The Eagles led the Jets 17-7 at halftime. Rookie Safety Kurt Coleman changed the game with a pair of fumble recoveries for touchdowns, and ends up leading all Eagles with two preseason touchdowns.  Coleman’s first came on a Joe McKnight fumble at the end of the first quarter.  The rookie took it 64 yards to the house.

Late in the first half, the Jets' John Conner fumbled at the end of a 7-yard run, and Coleman scooped it up and dove into the end zone to put the Eagles up 17-7.  In between the two Coleman touchdowns, the Jets scored one of their own after Mike Kafka threw an interception to Emanuel Cook early in the second quarter, which was returned to the Eagles’ 15-yardline.  Five plays later, Jets' QB Mark Brunell found Jeff Cumberland for a two-yard touchdown pass.

Michael Vick’s night was relatively short.  The backup quarterback played only one quarter and went 3-for-5 for 56 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.  Vick also ran twice for 11 yards.

But none of that matters anymore...

It's "Cut Day" now...and a sickening feeling is felt in my heart as I recall those devastatingly anxious days of high school and college, going to the Athletic Department bulletin boards to see if your name was on the "yes" or "no" lists...It haunts me to this day.

It seems like half my youth was spent waiting to see if I made the cut... Football, Baseball, Basketball...same thing. Some sports turned out better than others.

Nowadays many high school sports programs have a "no-cut" clause... everyone who tries out for the team is included, despite obvious lack of talent or vigor. Not so in my ancient past...

Anyhoo, my past experiences of sometimes making a team---and sometimes not--- give me a qualified perspective on the ordeals of about 20 Philadelphia Eagles' job applicants who are getting the axe as we speak...

For some it will be the last time they ever don the pads in anger...forever.  For a lucky few, it will be a phone call from another team in the NFL beckoning them to come fill a roster spot.

For those young survivors about to rock in the NFL, I salute them... For those who gave their best and were told "not so much"...I salute them, too.

Here are the partial cut results of the Eagles after the Jets game.  At least give the Eagles some credit for humanity---they cut their guys as early as possible before the deadline to give them a leg up on hooking up with another team:

The Eagles on Friday 9/3 released the following 10 players: cornerback Geoff Pope, defensive end Pannell Egboh, defensive tackle Boo Robinson, cornerback David Pender, wide receiver Dobson Collins, tight end Nate Lawrie, offensive tackle Jeraill McCuller, running back J.J. Arrington, safety Anthony Scirrotto, and running back Martell Mallett.

The Eagles have also designated defensive end Victor Abiamiri to the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, which means  he will miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season.

Gentlemen, I wish you all the best...grieve the moment, then follow your dreams...you can at the very least tell your children and grandkids: "Once upon a time, I was an Eagles..."

The Eagles have also made another trade with the Arizona Cardinals... but this time it's for an established veteran. The Eagles have acquired guard Reggie Wells for an undisclosed draft pick in 2011.  To quote the Eagles' NFL.com Bloghead:

"The eighth-year veteran Wells has played in 104 games over his first seven seasons, primarily at left guard. Last season, Wells was part of an offensive line that surrendered the second-lowest total of sacks in Cardinals history. Certainly reliable, Wells has started 70 straight games including every game at left guard over the last three seasons...

'We're adding a player that has started several seasons in the National Football League and has played at a very high level during the course of his career,' said head coach Andy Reid following the acquisition of Wells. 'He has experience at several different positions along the offensive line and he will be a welcome addition to that group. You can never have enough depth at that position as you go through an NFL season.'"

A sixth-round pick out of Clarion in 2003, Wells was the third-longest tenured player on the Cardinals roster. The 6-4, 314-pound Wells has 78 career starts at left guard, 10 at right tackle and two at left tackle.

On Monday, the Eagles acquired cornerback Jorrick Calvin from the Cardinals in exchange for fullback Charles Scott. Calvin, also a return specialist, suited up Thursday night in the Eagles' preseason finale and averaged 28 yards per kickoff return and 12 yards per punt return.

Assuming both Wells and Calvin stick with the Eagles, that means 14 more cuts to come in the next 24 hours...Stay tuned...

vs
Jets vs. Eagles
Thurs., Sept. 2, 7:30 PM
TV: ETN (6abc)
Radio: 94 WYSP
Sirius: 127
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This is the one --- if you don't already have the team made, this is the preseason game where you have to get something good on film...because chances are your last hope to work in the NFL in 2010 will be to hook up with another team who reviews the tapes and film of this game.

The production crew of HBO's Hard Knocks will be on hand, of course, but they won't be filming anything useful to the X's and O's resumes of the Eagles hopefuls.  By 6 PM on Saturday, September 4,  there will be 22 guys gone from both sides of the cast of players you'll see in tonight's game.

Pressure came at QB Kevin Kolb from all directions as the Chiefs defense surprisingly looked dominant...

One of the bright spots was Michael Vick played better...a lot better...during extended reps.

You'd think the Eagles had just been hammered by Dallas in a playoff game with all the post-game anguish expressed by Philly media and fans, but the Eagles won the game, 20-17... and the Eagles defense did a real nice job of containing Matt Cassel in the opening half of the game--- the true test of the regulars.

The problem, according to the naysayers, is how the Chiefs' 3-4 defense managed to overcome its weak reputation and virtually shut down Kevin Kolb and the Young Gunz.

The Chiefs' defense was on fire... After the Eagles' second play from scrimmage, in which RB LeSean McCoy scooted up the middle of the field for an 18-yard touchdown run,  the Chiefs defense clamped down. The Eagles didn't score another touchdown until 23 seconds left in the fourth quarter. QB Kevin Kolb had a miserable night throwing the ball. He was just 2-of-7 after the first quarter and 4-of-13 after the first half. And he threw an interception under pressure and off his back foot into a disastrous double coverage situation, something that actually has more than a few fans in Philly today mourning the departure of #5...

The most discouraging stat for the Eagles offense: Five sacks allowed.

For the Chiefs, that may as well have been a million. As Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com pointed out this morning, the Chiefs defense hasn't had five or more sacks since Sept. 23, 2007.  Think about this: that's half of all their sacks in 2008. It's nearly a quarter of all their 2009 sacks.

OLB Andy Studebaker had a pair of sacks as did LB Demorrio Wiliams. Defensive end Dion Gales added one in the fourth quarter.

"Yeah, I don’t know what (The Eagles) were thinking, but we had some success, no doubt about it," Studebaker said after the game.

The Chiefs were blitzing a lot and having a lot of success at it. I imagine the Eagles didn't game-plan much (if at all) for the Chiefs, so part of that blitz success was a lack of preparation on the Birds' part...or an intentional strategy of classic Andy Reid misdirection to find out how his young quarterback and running backs would respond to picking up the blitz. 

Without the Birds' own defensive success, the Eagles’ rally late in the game wouldn’t have been enough to capture the win. Brandon Graham, the team’s 1st-round selection in 2010, didn’t get into the Chiefs’ passing pocket for a sack, but he got credit for two "hurries" and played a solid run defend, notching four tackles.  Starting outside linebacker Ernie Sims, who was undeniably one of the most aggressive Training Camp competitors, finally made his presence felt with a team-high five tackles, one of which prevented a Kansas City touchdown. Rookie cornerback Trevard Lindley (four tackles, one interception), first-string free safety Nate Allen (four tackles), and OLB Akeem Jordan (four tackles, one sack, one forced fumble) were also among those that played well on defense.

To be fair to the portrait of Kolb, he did finish his stint with 11 for 25 in passing after the horrendous 4 for 13 first half. And he did show more than a little mobility to escape a lot of the pressure. But oh, those attempts to force the ball into tight coverage looked nasty...and upset a lot of high-strung Philly fans.

One bright spot I haven't heard much about yet is how much better QB Mike Vick played in this one, and how much better football shape he is in compared to last season... Also, rookie quarterback Mike Kafka, given the reins of the offense in the final quarter, was clearly one of the main reasons the Eagles came away from Kansas City with a win. With the clock winding down and the Chiefs in the lead, he directed an eight-play, 80-yard drive down the field and capped it off with a beautiful 18-yard TD toss to rookie WR Riley Cooper. Kafka finished with 93 passing yards and missed on only four of his passes, but he insists that it was a team effort in the rally. “I think it was just a great win for the team,” he said. “It wasn’t about me. It was the team. We kind of got things going in that situation and it was a lot of fun out there. It was big for us as a team.”

Nice to hear that kind of positive energy from a player combined with positive results...but tune in the Philly sports talk radio shows today, and oh the negativity! Hmmm, do these hosts and callers not realize by now Andy Reid and OC Marty Mornhinweg are running a game behind the game in the preseason?  Football analysts in the know take absolutely nothing from these games except for observing physical conditioning, timing, and response to game speed and pressure... Knowing a little about how Andy thinks, he's probably glad his offense got pushed around a little by a Chiefs team that's not "supposed" to be able to do that. For Andy, this week of practice before the Jets exhibition will become a supreme opportunity for many "teachable moments"...I know, a tired cliche, but it's what Andy does best --- teaching young players to learn from adversity.

More good news: MLB Stewart Bradley looks terrific; the game injuries to all-pro's WR DeSean Jackson (back strain) and  DE Trent Cole (ankle sprain) apear to be relatively minor, and both players are listed as day-to-day...

Note: The Eagles have until next Saturday to reduce the roster to the 53-man limit.  Released after the K.C. game were guards Zipp Duncan and Greg Isdaner, linebacker Simoni Lawrence, safety Ryan Hamilton and wide receiver Jared Perry.

vs
Eagles vs. Chiefs
Friday, August 27, 8 PM ET
TV: ETN (6abc)
Radio: 94 WYSP
Sirius 121
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This is the biggest preseason game of all, Game # 3, often referred to as the Final Dress Rehearsal for the projected starting units by coaches.  I expect a real long look at the offensive starters, especially the O-Line with guard Todd Herremans adding more push and better timing with his comeback. We'll also see QB Kevin Kolb get to mix in a few more flavors besides vanilla in his play-call selection...but don't expect too many new plays to be revealed.

The defensive starting lineup will include two rookies: safety Nate Allen and LDE Brandon Graham making his first start ever as an Eagle.  That's pretty exciting to me based on how many personnel changes have come down on the defense over the past year.


Brandon Graham

Nate Allen

This is a huge night coming up Friday for these two defensive rookies in particular, since their eventual success as starters will affect how the Eagles can flex their zone coverages and blitzes behind a stronger rush on opposing QB's...and that could change a lot of the current power rankings in the NFC.  The point should be made that a lot of our QB pressure and sacks in the past came from blitzes. It’s extremely helpful  to the Eagles D and less predictable for the opposing offense if we can get consistent pressure from the front four. Graham’s gonna help with that a lot if he's in the same rotation at LDE as Juqua Parker, who let us not forget had a solid year of his own in 2009 ...

Interesting angle to consider: most assume the Eagles' D wasn’t that good last year, because
1) the D unit was on the field for a lot of plays and bent for a lot of yards;
2) we played Dallas three times and N.O. once, both of whom were in the Top 3 offenses last year, and we got lit up big time in all four games; and
3) the final two games we played (against the #2 Offense in the NFL) we looked horrible due to matchup problems , accumulated injuries and a few other problems.

Fact is, by NFL stat rankings or by FO (Football Outsider) rankings, the Eagles were middle of the pack, in fact, better than average on defense in 2009, based on a lot of factors. So how much difference can two rookies like Allen with his free safety talents and Graham with his bull-rush talents really make to a unit that has MLB Stewart Bradley back at a high level anyway?

One of the best takes I've seen on this issue came from Ed Van Chimp in a fanmail reply to a JimmyK article over at Bleeding Green... "Sacks and pressure are not the same thing Jimmy, think about those sacks... Most of them came off of the blitz or a special package like the Joker. How often could we get a sack when we rushed 4? Heck we didn’t even hurry the QB when we rushed 4... I don’t care that much about sacks. I care much more about getting consistent pressure on the QB and hitting him to disrupt the overall passing game. If we do that, the sacks will come and the turnovers will skyrocket. I am so excited for this defense this year, imagine Asante taking risks with safety help instead of being on an island…. that makes this defense a force to be reckoned with."

That's the angle I'm hoping we'll follow and the difference two contributing rookies can make to the Birds when they go up against the Chiefs offense Friday night. The Kansas City offense is greatly improved and will be a tough test for the new Eagles D. The Chiefs gave the longest look yet to their starters last week, keeping the first-team units in throughout the first half of their 20-15 loss to Tampa Bay. When the Chiefs had possession, anything seemed possible, according to Kansas City Star beat writer Kent Babb . Wide receiver Jeremy Horne could become that surprise playmaker that every other team seems to find, but never the Chiefs. Dwayne Bowe could emerge as the No. 1 receiver that the Chiefs have been waiting years to mature. And Matt Cassel could become the reliable quarterback the front office envisioned when it acquired him last year and signed him to a long-term contract.

Those possibilities looked something like reality last Saturday night, especially on a touchdown drive in the first quarter. The Chiefs stole momentum with Javier Arenas’ 54-yard kickoff return, and seven plays later, Cassel found Horne in the end zone.

“We got in a rhythm and capitalized,” Cassel said.

Then the Chiefs had to play defense, and the optimism started evaporating. The defensive front was porous for a second consecutive week, and the pass rush failed to sack an opposing quarterback.

The old steadies even struggled, cornerbacks Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr making mistakes the Chiefs simply cannot afford. Flowers whiffed on an open-field tackle attempt, and Buccaneers wide receiver Michael Spurlock didn’t stop running until he reached the end zone on a 53-yard touchdown. And credit Carr with the dubious distinction of being flagged for illegal contact in the first half but without preventing a catch.

“Just trying to make a play; didn’t make a play,” Flowers said. “When you try too hard, when you try to jump routes or sit on routes — not necessarily what I did on that play — you can’t try to force turnovers too much, because you’ll get out of position.”

The Chiefs’ defense wasn’t supposed to be an intimidating force, but reality isn’t easy to digest. The team’s draft class was, again, made with an emphasis on defense; taking defenders with two of its top three picks. The Chiefs’ top two picks last year were defensive ends Tyson Jackson and Alex Magee — neither of whom causes sleepless nights for opposing quarterbacks — and the year before that, lineman Glenn Dorsey was the team’s top selection.

Kent Babb's final scouting tip to Eagles fans watching Friday night: Add that Haley hired defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, and really, the Chiefs should have a formidable unit that at least appears to be improving. But the inside linebackers are continually in flux, the line rarely overachieves, and that leaves a young and talented secondary that doesn’t have much support when it has a long night.

The Eagles new "Boy Dogs" on defense are trying to correct a malaise very similar to that of the Chiefs ... with Graham and Allen starting as rookies, I'll be watching Friday night to see if we finally have a leg up on the front-four-pressure challenge.
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Writer's Note: We plan to feature a lot more from Philly's favorite wine writer, Jeff Alexander, whose work with the Examiner is always a treat . If you saw Jeff's work highlighted in a Dick Vermeil special report here at Eagles Eye not long ago, you know his talent with words and his taste for solid affordable wines...and that he's also no stranger to Philadelphia sports, hoagies or lagers. My goal is to get Jeff to write a wine review that somehow disproves the common belief that all Eagles fans drink only beer...

  Jeff Alexander
Jeff Alexander is an enthusiastic appreciator and collector of wines who believes keen palates are earned, not born. He is also an advanced photographer who hosts the website jeffalphoto.com, a marathoner and PR professional who has traveled to many worldwide destinations and drained them of wine. He lives in the Philadelphia area and credits his understanding wife for tolerating his obsessions.

Fox TV sideline reporter Tony ("Goose") Siragusa admits his kids call him "Fred Flintstone"...I kinda like it!

Well, for the Eagles, it was nice to be on national Fox-TV prime-time coverage in August...but the evidence of game performance was somewhat incriminating. Let's just write it off to two factors: (1) The Bengals are a pretty good team; and (2) it's August!

The Bengals beat the Eagles' first team 7-6 in the first half, and their 2nd and 3rd teams dominated the Eagles' hopefuls to the final tune of 22-9, Cincy, by the end of the game.

No worries. The game had a kind of whimsical feel to it all along. But the Goose did make a poignant comment about the O-Line for the Birds: "This looks like a real problem area...guys are geting pushed back and pushed around...I don't like it."

Look, Andy Reid has two weeks of practice and fine-tuning and healing of guys who weren't there (notably Todd Herremans) to fix that...and heck, the veteran stars on the Eagles' OL like Jason Peters have the same amount of time to learn how the new umpiring position in the backfield influences their timing and lineup issues...

I say, don't panic...yet! True, QB Kevin Kolb was rattled just a little by the overwhelming rush on his protection...hey, the Bengals are a top AFC team defensively, don't sell them short! Maybe this is the wake-up call we really need at this point of the summer...

But Kolb was far from devastated. He rallied, quickened his release, and made some nice get-out-of-jail throws to DeSean Jackson...that's what I came to see! These two cats are working together...

Sadly, not much else clicked...execept, of course, the incredibly edible work of David Akers (with Sav Rocca holding and Jon Dorenbos snapping)...if nothing else, the Eagles come away from this exhibition knowing their FG kicking team is solid.

David Akers means more money now than ever with a young offense struggling in the red zone...

Anyway, I belabor the obvious...The Eagles as "Young Gunz" and "Boy Dogs" are not yet quite ready for prime-time...top-flight teams with big star personalities like the Bengals are still a bit of a distraction for our young guys... But the Birds have time to fix that.

Allow me to turn it over to Ted '72 and some of the other observers at the On The Inside PE.com gallery to complete my impressions of this PS game (btw, I'm "Lupes" in the conversation)...

LUPES: So what jumps out at me tonight: Don't freak out about the OLine! it will be addressed...Chad Ochocinco is a pretty amazing athlete...Chad Hall is being given every chance in the world by Andy Reid to make the team (I think Andy likes the kid a lot)...Michael Vick's trade value is deteriorating (as Bri says, he's a turnover/TD machine...keeps both teams in the game)...and  rookie DE Brandon Graham is a potential superstar...we've got problems at CB and safety backups...MLB Stewart Bradley is back!...with a vengeance.

TED 1972: my impressions of the game echo Goose's: Our starters managed to hang on the scoreboard with a potentially very good Bengal team, but our GCG (guard,center,guard) could be our Achilles' Heel....pass rush pressure funneled through that area, and on running plays, no push what-so-evah. Not sure there's anything to do about it this year (other than Herremans staying healthy, and getting comfortable). But we need some competition in this area from our next offseason. Nobody on the line has the Runyan-type nastiness, and we need a guy like that (or two). Kolb needs a running game to help him out while he learns, like Don had with Duce....oh yeah...I agree ....I can NOT remember a defensive rookie impressing me more in the last 20 years than DE Brandon Graham has this preseason(although Dawkins showed mucho promise as his rookie year went along). We won't know for real until the Fall, but it looks like after years and years of trying to draft a talented left DE, we finally hit a homerun

STINE: Names for the first cut to consider... (RB) Arrington ( tough break for him but he wouldn't have made it anyway). Collins (WR), Greg Isdaner (G), Jerall McCuller (T), Eris Moncur (DE), Pender (CB), Perry (WR), POPE (CB), Dallas Reynolds (G/C) And Possibly Shipley (C)... What you think Lupes?

LUPES: Stine)) I just don't know...watching this game tonight just confirmed how little I know about this team or its dynamics...any or all of the guys you highlight could be gone tomorrow...Jeez, I'm even undecided about Mallett now...maybe he makes it? Scott got bashed, and Eldra had one nice run...but how much of that is the depleted OLine working those plays vs. 2nd and 3rd team Bengals D? To me, not much is revealed tonight...except T.O. and Ocho are still very much wideout threats in the NFL. I like me some Akers, though...that dude is money.

COOLAID: Kolb lost his courage after he took that 1st hit, he was playing scared for the rest of his time. Bailed out of the pocket way too early.

STINE: lol coolaid! Kolb did fine...

TED 1972: Luke-warmAid....when you say "Kolb bailed out of the pocket too early"...my question is...what pocket ? Andy Reid had more room in his Hummer than Kolb had in the pocket.

JWOOD: Hate to say it: Eagles running game is looking a lot weaker than I'd hoped. Really disappointed that MM and AR haven't done a better job. I don't fault the players-I fault the coaches. Maybe in a few more weeks a running game will round into shape..or maybe not. RED ZONE needs the Redskins solution of a man in the booth making the calls and NOT MM or AR. Is Sherm Lewis available or even Jeff Garcia in that role...?

FIELDSr69: Ok, some things that stuck out... I refuse to say a word about the Oline because they were terrible, in every aspect, pass blocking, run blocking, lining up...every phase they were sub par...our young guys can play, on D and on O... Cooper didn't get many opportunities but you could see his aggression, and intensity... our D will come together....another observation, VICK is terrible... he really wasnt that good in ATL, they ran the wildcat every time he took a snap, and he's regressed... we have some problems...

LUPES: Ted, thanks......*coolaid)) I think the shot Kolb took on that play was fairly "regular"...I don't think it bothered him as much as you may think...*Stine)) I hope you're right about Chad Hall...but when I review the tape, he looks overmatched tonight...like an American Legion baseball player thrown into a major league camp game...I don't know...the speed of the game seems to be foreign to Chad right now. Or maybe the Bengals are way deeper than we were led to believe? Maybe they make a lot of guys look "ordinary" this year?

FIELDSr69:  the Bengals are a good team... we showed depth and skill in some places, our Oline really really got beat... all night. badly... on the bright side, Kolb showed that he can move, run, and make very good throws on the run... our starting O line was not very good at all... you would think with 3 guards (center was playing guard until now) that we could get some inside push... none...0... no push... our line got destroyed... What's going to happen against Dallas?... really?... line looked bad... very bad. Kolb looked good... give him a lil time... he will destroy a defense...

And that's where we will leave it tonight to give you a taste of how true fans of the Eagles objectively viewed this exhibition at Cincinnati.  See, we actually are capable of criticial self-analysis... Throw those sad old Eagles fan stereotypes away! Our fans are intelligent, and most of us have been to  C-size battery-throwing rehab...we don't do that anymore.

An occasional brick through the TV?---well, if it's my TV, no harm, no foul...

Final observation: The FOX camera panned the field as the game ended...DJax walked up to T.O. to pay respects and get some love...T.O. just kept movin' on... to him DJax did not exist...Oh, the drama of the NFL! I love this game!

Ask any player in any NFL camp this summer what’s their favorite time of the practice day, and chances are they will answer: “Lunch.”  Specifically, they’re referring to the 2-hour break between morning and afternoon practices. It’s a time to take off the helmet and shoulder pads, cool down, stretch out in the shade, chat with family and friends who are briefly allowed inside the ropes, and of course…eat a well-prepared meal from the luncheon buffet.

I became curious as to what NFL players are being served for lunch these days, and specifically who’s in charge of planning nutrition for the 2010 Eagles and the meals in general at training camp.

 Jeanie Subach is the Sports Nutritionist for the Eagles and the 76ers. Here she speaks to students at U. of Delaware.  Subach is also a professor at West Chester State and Immaculata  U.  Subach is a Board Certified Sports Nutritionist, one of the first 49 such certifications in the nation.

Sue James is the Sports Nutritionist for the Baltimore Ravens. Here she was at Ravens camp last week reviewing the plate of LS Matt Katula. 

Jeanie Subach wears many hats as a nutritionist for the Eagles.  Her job includes working with the coaches and the players and their families.
"I work with the strength and conditioning coaches, especially in the off-season, to create menus for the players during training camp," she said. "I also deal with supplement issues. I do individual consultations as well as consultations with spouses, because they're the ones feeding these players in the long run." 

What’s different this year, if anything, in NFL Nutritional Science? Here's what Subach tells us:

It’s called “Nutrient Timing”…and according to Subach and Russell Adams, well-known in the San Diego area for his healthy obsession with sports nutrition, it's the road nearly every team in the NFL is taking this season. 

NFL players, like every other corner of America in recent years, had previously bought into the low-carbohydrate, high-protein fad, which dovetailed nicely with teams' longstanding practice of piling on the red meat. Now, much like other health and flab-conscious folks, pro teams are looking for the latest word in healthy eating. Low-carb has given way to a new concept called nutrient timing, which stresses eating precise portions at exactly the right time of day in relation to exercise.

Some nutritionists argue that you don't have to be a 240-pound linebacker to reap the benefits. Meal timing is predicated on the notion that if two people exercise the same amount and consume the same number of calories daily, but one eats more frequently, the person who eats more frequently will burn more fat and retain more muscle.

The idea behind the "nutrient timing" diet is that, during and immediately after a workout, the body is exposed to a "tissue breakdown environment," says John Ivy, the author of "Nutrient Timing: The Future of Sports Nutrition." He believes that you can reverse and take advantage of that condition by taking a timely food intake that combines carbohydrates and protein, preferably with a carb-to-protein ratio of between 2-to-1 and 4-to-1. The carbohydrates, he argues, replenish depleted energy stores, while the protein stimulates tissue repair and growth.

Nutrient timing is the next big thing on NFL menus. The logic: Strenuous exercise breaks down energy stores and muscle tissue, and the best way to sustain energy and repair and grow that muscle is to continually replenish the body with a combination of carbohydrates and protein--- before, during and after the workout. People who take a protein-carbohydrate supplement immediately after working out can increase protein synthesis (or muscle growth) fivefold, according to Ivy, chairman of the kinesiology department at the University of Texas...

At a time when pro sports has seen a widespread crackdown on the use of illegal performance-enhancing substances, teams are placing more importance than ever on understanding how diet and nutrition affects muscle growth and tissue repair. Some teams have had dieticians on staff for decades, but the 1990's explosion of supplements caused more and more teams to turn to nutrition professionals to decipher what was out there. "Snacks won't ever trump sacks", as Russell Adams quips, on teams' list of concerns, but more than ever, teams are devoting energy and resources to grabbing even the tiniest edge over the competition.

So what's the deal with the current codfish craze?

Apparently, cod has been declared "the perfect low-fat protein meal" by NFL nutritionists. The Cincinnati Bengals (Eagles' next preseason opponent) got a lesson on the merits of baked cod when they filed in for lunch on the first day of training camp this summer. The red-pepper coulis sauce, according to the menu board prepared by team nutritionist Michele Macedonio, has plenty of beta-carotene for endurance and lots of vitamin C for wound healing and muscle repair. "I wouldn't know what red-pepper coulis is," says Bengals strength-and-conditioning coach Chip Morton, "but it's a power meal."

Okay, codfish for lunch... what about the rest of the day? A player who's adopted the nutrient-timing approach pretty much can't go anywhere without getting handed something to eat or drink. He'll load up on protein (maybe a peanut-butter sandwich or some yogurt) within 30 minutes before a workout, drink something that contains both carbs and protein every 15-20 minutes during a workout, and throw down a postworkout snack. He shouldn't nap for too long after practice because another meal a couple hours later is crucial, says Ms. Mary Bonci of the Steelers. And if he chooses to play pick-up basketball after dinner, as many Steelers players like to do, he had better not go to bed without eating another protein snack.

Jeanie Subach explained a method she uses that metaphors proper dieting to football terminology. Her "Foods to play by" include touchdown foods, field goal foods and penalty foods. Her players can score points by sticking to whole grains, fruits and proteins. If they pick fat, sugar and sodium, however, they're bound to fumble.

Ms. Julie Berning says it took her years to persuade the Broncos to serve breakfast in the meeting and film rooms, which meant many players used to hit the practice field on an empty stomach. "That really ticked me off," Ms. Berning says. The training staff finally implemented morning feedings before the 1998 season, when the Broncos won their first of two consecutive Super Bowls. Breakfast has been served ever since.

The Chicago Bears, meanwhile, use a computer program that factors in the player's position, body composition and diet to determine the amount -- and type -- of calories each player should consume per day. Bears long-snapper Patrick Mannelly, now a disciple of strength-and-conditioning coordinator Rusty Jones's regimented and individualized nutrition program, says that when he entered the NFL eight years ago he ate whatever was in front of him whenever he wanted and "just tried to exercise out the bad stuff I was putting in."

Nutrition in the NFL has gotten much more individualized. A growing number of teams, including the Bengals, now use a hand-held device called the BodyGem that measures a player's resting metabolic rate to determine how many calories he needs. The team nutritionist, Ms. Macedonio, uses that reading to tweak each player's diet based on other factors like the positions they play.

Just a preseason game, right?...Wrong! This was the beginning of the New Era! The New Deal! Possibly the youngest team in the NFL when the final cuts are made...Young Gunz...Boy Dogs... Could this possibly be turning out okay for Philly?

Watching the game, I had some basic impressions: (1) WR Riley Cooper has made this team; (2) DB Trevard Lindley has made this team, and is the steal of the Draft; (3) Michael Vick as showcased is For Sale; and (4) OL Austin Howard has made this team. Other than those, I have no contemporary conclusions.  The Eagles remain a work in transition, and a work in progress.

Eagles have one of the youngest offenses ever assembled in NFL history.

For an impressionistic view of what went down Friday night at the Linc,  let me turn it over to my frat brothers at Dave Spadaro's On The Inside gallery: Here's Spadaro's summary...

"The final result was a 28-27 win, but preseason is not for wins and losses. It is for evaluating individuals and situations, and the Eagles had plenty to eye. Here is what I saw from the press box ...

Kolb was outstanding. He opened with the dart to Jackson, then scrambled 6 yards on a third-and-5 play and then threw to an open Jeremy Maclin across the middle for a 29-yard gain to the Jacksonville 15-yard line. Good stuff. Who says Kolb isn't a mobile quarterback? He moved around in the pocket and he saw the field well and he ran when he had the opportunity. The Eagles should have scored a touchdown on their first drive, and Celek will come up with that catch the next time. 

• LeSean McCoy carried 8 times for 30 yards and twisted between the tackles for some big runs. You want some balance? In the first quarter the Eagles called 10 runs and threw the ball 12 times. Jackson took a handoff and made defenders miss on the way to 17 yards. The offensive line came off the ball very well, with, Jason Peters, Max Jean-Gilles, Mike McGlynn, Stacy Andrews and Winston Justice starting from left to right.
   
• Obviously, the offense must score touchdowns in the red zone. That is something Reid will harp on in the coming weeks. The Eagles allowed Jacksonville to hang around, hang around, and the Jags put together some big plays and took the lead at the half.
   
• Bobby April won't be pleased with his kickoff coverage. Jacksonville had returns of 27 yards, 41 yards, 68 yards, 26 yards and 46 yards. ... Special teams take time to come together, of course, so it is probably unfair to be too concerned here.
   
• The defense gave up too many big plays, and the offense turned it over too much once the starters departed. Michael Vick, spectacular at times, lost a fumble and threw an interception. The Jags had a couple of big passing plays -- they had 27 points on the board early in the fourth quarter, and yet were zero for 7 on third downs -- and Sean McDermott will make sure his secondary understands the importance of limiting plays down the field.
   
• Safety is suddenly thin with injuries to Quintin Demps and Antoine Harris. At this point, nothing is known about the severity of the injuries.
   
• Kudos to Chad Hall, who had plays as a punt return man, a running back and a wide receiver. He played inspired and outstanding football. Nice little weapon there.
   
• Dimitri Patterson blew up a couple of screens and continued his excellent preseason.
   
• On Vick ... does he have his speed back, or what? He had 50 rushing yards on 6 rushing attempts and he gained a first down on his one snap with the starters in the Wild Eagle. OK, Wildcat.
   
• It is hard to comment too much on the line of scrimmage without seeing the film, but rookie left tackle Austin Howard looked very good to me. That kid has a chance to be quite a nice big, very big, player for Juan Castillo on the offensive line.
   
• Brandon Graham had a couple of pass pressures and looked quick off the ball. Daniel Te'o-Nesheim was quiet from my vantage point.
   
• Riley Cooper cemented his his spot on the roster, if there was a doubt, with 3 catches for 61 yards. He hauled in a Vick pass for 46 yards and showed, clearly, that he can separate at this level.
   
• Moise Fokou entered training camp as a starter. He played with the reserves and was up and down -- as a second-team linebacker and a third-team left defensive end -- and, well, I wonder where he is on the depth chart with the competition at linebacker. Keenan Clayton looked very fast coming off the edge as a pass rusher and he made such a nice play racing to the sideline to make a tackle on a third down play in the fourth quarter.
   
• When is the last time the Eagles put up 400 yards of offense in a preseason game? I mean, really. And the offense didn't touch its potential.
   
• As the Eagles hoped, Kurt Coleman continued his strong play. Geez, the smallish safety can hit and he seems instinctive and around the football a lot. He made a couple of nice plays in the secondary, throwing his body around and timing things up nicely. I would guess that Coleman is the team's fourth safety, with Demps third (assuming his knee injury is relatively minor) and Nate Allen and Quintin Mikell starting.
   
• Gotta love what Mike Kafka showed as the team's third quarterback. He is poised, he threw the ball well down the field and he hung in the pocket. Kafka played as he has played in training camp. Good prospect. Very good prospect.
   
• I seriously cannot remember when an Eagles rookie class -- and I include Howard in this summation -- stepped up and shined in such a big way in an opening preseason game. We have been high on the rookie class from the jump, and nothing I saw on Friday changed that opinion. This group is off to a super, super start.
   
• It wouldn't be fair to heap praise on the team without saying some kind words about running back Martell Mallett. The kid hasn't had an easy camp. He was designated to be released and then was recalled. He ran hard and scored a touchdown in the second quarter. Mallett faces tough odds making this team, but he put his game out there for the entire league to see.
   
• April won't be happy with his kickoff coverage, but his field-goal unit is in mid-season form. Akers was 5 of 5 on field goals, and the execution with snapper Jon Dorenbos, holder Sav Rocca and Akers was perfect... "

Okay, Spadaro is paid to be positive on the Eagles, and yet all things considered, he gives a pretty objective impression of what went down in the first preseason game for the Eagles.

Dave Spadaro of NFL.com gave his best performance ever as a tell-it-like-it-is analyst for the Eagles last night...

This is probably the last time I give NFL.com employee Spadaro the spotlight in 2010.  The real action at On The Inside is the commentary of the Board, including the great Brizer9, JeromeBrown99, Leo Pizzini, Nuuudlz, DDD, Blasphemy, Reundoer, Mr. Norfleet, ChrisJLewis, GSBatch, Stine, SouthPhilly Ben, Swoop, T-Bone, Birdcrazy, Kenemeka, JWood, EagleBlueDon, Ted 1972, Edriscoll, Mike 1023, Jweave26, Aapoet, Stepash, Mr. Kraxx, ATVcar, Hudson Hawk, Sargeant Hambone,GTheo, and many, many other true fans who understand what we Eagles fans are dealing with this season...

As Brizer9 would remind us: The NFL is a dynamic measurement, not a static impression... what we saw last night is a snapshot of a work in progress...no need to get too high or too low...the Joe Flacco effect is hereby employed.  As Joe told me at Westminster, MD , last week: "You prepare the best you can, you get into the game, and whatever happens, happens...then you adjust from there..."

And adjust we shall. Eagles fans, welcome to the 2010 season...it's gonna be one helluva ride!

Some midnight-hour takes on what they saw in the gallery:
 

And let me not forget to give credit to the increasingly beloved villain of the Brizini Gang, the somewhat crabby Mr. Sonbutts, who is Mr. Wilson to my Dennis, the Crabby Appleton to my Tom Terrific... With the principle of critical counterpoint in mind, Sonbutts speaks:

Loony, You seem like a nice individual from your posts, but what's this fixation with Spuds and Beezy, etc? I can't believe your servile attitude towards the above people and those on this`board. You write that Spuds gave an objective evaluation of the game--are you bats? Your ingratiating promotion of Spuds and this`board is nauseating. Just like a kid who's just been made a member of the neighborhood treehouse gang and yearns to be accepted. Cut it out! It is not flattering! Sheeze--you didn't even mention me as the most objective and loved poster here.

 
It's okay, Mr. Sonbutts, we just havin' fun, as DJax might say...with visions of Young Gunz and Boy Dogs dancing in our heads. To believe mightily in the good fortunes of Evergreen in this gloriously new 2010 season and fresh era of young talent, it will require a little more of your enthusiasm...and a certain willingness to suspend disbelief.

Nick Cole, age 27, C/G, 6-0, 350, 5th year, New Mexico State

Jamaal Jackson, age 30, C, 6-4, 330, 8th year, Delaware State

"
Jeff McLane, age 32, Staff Writer,  5-11, 175, 10th year, Penn State

I like Jeff McLane a lot and I respect his work for the Philadelphia Inquirer...but I would not expect him to voluntarily hand me his job or go out of his way to train me if he were disabled or away on medical leave.

That's why I'm calling a "Personal Foul" on McLane for stirring it up and piling on a situation at Eagles training camp that in personal hindsight would have best been left unspoken.

Here's the report filed by McLane on August 3 that fanned the flames of controversy at the Eagles' jobsite: