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Kellys debut as an NFL head coach got off to a rousing start with a big win at Washington on "Monday Night Football," but the Eagles fell back to earth with three straight losses. They snapped the slide with a win at New York and quarterback Nick Foles replaced an injured Michael Vick to take over for good under center. Foles made his first start in Week 6 at Tampa Bay and helped the Eagles even their record at 3-3. However, Foles would suffer through his worst start as a pro on Oct. 20 versus Dallas and was knocked out of the game with a concussion. After a brief Vick appearance and a Matt Barkley sighting the next week in a loss to the Giants, Foles stormed back with seven touchdown passes at Oakland, then led Philadelphia to another road win against Green Bay. The Eagles won five in a row at one point and erased a 3-5 start by finishing the season 7-1. Philadelphia squeezed past the Cowboys, 24-22, last Sunday night to capture the division crown and bring playoff football back to the Linc. "Its a great feeling," Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson said about returning to the playoffs. "Our fans are going to go wild. Its a great opportunity to bring the playoffs to Philadelphia on Saturday. We just need to have a great week of practice and get ready for a good team coming in here." Foles passed for 263 yards with two TDs and no interceptions in Big D, while the heart-and-soul of the offense, running back LeSean McCoy, recorded 131 yards on 27 carries to break the franchises single-season rushing mark, which was previously held by Wilbert Montgomery. McCoy led the NFL in rushing yards (1,607) and yards from scrimmage (2,126) and will face a Saints defense rated 19th in defending the run (111.6 yards per game). The Eagles finished the season first in rushing yards (160.4) and second in total yards (417.2). McCoy, Foles and Jackson give the Eagles a scary offensive trio, while the speedy wide receiver had a career-high 82 receptions for 1,332 yards, the second-most in team lore. Not to be forgotten, wide receiver Riley Cooper had a career year and put a foolish offseason incident in the past by hauling in 47 passes for 835 yards and eight TDs. He emerged as a big-play threat and averaged 17.8 yards per catch. All that wouldnt have happened if it wasnt for the efficient play of Foles. The lanky QB threw for 2,891 yards with 27 touchdown passes and only two interceptions, the best TD/INT ration in NFL history. Foles 119.2 passer rating led the league and he compiled 21 TD passes over the last eight games of the regular season. Foles now faces Brees and the two attended Westlake High School in Austin, TX. "Ive always watched him from afar," Foles said of Brees. "Hes a great player and one of the best to ever play the game at the position. Hes a guy Ive watched and learned from and hes done a lot of great things throughout his career, on and off the field, and hes a great role model for fellow players, kids and adults." New Orleans failed in its bid to capture an NFC South title and perhaps its struggles on the road this season didnt help. The Saints were an impressive 8-0 under the lights at the SuperDome, but 3-5 in enemy stadiums. Brees and the Saints captured a playoff berth with last Sundays 42-17 demolition of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as Brees passed for 381 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions and surpassed the 5,000-yard passing mark for the fourth time in his Hall of Fame career. Brees, who has eclipsed the 5,000- yard passing mark in each of the previous three seasons, threw a TD pass in every game this year, finishing with 39 total, 5,162 yards and 12 INTs. The Saints did not make the playoffs a season ago when head coach Sean Payton was suspended for the entire year because of a bounty scandal. Payton and Brees have formed a solid friendship both on and off the field, and the quarterback is ready to get going again for another Super Bowl run. "That is always where the expectation has been," Brees said of reaching the playoffs with or without Payton. "I know that we fell short of that last year and that was disappointing. We expected to be here with Sean, without Sean. Obviously having him back is great and he has a way of just little things to just kind of remind you of the focus and the opportunity and why we are all here." Brees, who won the Super Bowl in 2009, is the only player in NFL history with two or more 5,000-yard seasons and has three straight 300-yard passing games in the playoffs. New Orleans welcomed Payton back by winning its first five games, but stumbled in a road matchup at New England. The Saints responded by winning four of five games, then dropped three of the next four before closing the regular season by crushing the Bucs. The Saints probably thought winning the division would be a no-brainer because Atlanta struggled, but Carolina came out of nowhere behind Cam Newton to claim the division and a first-round bye. Much like the Eagles minus the ground attack, the Saints have a solid quarterback and plenty of talented pass catchers. Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham finished the season with 86 catches for 1,215 yards and 16 touchdowns, becoming the first tight end in NFL history to record at least 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns in two different seasons. Graham had six 100-yard games and is a huge target for the Saints. "Its been a good year for this team. We have been through a lot," Graham said. "We have had ups and downs. We have learned a lot from our mistakes." Graham and wide receivers Marques Colston (943 yards, 5 TD) and Kenny Stills (641 yards, 5 TD) get to line up against Philadelphias average secondary. The Eagles were last in passing yards allowed (289.8) and 29th in total yards allowed (394.2) in the regular season. They have played better on defense, though, especially against talented receivers in Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson and Brandon Marshall. But while Graham seems to be Philadelphias biggest issue, it will be running back Darren Sproles who can wreak havoc. Sproles was one of four players with at least 70 receptions (71) and finished with 604 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns. Running back Pierre Thomas aided in New Orleans pass attack by grabbing 77 passes for 513 yards and three scores. Thomas also had a team-high 549 rushing yards and two TDs. He is nursing a chest injury, but should play. The Saints, losers in three straight on the road, were second behind Denver in passing yards (307.4) and fourth in total yards (399.4). New Orleans and Philadelphia will meet for the third time in the playoffs, as the Eagles won back in 1992 and the Saints prevailed in 2006. 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Brayden Schenn and Scott Hartnell scored, Ray Emery stopped 32 shots and the Flyers beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 on Saturday for their fourth straight victory. Air Jordan China . -- Phil Mickelson came to the St.San Diego, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - The Arizona Diamondbacks selected catcher Oscar Hernandez of the Tampa Bay Rays organization with the first pick in Major League Baseballs annual Rule 5 Draft on Thursday. Hernandez, 21, had been in the Rays system since signing as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela. He appeared in 94 games for Single-A Bowling Green last season and batted .249 with nine home runs and 63 RBI. He may have put together one of the greatest Venezuelan Summer League seasons anyone will ever see in 2011, hitting .402/.503/.732 with 21 home runs. Hernandez led the league in batting average by 38 points, home runs by 13, slugging percentage by .238 points, total bases by 37 and on-base percentage by 39 points. Hernandez, though, has never come anywhere close to matching those numbers and isnt fully polished behind the plate There were 13 players taken in the major league phase of the draft on Thursday. If those players do not sign with their new team, they must be offered back to their original team, effectively canceling the Rule 5 Draft choice. However, once they spend an entire season on their new teams 25-man roster, their status reverts to normal and they may be optioned or designated for assignment. Of course, several players have succeeded through the Rule 5 Draft in the past, most notably Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana and 2010 AL MVP Josh Hamilton. Other pprominent players selected through the Rule 5 Draft include pitchers Joakim Soria, Matt Mantei and Antonio Alfonseca, as well as second baseman Dan Uggla and outfielders George Bell, Willy Taveras and Shane Victorino.dddddddddddd Players who are not currently on their teams 40-man roster are eligible to be taken in this draft, but only after a standard exemption period has elapsed. Also, only teams whose rosters are under the 40-man limit are eligible to participate. A player who is 18 when hes signed can spend five seasons in an organization before he has to be protected. Anyone who is 19 or older must be protected after four years. Once past that time of service, a player must be put on the 40-man roster if that team wants to keep him from becoming eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. MAJOR LEAGUE PHASE 1. Arizona Diamondbacks: C Oscar Hernandez, Rays 2. Colorado Rockies: IF Mark Canha, Marlins (Traded to Oakland) 3. Texas Rangers: OF Delino DeShields Jr., Astros 4. Houston Astros: RHP Jason Garcia, Red Sox (Traded to Baltimore) 5. Minnesota Twins: RHP J.R. Graham, Braves 6. Boston Red Sox: RHP Jandel Gustave, Astros 7. Chicago Cubs: SS Taylor Featherston, Rockies 8. Philadelphia Phillies: IF David Herrera, Rangers 9. Miami Marlins: LHP Andrew McKirahan, Cubs 10. New York Mets: LHP Sean Gilmartin, Twins 11. Atlanta Braves: RHP Daniel Winkler, Rockies 12. Seattle Mariners: LHP David Rollins, Astros 13. Baltimore Orioles: RHP Logan Verrett, Mets ' ' '