Live Eagles blog from the Linc

Philadelphia, PA (The Phanatic Magazine) - It's all about the roster battles tonight at the Linc as the Eagles welcome the New York Bretts...err Jets to town.

Since Lord Favre and DMac are sitting safely on the bench, the most interesting thing to keep an eye on are the battles at defensive end and fullback.

Former first round pick Jerome McDougle has gone from afterthought to the team's best defensive end in the preseason but his history of injuries have kept him firmly on the bubble. Not to mention the Birds invested $4 million on the overrated Chris Clemons and a third-round draft choice on the raw Bryan Smith.

At fullback, another third-round pick Tony Hunt, tries to save his Eagles career by showing something at fullback. Hunt just doesn't have the speed to mean anything at running back and is, by his own admission, uncomfortable at fullback. Jason Davis is the better option but the Eagles may not want to admit a mistake by jettisoning Hunt. Meanwhile, Thomas Tapeh, is probably already making his reservations for Hawaii as Adrian Peterson's caddy in Minneapolis.

On the offensive line rookie Mike McGlynn, a fourth-round pick, has shown little to this point and remains behind Max Jean-Gilles as well as the unheralded Scott Young. Another bad outing may have McGlynn earmarked for the practice squad.

6:35 - The Jets won the toss and will receive...Hello Kellen Clemens.

6:38 - McDougle knocks down Clemens' second pass...

6:39 - Jets kick away from Quintin Demps and Kevin Kolb is up...

6:44 - Kolb just misses a TD down the left sideline to Michael Gasperson...Birds settle for 40-yard Davis Akers field goal. Brent Celek looked good as an outlet receiver but a screen to Lorenzo Booker looked ugly...

6:47 - Hunt with a special teams tackle...that can't hurt...

6:48 - Clemens already out...Brett in for the Jets...Ratliff that is...

6:49 - How does Jesse Chatman stay in the NFL? By the way, a shout out to former Phanatic staffer Grey Wiley, former Philadelphia Soul receiver Larry Brackins is on the Jets...

6:51 - McDougle and Smith share a sack of Ratliff...Also want to take time out to congratulate The Phanatic's own Steve Lienert who is now a member of PhiladelphiaEagles.com...

6:53 - Meanwhile tune into The Phanatic's John McMullen, who will be on Team990.com talking NFL this Sunday...'Johns on Sports' with McMullen and John Gottlieb is also back Saturday on WTBQ.com...

6:57 - Who needs DMac? Kolb to Baskett 25 yards down to the Jets' three...

6:59 - A play later, Booker takes it in...Eagles 10, Bretts 0

7:02 - Ratliff out, Clemens back in...Mangini is a genius...He's "Mangenius"...Brett Favre or not, the Jets are in for a long year with that guy at the helm. I realize Andy Reid is arrogant and flat out annoying at times but compared to most coaches in this league...He's Don Shula.

7:05 - Jets finally convert a third down and it's Chatman that does it...In case you are wondering New York's real running backs are Thomas Jones and Leon Washington...

7:10 - Joe Mays looks like a worldbeater beating up on Chatman...

INJURY UPDATE - Booker has a hip pointer but is expected to return...Why? Can't Buck and Hunt handle the load?

7:11 - End of the first quarter...Gratuitous plug time...check out a new Lienert podcast by clicking the link on the right side of the page...

7:13 - Nice reverse by Jets' Paul Raymond gains 21 yards to the Eagles' 19...followed by incompletion to Brackins...

7:17 - Too much Chatman on that drive leads to 22-yard Mike Nugent field goal -- Eagles 10, Jets 3

7:18 - That was a 17-play drive by the way, just when I compliment Mays, he tanks it....almost like a "Dr. Z" curse...By the way, who did Zimmerman pick to make the Super Bowl?...Uh, oh...

7:20 - Demps gets outside for a 51-yard return...

FIRST QUARTER NUMBERS - Kolb 7-of-10 for 77 yards, Celek three receptions for 29 yards; Mays five tackles and Smith four tackles and one-half sack...

7:23 - Eagles hyped up Booker way too much. No question he has athleticism but he runs with no power...

7:26 - Kolb almost got Matt Schobel killed over the middle but came back and hit Bam Childress for a first down at the Jets' 10...

7:27 - Swing pass to Booker and he shows the athleticism I was talking about...Translation good in space, bad from the backfield...Jean-Gilles ruined the play, however, with a personal foul...

7:28 - Short arm by Schobel...that's what happens when you are almost killed....A Kris Wilson sighting!

7:29 - Birds settle for an Akers field goal - 29 yards -- Birds 13, Jets 3...Credit that to Demps...

7:33 - Chink in the Eagles' special teams armor...Jets return to 40...

7:36 - Rocky Boiman just sniffed out a screen...Screen to the other side worked against rookie Justin Roland, however...That's the difference with experience...I realize Boiman hasn't showed much in the preseason but he better make this team...

7:40 - Joselio Hanson just looked like Izel Jenkins on a slant and McDougle whiffed on a sack opportunity leading to an 11-yard Ratliff to Raymond TD, Eagles 13, Jets 10...

INJURY UPDATE - Dan Klecko has a wrist injury and was taken for X-Rays...Real scoreboard is Eagles 2 injuries, Jets 0

7:44 - Two-minute warning means plug time...You can get Jared Trexler's new book on Penn State football by clicking the link on the right side...

7:46 - Gasperson just made a nice catch but even with Kevin Curts' injury, he's got no shot...

7:47 - Kolb plays Donovan McNabb for a play, throwing a grounder to Booker...

7:48 - Holding - Winston Justice -- can you say bust?

7:50 - All in all, a solid first half for Kolb but he looked shaky in the two-minute drill. Still not sure if he would be a better option than A.J. Feeley for a one-shot start...

7:51 - This is the Jesse Chatman show for the NY Jets...someone shoot me...

7:52 - Rookie Mike Marquardt sacks Jets' fourth stringer Erik Ainge...That's worth the price of admission...

7:56 - 12 men on the field give the Jets new life at midfield but Ainge missed a wide open Dustin Keller...

7:58 - "Mangenius" wants a time out to set up the Hail Mary with three seconds left...Can you say Tony La Russa...Jets come out of timeout with a incomplete slip screen instead...Wow, what coaching...

HALFTIME

Defensive end update: The Eagles aren't playing Darren Howard which means he is regarded as too valuable and Clemens was an injury scratch. Both McDougle and Smith played very well in the first half. If you go on merit, Joe Banner and Company are going to have to eat $4 million. But, that's unlikely to happen. You might have to get used to seeing McDougle about 90 minutes up the Jersey Turnpike...

8:12 - Second half underway with A.J. at the helm but Eagles go three-and-out...

8:15 - Now Chatman is returning punts, Mangini must be pissed at everyone today

HALFTIME NUMBERS - Kolb 13-of-21 for 138 yards; Booker 6 rushes for 22 yds and 2 receptions for 20 yds; Mays 10 tackles; Meanwhile, Chatman had 19 touches for the Jets!

8:18 - Sadly, Chatman is wearing the Birds' defense down...Mangini finally calls off the dogs for a few plays and goes to Jehuu Caulcrick at running back...Chatman is the Jim Brown of the preseason if Jim Brown averaged 3.0 yards a carry...

8:22 - Mays just missed an Int.; instead it was a six-yard Ainge to David Ball TD...Jets have their first lead 17-13

8:26 - The Eagles have found a few players in the preseason and that's what this is all about. Obviously, DeSean Jackson can play and it's pretty evident Mays and Demps belong at this level. For all the crap, Reid and Tom Heckert get from WIP and 950, they did a nice job with the draft this year. Speaking of ESPN 950, tune in to hear former Phanatics Tim McManus and Tom Byrne.

8:29 - I'm a little surprised Booker is still on the field in the second half. I guess he needs the reps but he already got banged up in the first half so why not let someone else who is not in your plans finish things?

8:31 - Finally a Jason Davis sighting...I guess that bodes well for Hunt but I am not sure Tony Hunt playing fullback makes the Eagles a better team...

8:32 - Booker has turned into Chatman in the third quarter...Let's hope he's not injured...

8:33 - Perfect Feeley pass down the seam but Childress got Bam'd and couldn't hold on...

8:35 - Feeley running toward the sideline and forces one that Abram Elam picks off...If A.J. could accept his limitations and become a game manager, he could be an NFL starting quarterback. Instead, he's a third-stringer known for outkicking his coverage and dating Heather Mills for all those years...

8:37 - Stop me if you heard this but Jesse Chatman carries for the Jets. Clearly Mangini has no regard for the health or well-being of Mr. Chatman. Bum Phillips used Earl Campbell less. I wonder what the record for touches in a preseason game is...

8:40 - Hey, Trevor Laws with a tackle! There are a lot of things to be excited about with the Eagles. Defensive tackle depth is not one of them. Laws had not impressed. Klecko had bounced from fullback to DT and is now hurt, while Marquardt is far from ready...Thank the football gods Howard can slip inside...Doea anyone have Kimo von Oelhofen's cell number?

END OF THIRD QUARTER

8:43 - Illegal contact on Demps nullifies a Therrian Fontenot pick...

8:46 - Some Kolb in-game quotes for you:

On how important it was for him to start tonight:

“It was huge. It was my first start. Although it’s just the preseason, and the starters weren’t out there with me, it’s still big for me. It breaks me in slowly to hopefully what I am going to be one day.”

On where he is now compared to last year:

“It’s tenfold. Just the comfort level. The group we have out there right now, I really like. I don’t know if it’s the twos or what it is, but it seemed like everyone we had in there had great continuity. Everyone works hard and that’s all you can ask out of those guys.”

On whether he is ready to play if he gets the call:

“I think [there is] no doubt that I’m ready to go. I think I have progressed every game throughout the preseason. That was my goal. If I can continue to do that, then hopefully I’ll have a great career here.”

On how important the preseason games are to his progression:

“They are huge, because you never know what the regular season is going to be like. The biggest thing now is to not regress. I’ve gotten progressively better, I just can’t regress when I’m sitting on the sidelines. I have to make sure I get plenty of reps in practice and keep my part.”

On his confidence level going into this season:

“I feel very confident; definitely as confident as I have ever been here in Philadelphia. The offense is coming smoothly, things are coming great, and the coaches are doing a great job playcalling for me so far, too.”

8:49 - For those of you who think Chris Jackson can play in the NFL, understand Larry Brackins, who is a pretty darn good AFL receiver, can't get open against third-string NFL corners...A Nugent 34-yard field goal puts Jets up, 20-13...

THIRD QUARTER NUMBERS: Feeley was 4-for-8 for 39 yards and the pick; The Chatman touch count is now up to 26.

8:53 - Beautiful touch pass by Feeley to Gasperson goes for 54 yards down to the Jets' six...

8:55 - Feeley to Childress, three-yard score...Jets' Matt Chatham also called for roughing Feeley with a blow to the head...20 all...Nothing like preseason OT...

9:03 - Birds' D forces a three-and-out but Demps flubs a monster 60-yard Ben Graham punt and Jets recover at the Eagles' 17. Demps is still a rookie and you will have to live with that kind of thing...You know what's coming...That wouldn't have happened with Reno Mahe back there...

9:06 - Klecko's back and made on a tackle on guess who...Chatman...

9:07 - Chatman two-yard TD run...Can you play preseason fantasy football?...If you can, Jesse Chatman becomes LaDainian Tomlinson...

9:13 - Jean-Gilles is down and being attended to by trainers...Had to be helped off the field with an apparent left leg injury...

9:18 - Another A.J. pick by Hank Poteat with about 2 1/2 minutes left should do it...

9:20 - Wait just a minute, Big Red is playing to win and using his timeouts. Another sack by Smith has the Jets looking at third-and-a-mile...

9:21 - Klecko gets in on the sack party and Feeley will get a chance to record his third int...

9:22 - Jean-Gilles has a left knee injury and it may be serious...

9:28 - 4th-and-2...Here's the ballgame...Feeley converts with a run up the middle...

9:29 - Booker drops one in the flat...Don't get too excited by him Eagles fans...

9:30 - Less than a minute to go...Feeley is dinking-and-dunking...He finally goes downfield and overthrows Shaheer McBride badly...

9:31 - 4th-and-10 with 37 seconds left...This game won't die...La Russa...I mean Mangini calls timeout...That bodes well for the Eagles...

9:32 - Incomplete to Gasperson. The game and the preseason are mercifully over...

The Big winners today were Kolb, Mays and Smith. Demps would have been in that category as well but the botched punt cost the Eagles the game. McDougal also played well, while the injury to Jean-Gilles may have put McGlynn back in the hunt.

BY THE NUMBERS: Smith ended with 11 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks, while Mays played Patrick Willis and had 12 tackles. Gasperson finished with three catches for 80 yards and Feeley finished 13-of-25 for 143 yards with a TD and two picks.

10:03 - The Eagles are calling Jean-Gilles' injury a knee sprain and he will undergo an MRI Friday morning.