurt Coleman and Jamar Chaney were taken in the seventh round. And it's not like McDermott had a lot to work with at cornerback either.

The Eagles made the curious decision to view Ellis Hobbs as a starter and he eventually played his way out of the lineup before suffering a season-ending injury. At one point, McDermott had Dimitri Patterson, Joselio Hanson and rookie Trevard Lindley seeing significant time in the secondary.

McDermott had the unenviable task of having to follow the late Jim Johnson as defensive coordinator. The Eagles made the playoffs during both of his campaigns, but they were bounced in the first round. Reid could promote from within with veteran coach Dick Jauron, but it's more likely he'll try to bring in another voice.

By waiting a week to make this move, the Eagles have missed out on some candidates. But former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt, who's had head-coaching stints with the Dolphins and Bears, is still available. And he's a believer in the 4-3 scheme.

You expected the Eagles to make a lot of changes to their roster, but McDermott's firing comes as a surprise.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 14.

The Philadelphia Eagles' defense will have to slow down Jason Witten. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Jon Kitna loves throwing the ball to Witten. Over the past three games, Witten has been targeted 20 times and has 19 catches. He's always been a matchup problem for the Eagles, and there's no way that middle linebacker Stewart Bradley can cover him one-on-one in the middle of the field. Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott has immense respect for Witten, so he'll probably use safeties Nate Allen and Quintin Mikell against him at times.

The New York Giants need to continue their emphasis on starting fast. In last week's win over the Washington Redskins, the Giants scored a touchdown on their opening possession for the first time this season. Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride has placed more emphasis on scoring quickly, and it's paid off in recent games. With David Diehl likely returning to the lineup at left tackle, look for the Giants to run right at Vikings defensive end Jared Allen. Brandon Jacobs raced for 39 yards on a carry to the left side on the first possession against the Redskins. I think the Giants will try the same thing against the Vikings. If they can score quickly, it will take one of the loudest crowds in the league out of the game.

It's time for Mike Shanahan to bust out the running game. The Redskins should have tailback Ryan Torain in the starting lineup against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Torain had back-to-back 100-yard rushing days earlier in the season, but we haven't seen him since Week 8 because of lingering hamstring issues. The Bucs are 26th in the league against the run, allowing 128.5 yards per game on the ground. If Trent Williams can come back strong at left tackle, I think Torain will have some success on that side. Stephon Heyer was overwhelmed at left tackle last week, which pretty much fouled up everything. Williams hasn't been great in his rookie season, but he's about the best the Skins have to offer at this point.

The Cowboys will try to follow the Chicago Bears' game plan against Michael Vick: The Cowboys may blitz a little more than the Bears did against Vick two weeks ago, but they'll rely heavily on their defensive front. Safety Gerald Sensabaugh told me Wednesday that the secondary has watched all of the double moves DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin like to use. Sensabaugh said the key will be not taking his eyes off the receiver too soon. If you look up to get your bearings, one of the Eagles receivers will race past you for a touchdown. The Cowboys will probably play their safeties deeper than usual, and they'll try to frustrate Jackson by not allowing him to have anything downfield. The Cowboys did a great job against Jackson last season. One matchup to keep an eye on will be Jason Avant versus Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick. If Scandrick is unable to play because of a concussion, look for rookie Bryan McCann to line up across from Avant, one of the most underrated receivers in the league. He and the Giants' Steve Smith do a superb job on third downs.

Will the New York Giants face Brett Favre or Tarvaris Jackson? The Giants spent most of the week preparing for Favre, but they'll be ready to adjust if the famous streak ends. I think the Vikings are actually more dangerous with Jackson right now. He moves around the pocket much better than Favre and he's a threat to take off when everybody is covered. Much like they did in the second half against Vick, the Giants need to knock down Jackson. With Favre, I think the key will be to make sure you catch those interceptions. He's going to make some mistakes, and right now this Giants defense is doing a good job of capitalizing. If Devin Thomas can mix in another partially blocked punt, the Giants will be in business.

This should be a pretty intriguing matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles (7-4) and the Houston Texans (5-6) tonight. The Eagles can take sole possession of first place in the NFC East (for a couple days), and the Texans have an opportunity to stay in the playoff conversation because no one from their division is separating from the pack.

Here are five things to watch from the Eagles:

1. Do the Eagles have anyone who can cover the Texans' brawling wide receiver, Andre Johnson? We don't know if Asante Samuel will be able to play with a knee sprain, but even if he does, he won't be at full strength. And we saw Dimitri Patterson and Joselio Hanson struggle in coverage against the Bears' receivers. Johnson will have a huge size advantage, so Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott will likely have to shade a safety to his side throughout the game. The good news for the Eagles is that Texans wide receiver Kevin Walter is coming off a one-catch game. He's a much easier matchup for this secondary.

2. Stewart Bradley must bounce back after a poor effort against the Bears. The Texans have a running back named Arian Foster who can wear down a defense. Bradley's coming off a game in which he couldn't bring Matt Forte to the ground. Foster's much more powerful than Forte and he also has breakaway speed. He's been perfect this season on third-and-1 conversions and he can also hurt you in the passing game. The Eagles have to play a more fundamentally sound football game. And that's not going to be easy on the short week. Too many players last week were diving at ball carriers instead of making sure they took them to the ground.

3. It's about time for DeSean Jackson to have a breakout game. The Texans have an awful secondary. Cornerback Kareem Jackson will be a good player down the road, but he's susceptible to the double move at this point in his career. Bernard Pollard's a big hitter, but the Texans don't have anyone who can match DeSean Jackson's speed. If Jackson can remain patient early in the game, he'll have a chance to make a huge play against this defense. If he has six catches for 150 yards and a couple touchdowns, no one will mind him texting Drew Rosenhaus after the game.

4. Winston Justice must have his best game of the season at right tackle. Texans defensive end Mario Williams has 8.5 sacks this season and he can be one of the most dominating defenders in the league. The Eagles need to help Justice at times, but he has to make sure to get the proper depth on passing plays. The Texans will play some games at the line of scrimmage to confuse the Eagles. Justice and right guard Nick Cole need to be on the same page more than ever against the Texans. When one of those stunts occurs, they need to stay at the same depth or Williams will find a direct path to Michael Vick and make him pay.

5. Vick needs to work through his progressions quickly. Vick took too many shots from the Bears last Sunday because he was gazing downfield. He needs to use his checkdown options more against the Texans. Vick's efficiency has been impressive this season, but he needs to be more decisive in the pocket. He also needs to do a better job protecting the ball. He was charged with four fumbles in Sunday's game, although the Eagles didn't lose any of them. Williams does a nice job of stripping the ball, so Vick needs to be aware of that at all times. And with the Texans dropping so many players into coverage, Vick shouldn't hesitate when it comes to running the ball.

PHILADELPHIA -- Hello and welcome to live coverage from Lincoln Financial Field in the heart of South Philly. As we speak, New York Giants left tackle Shawn Andrews, formerly with the Eagles, is jogging around the field while holding an unusually large CD player.

Coach Tom Coughlin said Andrews would be a game-time decision, but we'll actually know about an hour or so before kickoff when the teams turn in their inactives to the NFC East blog and other publications. If Andrews can't go, William Beatty would likely start for him at left tackle. Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott will try to take advantage of the Giants' situation along the offensive line.

I would expect to see some safety blitzes early in this game. And the Giants' receivers need to concentrate on securing the ball, because the Eagles' defensive backs have been really good at catching tipped passes this season. And the Giants have provided plenty of those. I'll keep my eye on Andrews for you guys. He's waving his left hand in a wild fashion, which might suggest that he's enjoying a song.