Veteran free-agent defensive back Yeremiah Bell has signed a one-year contract worth $1.4 million with the New York Jets on Friday, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Bell’s contract includes a $1.3 million full guarantee plus a $200,000 signing bonus and a $100,000 workout bonus.

He was expected to sign with either the Philadelphia Eagles or the Jets by the end of business Friday.

Bell spent the past eight seasons with the Miami Dolphins and has started every game for the past four years except for one game he did not start in 2009.

Last season Bell collected 107 tackles, two sacks and one interception.

Greg McElroy, currently the number three quarterback for the New York Jets, faces competition for his job. New York signed G.J. Kinne, a quarterback from Tulsa, on April 30. Kinne is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the Jets. McElroy missed the 2011 season due to an injury. The young Kinne poses a big threat to the status of Greg McElroy.

G.J. Kinne

G.J. has ties to the New York Jets. His mentor is Chad Pennington, a former quarterback for Gang Green. Kinne feels that Pennington helped him get to this point in his career.

Kinne has an interesting history. In high school, he was coached by his father, Gary Joseph Kinne, a former Baylor linebacker. In 2005, Gary Joseph was shot by a deranged parent. His son (G.J.) was first told his father was dead, but later found out his father survived.

G.J. Kinne started his college career in Texas and then transferred to Tulsa, where he played for three years. Kinne has the distinction of being the only quarterback in Tulsa University’s history to pass for over 6,000 yards and run for over 1,000 yards. He will make a great addition to the Jets’ roster if he beats out McElroy for the number three spot.

Greg McElroy

23-year-old Greg McElroy did not see much playtime in 2011. He was on injured reserve for most of the regular season after breaking his thumb in the final preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. McElroy stands at 6 feet, 3 inches tall, and weighs 225 pounds. In college, he played for Alabama. He was a seventh round draft pick in 2011.

It is hard to say if Kinne is more qualified than McElroy for the third quarterback spot. Watching the two men compete against each other will make for an interesting preseason. For the first time in several years, New York has depth in the quarterback position.

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Lynda Altman grew up just outside of New York City. She has been a Jets fan all of her life and hopes they have a winning season in 2012. You can contact her @LdyJetsFan on Twitter.

As one wideout eyes his exit from the New York Jets, another reportedly could be on his way back to the Big Apple.

Assuming he’s healthy, the Jets are interested in bringing back wide receiver Braylon Edwards at the right price, a source told The New York Daily News Wednesday. Edwards was a central part of the Jets’ aerial attack during the 2009 and 2010 seasons when the Jets made back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances.

Edwards, who signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 and was released prior to the start of the playoffs, caught 11 touchdowns in 28 games with the Jets. The source told the Daily News that it’s not clear at this point if Edwards is interested in a reunion with Rex Ryan & Co.

The Jets could face a hole at the wideout spot, as Plaxico Burress already appears to have one foot out the door. Burress, who is set to become a free agent in March, told a Philadelphia radio station on Tuesday that he would love to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles and team up with Michael Vick.

AFC EAST
New England Patriots
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
New York Jets
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
Miami Dolphins
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
Buffalo Bills
	   Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
	   Away: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
	   Home: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
	   Away: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
Cincinnati Bengals
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Cleveland Browns
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
	   Home: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
	   Away: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
Tennessee Titans
	   Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
	   Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Jacksonville Jaguars
	   Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
	   Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Indianapolis Colts
	   Home: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
	   Away: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
	   Home: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Away: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
San Diego Chargers
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Oakland Raiders
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
Kansas City Chiefs
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   -- -- -- =
NFC EAST
New York Giants
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Philadelphia Eagles
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
Dallas Cowboys
	   Home: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Away: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Washington Redskins
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
Detroit Lions
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Chicago Bears
	   Home: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
	   Away: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Minnesota Vikings
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
NFC SOUTH
New Orleans Saints
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
Atlanta Falcons
	   Home: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
	   Away: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
Carolina Panthers
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
NFC WEST
San Francisco 49ers
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Arizona Cardinals
	   Home: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
	   Away: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Seattle Seahawks
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New York Jets
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
St. Louis Rams
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots, New York Jets
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

According to a Yahoo! Sports report, Rex Ryan expects Brian Schottenheimer to be running the New York Jets’ offense again next season unless the embattled offensive coordinator becomes a head coach elsewhere. “I’ll say that, obviously, if he gets a head coaching job, then `See you later,”‘ Ryan said in the report.

Sanchez was downright dirty in the playoffs in 2009, helping the Jets make it to the AFC Title Game.
Wikimedia Commons

“I’ll be happy to see that. Do I expect him back? It’s probably 50-50 on that, because I think there is an opportunity for Brian to get a head coaching job this year. I thought it the first two years, but it wasn’t to be. He certainly will be a qualified applicant to be a head coach, that’s for sure.”

Here are the main reasons why Schottenheimer won’t get a head coaching job next season:

Window of Opportunity Is Long-Gone

Sometimes you have to strike while the iron is still hot. Schottenheimer was a hot head-coaching candidate in the 2009 offseason after helping the Jets reach the AFC Championship Game behind a ground-and-pound flavored offense led by a rookie quarterback, but it’s a whole different ballgame in 2011. The Jets offense is ranked 27th in the NFL and Schottenheimer’s play-calling has been called in question of late after his team suffered back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.

Regressing Mark Sanchez Takes Another Step Back

Now in his third season in the NFL, Sanchez was supposed to take another step forward this year after leading the Jets to two consecutive AFC Championship Games. But Sanchez’s worrisome performances in 2011 certainly reflect badly on Schottenheimer, as the quarterback has almost identical numbers to the regular-season stats he put up last year.

The main difference is that Sanchez shined down the stretch last season, while he’s been a flop in December of this year. In his past two games, Sanchez tallied quarterback ratings of 67.8 and 54.2 with a total of four interceptions.

Identity Crisis

The Jets were successful in 2009 and 2010 because they devised a gameplan and stuck to it. Ground-and-pound was the name of the game and it worked well down the stretch as opposing defenses were worn down by late-December.

In 2011 the Jets passed far more often then they should have, with Mark Sanchez attempting a career-high 59 attempts in a loss against the Giants and 44 times in a Week Three loss to the Oakland Raiders. Schottenheimer should have given Shonn Greene at least 20 carries a game earlier in the season, but instead he was limited to 16 or less in each of his first four contests.

Upbeat Demeanor

Schottenheimer doesn’t have the right demeanor to become a successful head coach in the NFL. His bright, upbeat nature and “buddy-buddy” shtick with the players may work as an offensive coordinator, but not as the main guy in charge of a team. “We appreciate him being the type of guy to stand up in front of us and say, `You know what, guys? My mistake on that. That was a bad call by me,”‘ running back LaDainian Tomlinson said of Schottenheimer. “He’s done that plenty of times. So who are we to criticize? When I miss a block, that’s my own fault. I missed the block. We just have to hold each other accountable and have each other’s backs at all times.”

The best leaders in the NFL are the guys that can light a fire under the players and motivate with a certain brashness that Schottenheimer doesn’t have. From Tom Coughlin to Bill Belichick to Mike Tomlin, the top coaches in the NFL are the ones who can run their ship like a military sergeant when the time calls for it.

Eric Holden is a lifelong New York Jets fan. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.

Sources

www.nfl.com, NFL, player and team stats

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Philadelphia Eagles have plenty of reasons to be bitter at the New York Jets. First the Eagles destroyed the Jets on Dec. 18 to get their hopes up for a miracle playoff run, and then the Jets ruined that by losing to the New York Giants on Dec. 24. But while Philadelphia fans are stewing in disappointment, they can take solace in how New York fans – also like myself – are equally disappointed in their team.

The Jets have gone from potential Super Bowl contenders to playoff long shots in the span of just a few weeks. What’s more, New York has lived through this situation before – which pretty much triggered the Rex Ryan/Mark Sanchez era to begin with.

Before Ryan and Sanchez arrived in 2009, New York was just coming off the end of its stint in the Brett Favre soap opera. In 2008, the Jets had Super Bowl hype around them when Favre came to town, but they started slowly with a 3-3 record. Likewise in 2011, the team stumbled out of the gate to a 2-3 start. Yet in midseason, the 2008 and 2011 squads got on a roll and looked ready to make a big run.

The 2008 team was a bit hotter, as it won five straight games to go to 8-3. And since the defending champion Giants only had one loss at the time, hype for an all-New York Super Bowl was building up. However, once the Jets got their eighth win everything started to fall apart – like it has for the 2011 edition.

The outcomes aren’t completely similar, since Favre’s Jets did at least get a ninth win while Sanchez’s team is still stuck at 8-7. But in both cases, they had chances to lock up playoff berths and utterly collapsed in the month of December. Favre ran out of gas and was more hobbled up than usual, three years before Sanchez completely crumbled against the Eagles and Giants.

The 2008 Jets got so bad in their final two losses that it triggered a full scale makeover, as Favre “retired” again, Eric Mangini was fired and the Ryan era was ready to begin. New York seemed to get the better end of that deal with two straight AFC title game appearances, yet Ryan and Sanchez have now reached the low point of their tenure.

If the 2011 Jets complete their collapse and miss the playoffs as well, it might not get Ryan and Sanchez out of town like the 2008 downfall did to Mangini and Favre. However, after three years of talk and bluster and no Super Bowls for Ryan, and after another season of regression from Sanchez, their time is starting to run out. After this, New York might not forgive another year or two with this kind of ending – or any other ending before the first week of February.

In 2009 and 2010, the Jets proved to be experts at ending a season on a hot streak. But in between , there have been a pair of pretty ugly Decembers that have kept New York from January. The consequences for the horrible ending of 2011 may not be as severe as the ones from 2008. Yet Ryan and Sanchez’s window of opportunity is getting smaller, and that might be severe enough before long.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident who has followed the Eagles since he was eight years old.

Other stories by this contributor

Rumors of Spagnuolo’s return to Eagles more of the same

Pro Bowl roster includes three standout Eagles

Eagles, Jackson ending year on best behavior

NFL power rankings after Week 16 set stage for finale

Eagles getting hot enough to keep both Reid, Castillo?

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Andy Reid and the rest of the Philadelphia Eagles are
hoping the team they just whipped helps them out in a big way.

The Eagles (6-8) are still in the playoff hunt in a mediocre NFC East
following a 45-19 rout over the New York Jets on Sunday. Now they’ll need those
same Jets (8-6) to beat the New York Giants (7-7) on Saturday to keep them in
contention.

“I’m a big Jets fan this week,” Reid said Monday.

So is everyone else in Philly.

The Jets-Giants game should be over before the Eagles kick off against
division-leading Dallas (8-6) on Christmas Eve. So, there will be plenty of
scoreboard watching during pregame warmups.

“You control what you control,” Reid said. “You have to play the game
whether that team wins or loses.”

For the Eagles to repeat as NFC East champions, they must beat the Cowboys
on the road and defeat Washington at home on Jan. 1. They need the Giants to
lose to the Jets and then beat Dallas in their last game.

If all four scenarios work out Philadelphia’s way, the Eagles would win the
division in a three-way tie at 8-8 because they would have the best record in
the East at 5-1.

“It feels good that we are still alive,” tight end Brent Celek said.
“That is all you can ask for at this point. We are not where we wanted to be at
the beginning of the season, but we are doing all we can do with what we have.
We just have to play together as a team and go up there, fight and beat
Dallas.”

The Eagles weren’t supposed to be in a position where they had to scratch
and claw and hope to make the playoffs. Many experts picked them to contend for
the Super Bowl this season after an offseason spending spree brought several
star players to Philadelphia, joining an already strong core that included
Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson. Even management declared this an
all-or-nothing year.

But a 1-4 start doomed the Eagles and they’ve failed miserably to live up to
those enormous expectations. Consecutive lopsided losses to New England and
Seattle dropped the Eagles to 4-8 and seemingly ended their playoff chances.
Fans were calling for Reid to be fired, and for offensive line
coach-turned-defensive coordinator Juan Castillo to go with him.

Now it appears both Reid and Castillo have secured themselves another
season. Players have rallied around Castillo, saying they have more confidence
in his schemes and calls. The results support that. The defense has shown vast
improvement recently, holding both Miami and the Jets to under 250 total yards
and getting 13 sacks.

“You have to understand that we really didn’t have training camp,”
Castillo said. “And I think initially I started too fast and what I found out
is I had to go backwards with some of those guys because they had missed some of
that and we were making some mistakes just on fundamental stuff. You know, now
as we understand all of our packages, we’re able to add as we keep going. And
there is still a lot to add, but the first thing we have to understand is how to
handle our fundamental packages.”

The Eagles expect to have Michael Vick, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, tackle Todd Herremans, and defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins Sunday against the New York Jets, though they will likely be without defensive end Darryl Tapp.

Tapp, who suffered a broken rib last week against the Dolphins, is listed as doubtful and did not practice all week, a strong indication that he won’t be able to play.

In his absence, the Eagles would likely give another shot to Phillip Hunt – who notched a sack last week – and would also activate either veteran Juqua Parker or Brandon Graham, last year’s No. 1 pick.

Graham, who has played in only two games this season while recovering from knee surgery, hinted this week that coaches might shut him down for the season. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament last December and needed microfracture surgery, a procedure that often entails a yearlong recovery.

Coach Andy Reid said Graham is not necessarily done for the year, but wouldn’t commit to playing the second-year end this week.

“We’ll see how things go in the next couple of days. He’s had a good week of practice,” Reid said. “He’s still alive and going here.”

Graham has been inactive three of the past four weeks and dressed but didn’t play in another game.

Vick (ribs), who is listed as probable, has said he will play this week. He struggled last Sunday in his return from injury. He was asked if the ribs will feel better this week.

“I can’t say. Hopefully they will be a lot better, but I do plan on going out there and giving it everything I’ve got,” Vick said.

Maclin (hamstring) is questionable after playing only a half last week in Miami. He had missed the previous three games, but said he feels far better this week.

“It’s a complete difference. I thought I felt pretty good last week, but now I can actually see it and see it on film,” he said. “I’m ready to go.”

Maclin’s health could be crucial as the Eagles face one of the best cornerback tandems in the NFL in Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie.

Jenkins (groin) and Herremans (ankle) are both listed as questionable but have said they plan to play.

One late addition to the injury report was backup quarterback Vince Young, listed as questionable with an ankle injury. He practiced in full all week.

Red-zone battle

The Jets rank sixth in the NFL in scoring, in large part because when they get close to the end zone, they punch the ball in. They score on 71 percent of their trips inside opponents’ 20-yard lines, best in the NFL. The Eagles defense, meanwhile, ranks 30th in the red zone.

Wide receiver Plaxico Burress is a big target near the goal line, with seven scores on the season.

“Burress is a big part there, so is their tight end [Dustin Keller],” Reid said. “I’m slighting the running back [Shonn Greene] here on top of that. He’s a big factor.”

Home, sour home

The Eagles’ 1-5 home record, among the worst in the NFL, was a hot topic Friday, especially with the team returning Sunday to the Linc, where they are riding a three-game home losing streak, but players and coaches didn’t have much explanation for the negative stat.

“We appreciate the [fan] support, and we’re busting our tails to make sure we represent the fans and the city in the right way,” Reid said.

Face mask fine

Miami offensive lineman Nate Garner was fined $7,500 for a face mask penalty against the Eagles last week. Garner, who delivered the hit that broke Tapp’s rib, was not fined for that play. The league also fined Trent Cole and Joselio Hanson $15,000 each for hits on Dolphins quarterback J.P. Losman.

Contact staff writer Jonathan Tamari at 215-854-5214, jtamari@phillynews.com, or @JonathanTamari on Twitter.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP)—The New York Jets know they’re going to have their
hands full with Michael Vick.

That is, if they can get a hand on the elusive Philadelphia Eagles
quarterback Sunday.

“You can’t stop him alone,” nose tackle Sione Pouha said. “There’s no one
person that can just match up with him.”

Vick returned last week from broken ribs, but wasn’t 100 percent in the
Eagles’ 26-10 win at Miami. Still, the Jets expect Vick, still dealing with sore
ribs, to provide a tough test. Mobile quarterbacks have given the Jets fits this
season by slipping out of pressure, and now they’re facing perhaps the NFL’s
best ever at creating plays out of nothing with his legs.

“You just have to make sure that everyone assumes the responsibility of
getting him down,” linebacker Bart Scott said. “He’s a playmaker who can keep
plays alive and he has the uncanny ability, with his strong arm, to throw the
ball across his body and across the field with just a flick of the wrist.”

Coach Rex Ryan even had a few speedy defensive backs simulate Vick’s running
skills to get the defensive linemen prepared for what they’ll see at
Philadelphia. Isaiah Trufant and newly signed Gerald Alexander were out there on
the practice field, zipping around in the backfield and trying to make guys
miss.

“They had to chase me around a little bit, so I was giving them a little
bit of the run-around,” Trufant said with a big laugh. “It gave them an early
look of what to expect and what we will get from Michael Vick. When he’s moving
around back there in the pocket, he’s hard to contain.”

And, judging from his teammates’ comments, Trufant was doing a pretty good
job being Vick.

“Slow down,” Trufant said they told him. “Stop!”

If it were only as simple as that against Vick, though. The Eagles (5-8) are
holding on to slim playoff hopes, so Vick will surely be motivated to do
whatever he can to keep them going. Despite missing three games because of the
rib injury, Vick has rushed for 544 yards—second to only Carolina’s Cam Newton
among NFL quarterbacks.

“There are times you understand he’s going to get out,” defensive
coordinator Mike Pettine said. “That’s where the challenge really starts, and
you have to prepare for it. You have to practice it. So, coverage-wise, the guys
in the back end know that they have to plaster, latch on to their receivers and
cover for a lot longer than normal.”

Linebacker David Harris says there is some danger in focusing too much on
Vick because he has so many options with running back LeSean McCoy and speedy
receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, and sure-handed tight end Brent
Celek.

“If you worry (about) him running, you might lose track of one of those
fast wide receivers getting downfield,” Harris said. “DeSean Jackson and
Jeremy Maclin have been thriving off of that, so you just have to play
all-around good defense. They’re one of the top rushing teams in the league and
everybody knows what type of athletes they have on that side of the ball, so we
have to go out there and do our thing.”

As long as they don’t repeat some of their previous performances against
some of the league’s other elusive quarterbacks. Denver’s Tim Tebow might be the
best example, running for 68 yards against them—including a 20-yard dash for
the winning score last month—and being sacked just once.

“Tebow has more called quarterback runs, but they’ve done some with Vick,”
Pettine said. “I don’t know how many we’ll get now that he’s a little banged
up. I would say Tebow’s a little more like (Ben) Roethlisberger in the style of
running where it’s hard to bring them down. It’s hard to bring Vick down, but he
makes guys miss a lot more. He’s like a wideout in open space where
Roethlisberger and Tebow are more like fullbacks.”

Blitzing Vick is almost a no-no because of the way he can side-step a
rushing linebacker or defensive back, and then take off.

“It takes all 11 guys,” Pouha said. “And, I promise you, he’ll make three
or four of you miss. That’s why you’ve got to make sure that you’ve got the
other seven or eight guys right behind you. It’s all about pursuit and being
around the ball. I think that’s how you do it, just swarm the ball.”

Ryan has previously coached against Vick twice in the regular season, both
when he was an assistant in Baltimore and the quarterback was still with the
Atlanta Falcons. Vick was 11 of 21 for 127 yards and a touchdown, while running
six times for 54 yards in a 24-10 loss in 2006. He was 12 of 24 for 136 yards
and an interception, and was held to minus-5 yards rushing on seven carries in a
20-17 win in 2002.

“We’ve done OK against him in the past,” Ryan said. “But, again, you’re
never going to be comfortable until the bus is heading home and the game’s over.
He’s a scary athlete.”

The Philadelphia Eagles face the New York Jets in a Week 15 game on December 18. The Eagles still have an outside chance at reaching the playoffs so the game has meaning. But too much needs to happen for fans to worry about that. Instead, the goal should be to simply get a win at home. The Eagles only have one so far in 2011. As an Eagles fan, the team can win this game. Here are five keys to the game for the Eagles.

1. Establish the run

The Jets are pretty solid against the run. However, the Eagles have to utilize the running game if they want to win. LeSean McCoy didn’t play well against the Miami Dolphins but he is still the best player on this team. McCoy should get at least 20 carries in this game. If he does, the Eagles will move the football and control the clock.

2. Open up the passing game

It is no secret that the Jets have dominant cornerbacks. But that doesn’t mean the Eagles shouldn’t try to throw the ball deep. DeSean Jackson looks like he might have regained his desire and he looked good against Miami. As strong as New York is in the secondary, Jackson should be able to break away a couple of times. It will be important for Michael Vick to find him.

3. Protect the quarterback

The Eagles know that Vick is going to try and do too much and absorb too many hits. It is up to the offensive line to take some of that heat away but protecting better. The Jets don’t have an elite pass rush so that should help the line protect Vick. If the quarterback can stay in the pocket and deliver the ball in a timely fashion, the offensive line will have done its job.

4. Stay aggressive on defense

The Eagles got nine sacks and three turnovers against Miami. That is a pretty remarkable game and it is asking a lot to duplicate that effort two weeks in a row. But the Eagles can put together a strong performance if they stay aggressive. Mark Sanchez is vulnerable to mistakes and he will turn the ball over if the Eagles keep the heat on him. That could mean the difference between winning and losing.

5. Stay composed

The last time the Eagles played at home, fans started chanting for Andy Reid to be fired. If the Eagles play like they have in most of the home games this season, those chants will start again. This team has a tendency to stop playing when things don’t go well. That can’t happen in this game. If they fall behind early, they have to remain focused and composed.

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The Philadelphia Eagles have to stay alive by upsetting the New York Jets on Dec. 18. But Eagles fans like myself have to be discouraged, since they are catching the Jets in the middle of their latest late-season surge. What’s more, New York is already familiar with the NFC East and could clinch a postseason berth by having a perfect record in that division.

The Jets are 2-0 against NFC East competition and will now face the Eagles and New York Giants in consecutive weeks. If the Jets sweep the NFC East, they will be 10-5 and should pretty much be locked in for the sixth seed in the AFC playoffs. Given the state of this division, it would make sense if it went 0-4 against a second place AFC East squad that is probably a more ideal division champion than the Cowboys, Redskins and Eagles.

The Jets really got the ball rolling in making the NFC East pathetic in Week 1. If they had not rallied against the Cowboys on Sept. 11, perhaps Dallas would have rode the momentum and not blown so many more late leads the rest of the season. If that had happened, then the Cowboys would have likely won the division by now and would just be playing for a bye. But instead, New York let Dallas shoot itself like it has in half of the 13 weeks after that.

The Jets really needed that break, considering how tough things have gotten for them afterwards. Despite being 8-5, New York could easily be out of the playoff hunt altogether thanks to their inconsistency. That is why the Jets are fortunate to feed on the NFC East, as it did against the clutch-free Cowboys and against the flailing Washington Redskins on Dec. 4. Now if they can feed on the equally flailing Eagles this week and the even more inconsistent Giants on Dec. 24, it should all but secure another playoff berth.

Normally, sweeping the NFC East would be unlikely for anyone but an elite team. However, the Jets are still not elite quite yet and this division hasn’t been this far away from elite in a long time. The Cowboys, Giants, Eagles and Redskins have all forfeited chances to take control of the East this year – which probably makes the Jets all the sadder that they can’t transfer divisions. After all, they could probably win this East division in a walk and it would get them away from the New England Patriots at long last.

Of course, if the Jets slip up against the Eagles and/or Giants, it would speak to how they are as disappointing as their NFC East “brethren.” But eventually, some Eastern division team other than the Patriots is going to have to prove that they can be a real contender this season. Since the NFC East seems uninterested in filling that void, the Jets will just have to sweep that division, reach the playoffs and make another miracle postseason run themselves.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident who has followed the Eagles since he was eight years old.

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Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Philadelphia Eagles are clinging to hope against hope for an NFC East title. But those of us Eagles fans still hoping for the playoffs could have their hopes destroyed even before Philadelphia faces the New York Jets on Dec. 18. The New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys both need to win before then to eliminate Philadelphia – and the Cowboys seem to have been dealt a break for their game on Dec. 17.

This has been a pretty rough time for Dallas after it blew its NFC East lead with two straight late, bitter defeats. Now the Giants are setting the pace in the division again, as the Cowboys will have to beat them on the road in the last week of the season to take the title. But if Dallas doesn’t stabilize itself soon and recover from their recent slump, the race could be over by then.

That makes it all the more fortunate for the Cowboys to just face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Dec. 17. Unlike Dallas’s last few opponents, Tampa Bay isn’t a playoff contender or a losing team that is starting to win again when it is too late for them. Instead, the Buccaneers are coming off a horrendous blowout loss on Dec. 11 to the Jacksonville Jaguars, of all teams, and are working on a seven-game losing streak.

Sadly, this is the club that the Eagles and Giants have to rely on to knock the Cowboys down even further. At this point, it seems that the only way the Buccaneers can win is if the opposition shoots itself in both foots. Fortunately, the Cowboys are experts at that, which is why they are 7-6 instead of 10-3 or 11-2 like they probably should be. Since Dallas keeps giving the rest of the NFC East new life, slipping up here and going deeper into a tailspin wouldn’t be out of character.

There is precedent for Tampa Bay to bail Philadelphia out, as it did in 2008 by losing its last game of the season to the then-lowly Oakland Raiders. With that improbable upset, the Eagles had an opening to clinch an even more improbable playoff berth – after throttling the Cowboys, of course. So maybe the Buccaneers can help the Eagles in another way by upsetting the Cowboys and keeping Philadelphia alive for at least one more week.

Of course, even if Tampa Bay upsets Dallas, New York would still need to lose to the 4-9 Washington Redskins on Dec. 18 to really help out – and then the Eagles still have to beat the New York Jets. A lot of unlikely dominos have to fall for Philadelphia this weekend, yet the most unlikely one is the first one where the Buccaneers upset the Cowboys. But if that actually happens, maybe the rest will fall into place the next day.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident who has followed the Eagles since he was eight years old.

Other stories by this contributor

Rex Ryan flirting with becoming next Andy Reid

McCoy, Jones-Drew wasting away career seasons

Jets on cue to have another slump?

Reid not only NFC East coach fighting for his job

Jets keep getting breaks in latest playoff run

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Philadelphia Eagles will look for their second win in a row when they face the New York Jets on Sunday, December 18. The Eagles have never lost to the Jets in the eight times they met. However, circumstances are a little different this time around. New York is 8-5 and surging toward the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Eagles are 5-8 and looking to avoid their fifth loss in seven games. It seems like this is the kind of game the Eagles should lose. But as an Eagles fan, I have a feeling the team will win this game.

I’m not thinking about the playoffs. I know the Eagles are mathematically alive but there is a lot that needs to happen for this team to get there. For me, it is about finishing the season on a strong note. I realize that won’t erase the disappointment that has already happened. But after three more weeks it will be a while before I see the Eagles on the field again. I would like those games to be meaningful. This game would represent a huge win for Philadelphia. The Eagles are just 1-5 at home and it would be nice to treat the fans to a good effort.

There are many out there that wouldn’t mind seeing the Eagles tank the rest of the season so that Andy Reid is more likely to be fired. I’m not among those fans. For one thing, there is no guarantee that Reid will be fired even if the Eagles lose the rest of their games. I think that if the Eagles were going to fire Reid, they will do it no matter how the Eagles finish. For that reason, fans should keep on cheering for this team.

This should be a pretty interesting game. The Jets have a strong defense and usually play their best football this time of year. Meanwhile, the Eagles had their best defensive effort of the season in Week 14. They want to prove that that was no fluke. The Eagles should be able to get to Mark Sanchez enough to limit the New York attack. However, the real key to the game will be how the Philadelphia offense attacks. The Jets are vulnerable in certain areas and this feels like the kind of game where Reid’s game plan works.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Nnamdi Asomugha was headed for Broadway when the
Philadelphia Eagles swooped in at the last minute and stole the All-Pro
cornerback from the New York Jets.

Too bad for him there are no do-overs in free agency.

Asomugha chose the Eagles over the Jets, thinking he could help the
defending NFC East champions reach the Super Bowl. That won’t happen this year.

The Eagles (5-8) are clinging to slim playoff hopes entering Sunday’s game
against New York (8-5). Maybe Asomugha should’ve picked that other team in green
instead.

“No, I don’t regret it at all,” Asomugha said. “The thing that has been
very difficult is not winning. I think the tough part about that is the fact
that the expectations were really high coming into it. Even if my expectations
were realistic, the expectations that were out there, I think, I kind of let
that get to me, as well, the expectations of everything will be and must be
perfect with this team now that they’ve acquired these players and blah, blah,
blah.

“I always have a realistic approach to it, but I kind of let that seep
through and then that made the losing of it all a little bit tougher, a little
bit more difficult to deal with. But no, I have never, have not and will not
regret it. Our story still isn’t over yet, so there is always something to learn
and we’re still fighting. That’s pretty much where I stand with that.”

The Eagles stunned the football world when they signed Asomugha to a $60
million, five-year contract shortly after the NFL’s lockout ended in July. A day
earlier, the Eagles had acquired two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique
Rodgers-Cromartie in a trade from Arizona.

Asomugha, Rodgers-Cromartie and Asante Samuel, a four-time Pro Bowl pick,
were expected to form the best cornerback trio in the league. But they haven’t
come close to fulfilling those expectations.

Part of the problem for Asomugha has been fitting into a different defensive
scheme than the one he excelled in for years in Oakland. Defensive coordinator
Juan Castillo, who switched from coaching the offensive line, gave Asomugha far
more responsibilities than he was used to with the Raiders.

“It’s been completely different from what I was doing in Oakland,”
Asomugha said. “Obviously, in Oakland, when I was there it was about just
finding a guy, matching up with him and playing him one-on-one pretty much the
whole game. It’s just completely different than with the one-on-ones and
putting in some new things.

“He has also been just moving me around the field. He’s wanted me to be
sometimes the corner, wanted me to be sometimes the nickel, he’s wanted me to
play a rover, sometimes a free safety, and there are some challenges with that
because you basically have to learn the scheme and the coverages for every
single position that you have to play. That’s where I think that the biggest
challenge has come in, is knowing how you fit based off each call, depending on
what position you’re playing. Then, he has some different techniques that he has
guys playing.”

Perhaps things would’ve been different if Asomugha had picked the Jets. With
star cornerback Darrelle Revis shadowing the opponent’s top receiver on one
side, Asomugha may have been left alone to play man coverage against the No. 2
guy.

Jets coach Rex Ryan called Asomugha once the free agency period opened and
went after him hard during the recruiting process.

“I really liked the staff there in New York,” Asomugha said. “I was
really close with Rob Ryan, so I know that Rex, being his twin, would be very
similar to him. During the 48 hours or whatever it was that we were able to
talk, they were saying some really great things. I liked how the defense played.
They were doing a lot of the things that I had done throughout my career, so
there wouldn’t be much adjusting or anything like that. I was really close.”

Then, the Eagles called.

“The Eagles came in that 11th hour or whatever it was,” Asomugha said.
“All along, I had always admired the Eagles. They were always the team that, if
they were involved, that was where I wanted to be. At the end there, they did,
they came in, so I managed to flip back to how I was thinking in the
beginning.”

Asomugha spoke with Eagles quarterback Michael Vick and wide receiver DeSean
Jackson at the Pro Bowl last January. He knew several other players on the team
and was impressed with the way they talked about the organization.

“Obviously, no one is going to say anything disparaging about their
organization, but everything they were saying, I just took it to heart and
really liked it,” Asomugha said.