Posted by Josh Katzowitz

Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel has returned to the Philadelphia locker room as the first quarter of the Bears game expired after he got hit in the groin on a play that occurred late in the opening period.

Jay Cutler has not had many problems so far with Philadelphia’s secondary, completing 6 of 10 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown with a passer rating of 110.0, and Samuel’s absence, if it’s an extended one, won’t help matters. Bears running back Matt Forte also is off to a fast start with nine carries for 52 yards.

Samuel’s absence isn’t the only hole in Philadelphia’s defense. Nate Allen, the starting strong safety, is out for the game after suffering a first-quarter concussion.

The official injury is being called a groin laceration (!), and he should return to the game.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Posted by Andy Benoit



Eye on Football's playing doctor for every NFL team with our Offseason Check-ups. Also, check out our checkup podcast:





Michael Vick wrote one of the greatest bounce back stories in the history of professional sports, giving the Eagles not just football’s fastest offense, but also its most entertaining.

Turns out, the 30-year-old Vick is a pied piper to young guns Jeremy Maclin, DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek and LeSean McCoy (all of whom took a collective step forward in 2010).

Philly’s magic began to dissipate once teams realized that this defense was not far above average and that this offense could not read complex blitzes prior to the snap.




An improved front five could put the Eagles over the top in 2011. Offensive line coach Juan Castillo has moved to the defensive coordinator role (not a typo…the offensive line coach is now the defensive coordinator).

Filling Castillo’s old spot is longtime Colts assistant Howard Mudd, whom many believe is the best line coach in the industry. Mudd will simplify everything Philly’s offensive linemen do.

Whereas before they had a handful of different pass protection methods to learn, they’ll now have just one. Expect to see major improvements right away. Mudd was a big reason the Colts were able to survive with low-drafted and undrafted blockers for so many years.




1. Outside Linebacker
Ernie Sims is a great athlete who has no idea what he’s doing half the time. Opposing offenses love spotting him in coverage. Moise Fokou has good downhill attack speed, but he’s a fringe starter at best.

2. Safety
It would be wise to re-sign veteran leader Quintin Mikell. But if that doesn’t happen, the Eagles will likely need a more consistent replacement strong safety than Kurt Coleman. Also, keep in mind, free safety Nate Allen tore his ACL in December.

3. Cronerback
Everyone thinks Nnamdi Asomugha would be a great fit on this team. Asomugha, however, is a man-to-man specialist. Castillo will run a zone-based scheme. The Eagles would be wise to spend the money elsewhere. And while upgrades would be nice, the Eagles don’t necessarily have to spend at this spot to begin with. As much as Dmitri Patterson struggled down the stretch, the first-time starter also looked very good at times, playing with aggression and confidence early on.




There is a lot of pressure on Michael Vick in 2011. He is being asked to lead a team that many expect to contend for a title. If he answers the challenge, he’ll almost certainly be signed to a long-term mega contract that could make most of the financial woes left over from his dogfighting retribution disappear.

If he fails, he’ll still get a big contract somewhere, but the mega contract will never come. Assuming Philly’s defense is fine (and granted, that’s not a light assumption), Vick’s performance will determine this team’s fate.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsnfl on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed

Posted by Andy Benoit



Got a link for the Hot Routes? Hit us up on Twitter (@CBSSportsNFL).

• Terrell Suggs wants it known that he voted Ryan Fitzpatrick over Tom Brady for the Pro Bowl.

• Nate Allen’s knee surgery was a success. The Eagles top two rookies from 2010 both had major knee injuries in December.

• Whatever the problem in Arizona might be (cough cough QUARTERBACK), Ken Whisenhunt insists it’s not players’ talent or work ethic.

• John Harbaugh is determined to end the frequent false start penalties in Baltimore.

• The Metrodome roof may need nine new panels. Four panels were damaged during the original collapse.

• Don’t expect to see young quarterback Stephen McGee on the field in Dallas this season.

• Michael Strahan bashed his former team after it surrendered a 21-point lead in less than half a quarter Sunday.

• Raiders rookie linebacker Rolando McClain still isn’t practicing because of a soft-tissue injury in his foot, but he’s said to be improving. (Of course, by the time he’s healthy enough to play, Oakland’s season will likely be over.)

• The Steelers have contemplated replacing LT Jonathan Scott with Trai Essex, but they decided this week that they won’t make a change. It’s possible that coaches feel Essex’s versatility – he can play every position up front except center – makes him too valuable as a backup.

• The Redskins placed DT Maake Kemoeatu on Injured Reserve (shoulder).