The official Eagles Thread

[ColossalCanadian]

I live in Eagles country and all I hear is how they are gonna be the best team in the league this year, and was just wondering what some other football fans thought they were gonna do this year...

[inSTAALed]

Not even close to the best in their division.

[gobolt7]

Originally Posted by inSTAALed

Not even close to the best in their division.

Quoted for truth.

Depending on how hurt Portis is, I see the Eagles and Skins fighting for the cellar of that division. They just dont have much for McNabb to throw too.

[Transplanted Caper]

Originally Posted by gobolt7

Quoted for truth.

Depending on how hurt Portis is, I see the Eagles and Skins fighting for the cellar of that division. They just dont have much for McNabb to throw too.

Didnt seem to be a problem a few years back, but that was against weaker divisional opponents. But I can't help having a feeling that the Eagles will finish 2 or 3rd in the East.

[paulguenther]

Eagles finish 1st in the East in my opinion. NY is teribly overated. Looks like there might be some trouble in Dallas with this newly formaed QB controversy...Romo or Bledsoe? You'd think Bledsoe..that's if you're not Romo or Parcells. Watch out down there. And oh yeah, Washington....they should revert back to their losing ways this season. Washington will not make the playoffs.

[Dawkins20]

They have an outside chance of making the playoffs, but to do that they will need to steal some victories from NY & Wsh.

[druzus]

well lets break this down a bit:

the Eagles need to improve their D to do anything this year becasue everybody and their mother knows that the secondary and running defense was getting desimated last year. so, over the offseason the secondary regained their health and the back ups like wynn, hood, and ware gained some experience. Their season is dependent on many things just like any other team, but one of the most important things is the durability of their secondary. Dawkins is getting old...but can still look amazingwhen defending the run and layingout recievers who have their eye on the ball. Lewis got hurt last year and should be back in great shape, he is another great hitting defender who has one of the best hitting defenders to learn from in Dawkins...not to mention Lewis has his own experience as a pro bowl caliber player. Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown are both healthy coming into this year, and they are both as fast as lightning...especially Lito. Those two have been very, very good starters since Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent left. I look for them to be much more consistant this year, and to return to pro bowl type shape.

as for the rest of the D, the line looks effeing great...QBs with weak offensive lines beware because these boys aint gonna be playing around. you better bet Howard (aquired from the saints) looks great...and from what ive heard has been outstanding in camp. Kearse says hes better then advertised, this was a great signing by Philly. which takes me to kearse, who before last year was one of the fastest and most feared DE's in the league. well, last year he was still fast for an end, but not so much feared. I think hes gonna be able to tear it up this year, hes got a much better idea of how jimmy johnson wants to use him in combination with trotter and the rest of the linebackers. also, look for trent cole to be thrown into the mix on the ends of the line as he was one of the best linemen the eags had twoard the end of last year. the two year pro mike patterson will be teaming up with darwin walker to clog up the middle this year, along with sam rayburn (Reid favorite) and 06 first round selection Brodrick Bunkley, great support and depth to the trenches has been added. Mcdougle..i first rd pick who had to sit out all year last year is injured now and supposed to be out a few weeks, but he is another good depth lineman.

next, the linebackers look o.k. definatly where the eagles Dis weakest. Trotter does a great job clogging the middle but doesnt have the speed needed for pass coverage. while dahani jones plays on the outside and can defend the pass much better than trotter, its also worth mentioning he is a very smart person who takes his knowledge to the feild. simineau is an ok line backer whos assests are better used on the outside because he is smaller...but he plays middle too. nothing very good about him. I am looking forward to seeing shawn barber back from the cheifs and matt mccoys progression. the linebacking crew isnt that great individually, but i think Johnson uses their assets very well

the obvious key to the offense is whether or not mcnabb can come through with the offense 100 percent on his shoulders. Reid has full trust in Mcnabb, and it showed last year when durring some games the pass rush ratio was looking like 80:20...or 85:15. Also, Mcnabb will be depended on once again to use his legs to buy him time and yards on many of their plays this year. for those who say Mcnabb has no targets this year they are very much mistaken. Westbrook will get many yards off the pass, and Buckhalter might if he can stay healthy for more than a quarter. Hank Baskett looks like he has potential to be a very good player, but at this point he is a wild card. Reggie Brown will be entering his second year and has looked great in the past, and he is another player with great potential to step up...and so does Jabbar Gaffney who was the #2 reciever behind Andre Johnson in Huston last year. I have high expectations for Gaffney... the last three i mention along with pinkston (who is stinkston IMO) will be the top 4 recievers this year...greg lewis is #5. but lewis and pinkston both can catch the long ball. Mcnabb has pleanty of targets who can catch the ball this year, there just isnt one main guy like TO that draws double teams everywhere he goes.

However, the runningbacks look alright maily because i have high hopes for the third guy in the depth chart...Ryan Moats. ok ok...i know...hes not that good...but watch this kid run this year if you get a chance, he is the fastest guy they have hands down. again, buckhalter will be ok if he can stay healthy...which i doubt. and westbrook will be depended on for just about anything a runningback can do as he is their obvious # 1 this year.

nothing much to say about th FB position except i wish Ritchie was still here

The O Line looks nice and should supply the support Mcnabb needs to survey the feild and decide to use the legs or release the arm. Runyan and Thomas look to be back to regular form with winston justice to be backing them. justice was highly toutted at thisyears draft but ihavent heard much from him out of camp. at the Gaurd, Andrews will be back from injury and Herremans look o.k. Hank fraley and Jamal Jackson are both very good centermen. Barring whatever inevitable injuries occur this season, the line looks good.

Overall the eagles have addressed many of their needs and to me look excellent on defense. the offense depends on mcnabb, but he knows that they have for years now so theres not much of a change for him. What i like the best is our depth on the Defensive line and seconday this year.

[Dawkins20]

Jevon Kearse will be much more feared this year. With Howard on the other side he won't be consistentally harrassed by double teams. Look for the secondary to make a dramatic improvement with some pressure being put on the QB by the line.

[madr1000]

honestly, i think philadelphia should consider their season a success if they don't finish last in the east.

[druzus]

Originally Posted by madr1000

honestly, i think philadelphia should consider their season a success if they don't finish last in the east.

i agree that it is a very competitive division this year. i dont think the redskins are going to be able to keep up to be honest. and well see if the TO thing works for the cowboys, but thats a ticking timebomb. NY's sucess depends on manning and whether or not their d is as good as people say it is. i think its gonna be a fight between the Giants and Eagles for the division

[David Puddy]

Originally Posted by Transplanted Caper

Didnt seem to be a problem a few years back, but that was against weaker divisional opponents. But I can't help having a feeling that the Eagles will finish 2 or 3rd in the East.

Their defense was a monster a few years ago.

[DirtyHawgs]

Wheres the phillymaster.. I'm sure he has some comments on his beloved eagles

[kokotai]

I watched them in the last preseason game and I hope they do better than that. I love the Eagles.

[owens81]

Originally Posted by madr1000

honestly, i think philadelphia should consider their season a success if they don't finish last in the east.

well said

[druzus]

Originally Posted by owens81

well said

pffft, back to the cowboys thread with you walkon