| Jeff Risdon. 5th September, 2006 - 2:50 pm
 Last season: 6-10
Coming: DE Darren Howard, WR Donte Stallworth, LB Shawn Barber, QB Jeff Garcia
Going: WR Terrell Owens, WR Todd Pinkston, C Hank Fraley, FB Josh Parry, G Artis Hicks, DE N.D. Kalu, QB Mike McMahon
Rookies of note: WR Hank Baskett, WR Jason Avant, DT Brodrick Bunkley
What I like: The DL is revamped and should improve an already decent run defense. DE Howard and rookie DT Bunkley will provide better backfield penetration, which will alleviate the need to blitz as often as 2005. That plays to the strength of the team: the secondary. Their S combo of Brain Dawkins and Michael Lewis is the envy of the league. The top 3 CBs are all pretty good #2 corners; no elite cover man but very strong overall. QB Donovan McNabb is healthy once again and looks to reclaim his status as MVP candidate. The OL in front of him is also healthy and has an infusion of strong young talent. If the injury bug strikes the OL once again, competent NFL linemen with upside take over. Donte Stallworth is a godsend at WR, a field stretcher with proven experience. RB Brian Westbrook remains one of the most versatile and agile runners, and backup Ryan Moats is a big play waiting to happen every time he touches the ball. This offense was 6th overall in 2003 with lesser talent at WR and McNabb and Westbrook having good seasons. The entire organization has put 2005 behind them, and there’s a tangible sense of refreshment and focus with these Eagles. Dumping cancerous diva WR Terrell Owens restores team harmony and brotherhood. Though they play in a tough division full of bitter rivalries, the Eagles benefit from a last-place schedule, drawing GB and SF instead of SEA and CHI.
What I dislike: They’ve got a lot of badly overrated guys all over their defense. DE Jevon Kearse is no better than average, but they expect him (and pay him) to be a dominating Pro Bowler; newbie DE Howard is strictly a speed rusher, terrible against the run; LB Dhani Jones is a great talk show guest, not a good LB. They also start last year’s rookie flop Matt McCoy. Even rookie DT Bunkley (who will start) has major flaws; he’s a guy who will be in the backfield on every play, even when the runner goes right through the hole he just vacated. They use their very good safeties closer to the line than most, which puts lots of pressure on the CBs, who are decent but lack speed and are all iffy tacklers. The OL is rebuilt and should take some time to gel, and all the depth is completely untested at the NFL level. Other than Stallworth, none of the WRs have proven much, and all are being asked to play at least one spot above where they’d be on the depth chart on most teams. So many key players (McNabb, Westbrook, LT Tra Thomas, CB Lito Sheppard, Howard) are coming back from injuries and surgeries, so durability is a major concern. Depth at QB and RB isn’t as good as in previous seasons. If McNabb goes down this team will struggle to score 10 points a game around Jeff Garcia, who cannot throw a ball 20 yards with any more velocity or accuracy than a 7th grader. Every divisional game is going to be a bloodbath, and their December is a nightmare: CAR, @WAS, @NYG, @DAL, ATL.
Best case: The team rebounds, McNabb and Westbrook both look like it’s 2004 again; the secondary plays great and the front 7 is better than average versus both the run and pass; the youngsters at WR and OL show they are ready for NFL play; removing TO energizes and revitalizes a team that nearly won the Super Bowl after the 2004 season.
Worst case: See 2005 with the injuries, disharmony, and ineffective QB and WR play. Losing 4 or all 5 of those December games would result in a major overhaul next offseason. The injury bug has already cost them two rookies they were counting on to contribute and hastened the departure of former starting WR Pinkston.
Prediction: I believe 2005 was a fluke for them. They’re nearly as good as they were in 2004 when they won 13 games and went to the Super Bowl. But this Eagles team really reminds me of their 2003 version, which struggled a bit on defense but featured a strong ball control offense and great special teams and won 12 games. That win total is unrealistic thanks to all their division mates being significantly better and that brutal December schedule. I like the Eagles for 9 wins and just missing the playoffs, unless they win their way in by taking the NFC East with a December sweep. |
