Jackson Stops at One-Yard Line, then Takes TD Celebration too Far

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick nearly closed the gap successfully between Philadelphia Eagles wide-receiver DeSean Jackson and the rest of the Cowboys’ defense before Jackson scored a 91-yard touchdown on Sunday in the Eagles’ 30-27 victory. When it’s all said and done, Jackson may wish Scandrick had caught him before he made a fool of the Cowboys and himself in the process.

On the play, Jackson stopped short of the end zone, turned around and then dropped inside, resulting in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The issue here isn’t the celebration, but the fact that it was a pre-celebration. Scoring is fun and dancing around like it’s 1999 and the Denver Broncos are still a good team is all fine and dandy, but only once you get into the end zone. Up until that point you should act like a professional or risk the unthinkable happening, like being stripped of the ball at the last second by a never-say-die opponent. Scandrick was nearly that opponent and now “die” is among the nicest things Cowboys fans are likely to utter to Jackson the next time he’s in Dallas.

Jackson’s skills are undeniable. But he still lacks a great deal of intelligence the same way a musician would a sheet of inspiring music or Bob Vila a broken-down house. Jackson has all the tools to be great, but not the wherewithal with which to showcase them properly. Instead, fans are treated to his countless displays of idiocy, which are entertaining to watch, but more for their shock value, making him quite the sideshow attraction. What’s saddest is that these incidents date back to his rookie season in the league in a game against who else but the Cowboys.

On September 15, 2008, Jackson caught a long pass and easily made his way into the end zone. The only problem was that he unwittingly dropped the ball at the one-yard line, making the score null and void. The Eagles ended up scoring on the same series, meaning Jackson never likely got all that much flak from the coaching staff for his gaffe. No harm no foul, right?

Considering this time around, Jackson took the time to make sure the ball was firmly in his grasp before gracefully falling back into the end zone, maybe he did take something away from the first mistake, but, if that’s all, clearly that helmet-on-helmet hit that concussed him last season killed a few too many brain cells... or didn’t do the trick well enough.

And that’s what Jackson should fear, some opposing NFLer taking too much exception to his antics sometime down the line and then taking a few too many liberties on him the next time he’s left in a vulnerable position. As such, maybe the Eagles should have hoped that Scandrick caught up to him as well, even if it meant the game, considering how valuable Jackson is to the team in the long run... minus his showboating.

Vick Continues to Show Schaub how It's Done

Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub has come a long way since being current-Philadelphia Eagle Michael Vick's back-up with the Atlanta Falcons. Proof of that came on Thursday night when his numbers nearly mirrored Vick's.

Schaub went 22 for 36 pass attempts, passed for 337 yards, threw two touchdowns, with one interception. Conversely, Vick went 22 for 33, with 302 yards, one interception as well, but also rushed for a TD, proving just how effective and versatile a weapon he is. In the end, Vick has maybe come a longer way, with the fact that he got the win serving as further evidence that the student is not yet ready to best the master.

And that's what Vick has been able to accomplish this year: in a word, mastery. The 8-4 Eagles are the likely class of the NFC East (although the New York Giants are right on their tails), with Vick usurping the starting job from Kevin Kolb no doubt in part due to his pedigree but also thanks to his determination and hard work at not treating dogs like pieces of meat for the last little while. That right there is perseverance.

Meanwhile, the Texans' 5-7 record does not necessarily reflect the job Schaub has been doing in Houston. The Texans have scored the fourth-most points in the league (at least temporarily, with last night's game being the first of the week), while giving up the second-most. As such, it's clear Schaub just needs a better supporting cast - one that doesn't feel the need to treat opposing players like punching bags - and that he's well on his way to success. It's ironic that wide-receiver Andre Johnson's brain cramp came during a game in which the team's defense showed up and helped to post a 20-0 shutout against the Tennessee Titans, but that's life for you, especially in Houston, where problems are commonplace.

"So much to learn... like what not to do to de-rail my career for two years."

In a way, it's funny to be talking about Schaub as if he's this rookie gunslinger that just recently broke into the league. As a matter of fact, he's 29 and just one year younger than Vick. So talking about how much less one has accomplished in his career is somewhat awkward, or at least it would be were it not for how great the other has been.

Schaub started a grand total of two games in three seasons in Atlanta, while both left the city after 2006, Schaub to Houston to become the starting eventual Pro Bowl QB he is today, and Vick to prison to become the ex-con we've somehow grown to love again. Evidently, it would seem there are a few more things Vick hasn't taught Schaub, and admittedly he's all the better for it. Maybe one day he'll be just plain better. That day won't be soon though.

What Goes Around Comes Around: Samuel Hit with Monster Fine following Monster Hit

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel laid out New York Giants wide-receiver Derek Hagan on Sunday with a helmet-to-helmet hit and now he's been hit with a $40,000 fine by the league. For an Eagle, he certainly struts like a cock of the walk right afterwards, as if he thought he actually did a good thing. Didn't he know anything short of decapitation is frowned upon???

McNabb and Redskins Pull Rabbit out of Their Hat, then Lay an Egg

"That guy did it... me, I was nowhere near the field last night."

After Monday night’s disaster of a “game” between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins, it’s perhaps important, especially for Washingtonians, to think back to a happy place, a simpler time, mainly when they weren’t having their behinds handed to them by a would-be extra in The Longest Yard in Michael Vick.

For example, think back a few weeks when the team was actually above .500. Think back to when the idea to pull starting quarterback Donovan McNabb in the dying moments of a loss to the Detroit Lions was but a pipedream in the mind of the double-headed hydra that is the Shanahans.

Think back even to this weekend when news of a five-year, $78-million contract between the two sides had not yet been released to media outlets, had not yet caused mass-hysteria and widespread confusion within the nation’s capital. Reports actually surfaced that several city blocks had to be shut down out of fear of one, big city-wide traffic accident taking place when the news first hit, at which point countless commuters no doubt took their eyes off the road and stared blankly at their radios. Well, not really. But it’s easy to imagine.

This nonsensical development sure puts things into perspective, makes you realize not to take anything for granted, like the knowledge that the sky is blue, for example, because as sure as molecules in the air we breathe scatter the sun’s blue light more than they do its red, up until a few days ago everyone KNEW the Redskins weren’t going to re-sign McNabb when he was to become a free agent at season’s end. And then this happened. Of course, there is an out in the contract that allows the Redskins to cut ties with McNabb at the end of this year, but if exercised that would lead to just another huge public embarrassment, of which the team has suffered through many.

If the relationship between McNabb and head coach Mike Shanahan and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is just peachy, which is the official party line to be toted, then fine. It’s a deal that should be lauded. As McNabb pointed out on the radio in response to Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Terrell Owens’ tweet yesterday, “how do u justify a 78 million dollar contract with this type of performance?”, the 2-7 Bengals are paying their quarterback, Carson Palmer, $118.75 million over six years. Consider it a misstep by T.O. to put down a QB, who clearly had reason to be pretty touchy after an embarrassing 59-28 loss.

When all is said and done, McNabb didn’t necessarily let his team down on Monday. Admittedly, he did throw three interceptions, but he did pass for 295 yards. Considering Michael Vick, who has gotten rave reviews for his performance, passed for 333, clearly McNabb wasn’t as horrible as Owens led people to believe. And as far as I know McNabb doesn’t play defense, meaning at least some of those 59 points the Eagles put up weren’t his fault. On any other day, 28 points should have been enough to give the Redskins a decent chance at winning, but they didn’t not just because of McNabb but because the entire team didn’t show up. All last night added up to was a bad loss (okay, a horrible loss) at a really bad time.

When all is said and done, the game was much more about Vick’s dominance, with the pivot actually moving past Steve Young into second all-time for most yards rushed by a quarterback (former Eagle Randall Cunningham is first). It even seems to be a bit of an injustice to talk about how McNabb was to blame for the loss when Vick had so much to do with his team’s victory.

As such, let Vick and the Eagles have their day. And let the Redskins get to healing after their monumental defeat. The good news is there’s no way it can get any worse than it got yesterday. Of course, the bad news is up until yesterday no one thought it could get that bad.

Maybe McNabb could take a page out of Vick’s playbook and look to him for inspiration. It’s nothing short of incredible what Vick has been able to accomplish following his 21-month stay in prison. Sixty months may seem like much longer, but there is a chance the deal works out for everyone involved. And, if not, we can all at least look forward to more squabbling between the Shanahans and McNabb from here on out.