Eagles, Enjoying Fans' Love Today, Say They'll Be Angry Birds On Sunday
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Eagles' fans packed JFK Plaza today to get a glimpse of players and cheerleaders taking part in a pep rally, now that game week is here again.
The Birds' season opener is Sunday, at Cleveland, against the Browns.
Alongside the Love Park fountain, dyed green for the occasion, Eagles players and fans took turns on an oversized "Angry Birds" game, featuring a five-foot slingshot that shoots the birds at objects over 30 yards away.
Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker DeMeco Ryans (back to camera in top photo) will be at middle linebacker on Sunday. He says the Eagles' job at Cleveland will be to play physical football.
"We want to start off fast and on a good note for our team," he said today.
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On offense, one of the priorities is protecting quarterback Michael Vick. Todd Herremans has had the backs of two successive quarterbacks, at left guard for Donovan McNabb and now at right tackle for the lefthanded Mike Vick.
"It's almost like playing basketball out there," Herremans says. "You're just shuffling your feet, trying to stay between your guy and the quarterback."
Many season ticketholders showed their support at the rally. This one described what kind of season he is looking for:
"Eleven-and-five, win the division, and the Super Bowl all the way," he said.
