Philadelphia Eagles Win Over Jacksonville Jaguars: History Repeating

It was a welcoming sight after eight long months of offseason madness, almost a cabin fever type feeling, and the Philadelphia Eagles made some nice first impressions of the 2010 season.

Last night's game proved to be the second consecutive preseason win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in two years, but the more interesting point is the how it marked the second time the Eagles beat the Jaquars in a preseason game by just a mere point—possibly indicating the Eagles are picking up right where they left off.

Every unit from the first string down to the third string played well.

Quarterback Kevin Kolb looked fantastic completing six of 11 passes, for 95 yards, and a near touchdown connection with tight end Brent Celek. He did hit Eagles star receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin a few times for nice completions, but the thing about Kolb that impressed me the most was the overall maturity he showed.

What I mean by that is Kevin wasn't willing to force anything, he was trying to avoid interceptions at all cost and did so. Instead of trying to make a play happen, he made the smart choice and simply got rid of the ball.

Defensive end Brandon Graham looked absolutely stellar in last night's game, showing that non-stop motor we've all heard about, making his way into the backfield to disrupt a few plays—he and Pro Bowl end Trent Cole should be outstanding together.

Three other rookies really caught my eye last night. Receiver Riley Cooper made multiple great plays, including a 46-yard catch from quarterback Michael Vick, and defensive tackle Jeff Owens, who forced a fumble that was recovered by the Jags.

But the one guy, the one standout in my mind from last night's game was receiver/running back/Mr. Go To Chad Hall. If there is one man who truly deserves to find a home in the city of Philadelphia, Chad is that man.

Playing the part of punt returner, receiver, and running back, Hall made one nice play after another, including a 22-yard run, displaying a unique burst out of the backfield.

Much to my surprise, the one area that really struggled against the Jaguars was the the Eagles' defensive punt return unit.

For whatever the reason, Bobby April's squad could not stop the Jaguars before they crossed the 30-yard line—one play went beyond the 50-yard line.

That needs to be the focus in the upcoming week of practice and prior to the start of the regular season, that little problem needs to be nipped in the bud. The Eagles have talented players all over the special teams roster and with a coach like Bobby April—what we witnessed last night is inexcusable.

The last area that the Eagles continue to struggle is in the redzone.

Last night the Birds made five trips within the 20-yard line and only scored on two of those trips—could've been three if Brent Celek didn't drop that touchown pass.

All in all, it was awesome to see all the Bleeding Eagle Green fans out there last night so throw up your arms with me and give our boys a big "Good Job" as we begin to focus on next week's matchup against Terrell Owens and the Cincinnati Bengals.