Die Hard Eagles Fan

With the 2008 NFL season about to begin, Eagles fans everywhere have reason to both be excited and optimistic about the upcoming season.  However, they also have every right to feel a sense of doubt and anxiety, knowing our franchise’s history.  To help deal with those feelings, let’s take a quick look at the NFC East, arguably the NFL’s most competitive division.

Washington Redskins:

The Washington Redskins are in interesting team to review.  Yet another new head coach for the Skins, bringing in a new system to learn.  This could be a season of turmoil for the Redskins, and as a Die Hard Eagles Fan, I sure hope so!  On offense, QB Jason Campbell is a solid and steady QB who still has potential to grow as a pro QB.  It will be interesting to see how he handles a new offensive scheme brought in by Head Coach Jim Zorn.  The Redskins’ strongest group in terms of offensive depth is probably their running backs.  Clinton Portis can be a very valuable and productive running back when healthy.  Back up RB Ladell Betts could be a starter on some other teams.  TE Chris Cooley continues to be a solid TE and a safety valve for Campbell.  I look for Cooley to have another solid year.  The two weak links that stand out to me on offense are the wide receiver and offensive line positions.  Except for WR Santana Moss, the Redskins have no decent receiver.  They tried to upgrade the receiving core on draft day, but injuries and learning the faster game of the NFL have slowed down that process.  Their offensive line has been inconsistent in the past and needs to stay healthy this year to help protect the QB and run the ball more efficiently.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Redskins need to be better at rushing the passer.  It starts up front.  They acknowledged this weakness by trading for dancing star and former Miami Dolphins DE Jason Taylor.  However, it may be too little, too late in my opinion as Taylor’s best days are probably behind him.  I think the Redskins are hoping that DE Andre Carter benefits from the attention Taylor will get.  Time will tell.  The LB core looks good on paper, but needs to be more efficient.  London Fletcher too has probably seen his best days.  The Secondary could be the deciding factor on whether or not the Skins have a solid defense.  It is key that CB Carlos Rogers and S LaRon Landry have exceptional seasons or it will be more of the same for the Skins.  A decent year, but not a good year, and my prediction is for the Redskins to finish up dead last in the NFC East.

New York Giants:

Is it just me or is there anyone talking about the defending SuperBowl champs, the New York Giants?  I don’t ever remember an off-season like this one where last year’s champs were off the radar so much going into the next season.  Retirement, injuries, trades, and free agency severely changed the Giants roster.  The jury is out there if they still have the firepower and drive to be competitive.  On offense, Superbowl MVP QB Eli Manning is out to prove last year was no fluke, using RB Brandon Jacobs and WR Plaxico Buress to move the ball down field.  Can the Giants replace TE Jeremy Shockey?  Do they have enough receiver depth to get them through a 16 game season?  These questions and more will need to be answered. 

On defense, Justin Tuck is now the key play maker.  Can he be productive without Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan anchoring the line?  It will be interesting to see how the Giants’ Linebackers respond to the adversity the defense is experiencing.  If the Giants front line doesn’t get good pressure on the opposing QB, it will be interesting to see how players like CB Aaron Ross and Rookie S Kenny Phillips perform.  In my opinion, the Giants will be competitive and be in most games.  However, how many of them they end up winning is the question.  I believe they will be just good enough to be 9-7 or 8-8, where many of their losses could be by only a few points.

Dallas Cowboys:

On paper, the Dallas Cowboys look to be at the top of the class in the NFC East, or maybe even the top of the entire NFC.  Weapons such as RB Marion Barber, WR Terrell Owens, TE Jason Witten, and QB Tony Romo give them a good core of elite players on the offensive side of the ball.  Throw in there that the Cowboys spent their number one draft choice on RB Felix Jones, and there is even more reason to expect fireworks from their offense each game.  Their offensive line is solid and one of the bigger lines in the league. 

The Cowboys look to have the best defense in the division too.  Their defensive line and linebacker core is very talented.  Their defense’s only weak link might be their secondary where there are some question marks with the ability of Safety Roy Williams being one of them.  Even with Jessica Simpson on site at games, I see the Cowboys winning the division and they should qualify for one of the NFC’s top two positions in the playoffs.  One question remains:  Can Tony Romo and Head Coach Wade Phillips win a playoff game?  As a Die Hard Eagles Fan, all I can say is I hope not!  The Cowboys have a lot to prove, still hurting from their home playoff loss to the New York Giants.

Philadelphia Eagles:

Questions loom on both sides of the ball, and even on Special Teams as well.  The injury bug gave us Eagles fans a couple of slight scares this pre-season, especially with WR Kevin Curtis and DE Victor Abiamiri.  Assuming the Birds can get by without these two players on the short term, the only reason why the Eagles will not be competitive is because of injuries.  If the Eagles can survive the injury bug, I foresee them winning a wild card and making the playoffs and playing the dreaded Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Championship game!  Here’s why:

On Offense, I believe #5 is back.  As McNabb goes, so do the Eagles.  I am not ready to hand the keys over to last year’s top pick, QB Kevin Kolb and either is McNabb.  If McNabb can stay healthy (and that’s a big IF), then there is no reason to project 4000 yards passing and around 30 TDs for the former Orangeman.  The Eagles have a solid offensive line although the depth and age at the OT position does make me nervous.  OG Shawn Andrews is a stud and the Eagles should run behind him all season long successfully.  Just as in every other year except for when we had TO, questions rise regarding if the Eagles receiving core is good enough to be a Superbowl competitor.  A healthy Kevin Curtis would help.  So would a healthy and consistent Reggie Brown.  If the Eagles can get rookie and pre-season sensation DeSean Jackson into the mix each week, it will have to keep defenses honest.  A successful season for the Birds means that TE LJ Smith has to have a very good season.  Along with a healthy McNabb, everything else revolves around RB Brian Westbrook.  What an enjoyable player to watch.  He runs, catches out of the backfield, blocks, and even returns punts when asked.  I look for Westbrook to have another fantastic and productive year being relieved once in a while by backups Correll Buckhalter and Lorenzo Booker.

This may be finally the year where the Eagles have an exciting return game on Special Teams.  We got a nice preview of the potential a couple of weeks ago when rookies DeSean Jackson and Quintin Demps each scored on a return against the Patriots.  Even if the Eagles do not score one Special Teams TD, I have to believe that the offense will be given the ball with better field position, thus making both the offense and defense better.

On Defense, the Eagles clearly need to do two things better than last year.  That is, get to the quarterback more and create more turnovers.  The Defensive Line has nice depth of talent.  DE Trent Cole should be even better than he was last year assuming everyone around him plays better.  The LB core needs to step up big this season.  Middle LB Stewart Bradley needs to be a solid tackler against the run.  Outside Linebackers Omar Gaither and Chris Gocong need to provide a nice balance stopping the run, pass coverage, and pressure on the quarterback.  If these three guys can step it up a notch, the defense will be quite successful.  What I am really excited about is the Cornerback position.  Assuming Lito Sheppard doesn’t cause any issues, I cannot wait to see when opposing offenses try to spread the field and The Eagles line up Sheppard, Sheldon Brown, and Asante Samuel out there all at the same time.  One of my all time favorite players, S Brian Dawkins is another year older and a step slower, but one cannot deny his passion for gameday.  If this is indeed “B-Dawk’s” last year in an Eagles uniform, I would love to see him go out on top as no other player I can think of deserves it.  With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S!!  EAGLES!!”

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