Before I take a look at this game, I want to recall the 2004 season's NFC Championship game between these two teams. This was back when Michael Vick was the Falcons beloved franchise quarterback, and it was also the year in which Donovan McNabb roasted everybody and took the Eagles to the Super Bowl. They lost, but Andy Reid may finally be able to lay claim to a title of his own this season. The Eagles first legitimate test is an away game against Atlanta.

The reason why I mention the home and away dynamic is the fact that Matty Ice and the Atlanta offense are even better in the Georgia Dome. However, they are coming off of an embarrassing and unexpected drubbing against the Chicago Bears in the season's first week. The thing is, they really didn't play as poorly as the scoreline (30-12) would suggest. They are too talented to not bounce back, but that lackluster performance certainly hurts their stock going into this game. I mean, it's pretty difficult to be a legit Super Bowl candidate when you lose 30-12 to a team who will most likely struggle to go 8-8.

What hurt the Falcons most in that game was their offensive line, and the veteran presence of Todd McClure was sorely missed. He will most likely miss this game, and Joe Hawley is one of the last guys you want starting at center against the defensive line that they will be facing. Left guard Justin Blalock is one of the best guards out there, but interior of the line looks weak otherwise.

Speaking of which, the Eagles defensive line was absolutely dominant against the Rams. Jason Smith was consistently beaten, and backup ends Darryl Tapp and Juqua Parker showed that they are more talented than "just backups". Cullen Jenkins was a huge presence, and Trent Cole turned in yet another solid performance. Yeah, the Eagles defensive line has been as-advertised.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said about their linebackers. All of them were horrible, and Casey Matthews really needs to get some tips from his brother. The secondary has looked solid and should be able to keep the Falcons offense somewhat at bay, but I could see Tony Gonzalez and Michael Turner having big days.

What I really like about the Eagles secondary is the fact that they have four good corners on their roster. We all know about Nnamdi, Samuel, and DRC; but Joselio Hanson is a good player in his own right. He is vastly underrated and is one of the better nickel backs in the league.

The Falcons were dealt a huge blow when it was announced that standout- and underrated- defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux would be out for three to five weeks with a partially torn MCL. He is a very good run-stuffer and one of the best interior pass rushers in the game. His replacement, Corey Peters, is very average and won't be capable of replacing him. This matchup looks a whole lot better from LeSean McCoy's viewpoint.

Jason Peters should be able to hold his own, but I really worry about Todd Herremans in this matchup. It's not everyday that you're asked to block two top pass rushers in Kroy Biermann and Ray Edwards, but Sunday is just one of those days where he won't want to wake up (thank you Fred Durst). I think this line should be able to get some pressure on Michael Vick, and I could see Ray Edwards ending up with a lot of pressure and multiple sacks.

Brent Grimes, Dunta Robinson, and Thomas DeCoud make up a solid secondary, but I don't see how these guys contain the Eagles offense. I can see this game being a really high scoring affair, albeit with a lot of sacks.

For the reasons listed above, I think that the Eagles have the advantage in this one. They have the better secondary and passing matchup overall, and their running game should only be slightly less productive than the Falcons' ground game.

MVP: Trent Cole

Prediction: 34 Eagles 30 Falcons

Will feast on Sam Baker

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7/31 NFL News: Plaxico with other New York team

July 31st 2011 16:26

Since the lockout was lifted, Plaxico Burress was talking to his two former teams; the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants. Today, Burress has signed with the other NFL team in New York. The recently released (from prison) receiver was given a one year deal (as expected). He will be paid three million, and that's a price that is a little too high.

Before Burress was sent to prison, he was a very good- but not elite- receiver. At 34 years old and rusty, I only see Burress as a decent player who will mainly be used in the red zone. I think his speed has deteriorated, but I do think he will remain a quality option. I don't get why he is considered a big-name free agent at all. It just goes to show you how fans get it all wrong. Like, how is Matt Roth still waiting for a phone call? He's one of the better pass rushers in the game, and Roth is definitely a better player than Burress; it's just that nobody knows who he is.

Now this is a pretty nice deal here by the Lions. After heavy talks with Stephen Tulloch, the valuable linebacker has signed a one year deal worth almost three and a half million. It's a very cheap deal, and the only reason why Tulloch didn't get a multi-year deal was because of bad negotiating. He's one of the best tacklers in the game, and Tulloch is exactly the kind of guy the Lions need on that terrible back seven. Next up: a corner.

The Indianapolis Colts made two important re-signings. One of them was pretty obvious, and that was to give Peyton Manning a new deal. The other move was also important, but it wasn't a certain thing. Joseph Addai is the most underrated player on the Colts, and he is by far the best running back on the roster. Addai takes huge pressure off Manning, and he is very versatile. I am glad that the Colts value Addai, because he is their only option at running back right now.

Lofa Tatupu wants to be released, and it's a pretty surprising development- at least to me it is. The Seahawks asked Tatupu to take a paycut, but he declined and requested a release. The former fan favorite was cut, but the Seahawks can live without him. He wasn't paid all that much, but the production just didn't meet the costs. He has really tailed off the last couple of years, and the Seahawks felt that they could save some money. Even though the fans love him, it was worth it when you look at it from a "business" perspective. The Seahawks need to move on because the franchise is changing for the better since Pete Carroll came in.

The Philadelphia Eagles made another useless signing. They already had Juqua Parker, Trent Cole, Darryl Tapp, and Brandon Graham at defensive end. They have recently spent big money on Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins. While those two are both very good ends who are better than everybody on that roster besides Cole, I think it's unnecessary expenditure.

The Eagles also dealt defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley to the Browns for a 5th rounder. Bunkley was traded because the Eagles already have two solid defensive tackles in Antonio Dixon- who overtook Bunkley last year- and Mike Patterson. I do think that the Eagles should have gotten more out of the trade, and the Browns end up with a nice D-Tackle for a very low price.

Well, there is finally some news on safety Michael Huff. He had a huge year last season, and he really broke out to become one of the league's best ten safeties. The Raiders have re-signed Huff, so they still have a good safety tandem with Huff and Tyvon Branch. Even without Nnamdi, the Raiders' secondary looks like a good one. Now if only they can finalize a deal with Jared Gaither to finally get an elite lineman.