2008 Season Outlook
if you listen to the local media and some fans, the eagles are on the downside and will be looking up at the cowboys all season.
- awful offseason!
- keep trading away first round draft picks!
- lito sheppard!
- no wideouts!
- andy reid keeps saying they're good enough at wideout!
- why is andy so "arrogant"!
- why can't the eagles admit their mistakes!
- the eagles can't draft!
- why are the birds so cheap! go ahead and trade 2 first rounders for anquan boldin!
the wip sheep continue to bleat about how the lack of a big time receiving threat means that the birds have no chance of winning -- as if football hinges on that one position.
i've been doing my best to ignore it. i've definitely been busy, it's true, but even if i'd had the time, i would have had no interest in participating in that nonsense -- and it is nonsense.
compare that to some of the things being written about the birds by outsiders:
- in addition to the birds being projected to be the second best team in the league based on projected DVOA, one of the writers at footballoutsiders.com thinks the birds will win the superbowl
- at sportsillustrated.com, more than half of the writers think the birds will win the division or gain a wildcard spot. one of them picks the birds to make the superbowl, and another picks them to make the nfc championship game.
- over at espn.com, they have 16 writers making season predictions and they have one picking the birds to win the division and 11 picking them for a wildcard. meanwhile at the same site, the sports whiner says this about the birds:
i'm keeping my fingers crossed and predicting 11-5 for the season.
W - St. Louis
L - @Dallas
L - Pittsburgh
W - @Chicago
W - Washington
W - @San Francisco
W - Atlanta
L - @Seattle
W - N.Y. Giants
W - @Cincinnati
W - @Baltimore
W - Arizona
L - @N.Y. Giants
W - Cleveland
L - @Washington
W - Dallas
- awful offseason!
- keep trading away first round draft picks!
- lito sheppard!
- no wideouts!
- andy reid keeps saying they're good enough at wideout!
- why is andy so "arrogant"!
- why can't the eagles admit their mistakes!
- the eagles can't draft!
- why are the birds so cheap! go ahead and trade 2 first rounders for anquan boldin!
the wip sheep continue to bleat about how the lack of a big time receiving threat means that the birds have no chance of winning -- as if football hinges on that one position.
i've been doing my best to ignore it. i've definitely been busy, it's true, but even if i'd had the time, i would have had no interest in participating in that nonsense -- and it is nonsense.
compare that to some of the things being written about the birds by outsiders:
- in addition to the birds being projected to be the second best team in the league based on projected DVOA, one of the writers at footballoutsiders.com thinks the birds will win the superbowl
- at sportsillustrated.com, more than half of the writers think the birds will win the division or gain a wildcard spot. one of them picks the birds to make the superbowl, and another picks them to make the nfc championship game.
- over at espn.com, they have 16 writers making season predictions and they have one picking the birds to win the division and 11 picking them for a wildcard. meanwhile at the same site, the sports whiner says this about the birds:
This seems like a good time to mention the Patriots, Cowboys, Eagles and Jaguars might be the four most talented 2008 teams. Anyway, I see those four forming a reliable upper class along the lines of the glorious 2004 gambling season, when New England, Indianapolis, Philly, San Diego and Pittsburgh finished 63-12 in the first 16 weeks and you could throw any three of them into a 10-point teaser without even blinking. It's New England, Jacksonville, Dallas and Philly, then San Diego and maybe Green Bay, and then everyone else.as i've said before, i think the whole season comes down to the health of mcnabb -- not whether they are able to get a true number one receiver (though obviously if they get one i'd be ecstatic). if mcnabb and westbrook stay healthy, i think they go at least 11-5 and have a shot at the division title. all bets are off if one or both get hurt.
i'm keeping my fingers crossed and predicting 11-5 for the season.
W - St. Louis
L - @Dallas
L - Pittsburgh
W - @Chicago
W - Washington
W - @San Francisco
W - Atlanta
L - @Seattle
W - N.Y. Giants
W - @Cincinnati
W - @Baltimore
W - Arizona
L - @N.Y. Giants
W - Cleveland
L - @Washington
W - Dallas
Labels: football
posted by The Mean Guy at 9:56 AM
3 Comments:
Cataldi is an idiot. He and his numbnuts crew lambaste everything Eagles and stupidly enough, they choose Don as their #1 target. I have been down on Don because he keeps getting hurt. I will amdit his choking in big games is bad, but he is THE key to all success they have had and all future success they will have. He is the best they've had at the position while I've been a fan and to rail on him for stupid reasons is a clear show of buffoonery. Cataldi and Rhea clearly never played sports and are not very intelligent. Al and Hugh know their stuff, but get overwhelmed by that screaming moron.
Flip side, Eskin is an idiot. 100% moutpiece for the team who ignores all of their flaws and kisses Reid's ass incessantly so he can keep getting invited back for interviews and keep feeling like one of the guys. He berates Knowledgeable fans every time they raise a legit point. The Eagles need no WR and anyone who thinks otherwise is a moron. Hmmm.
The truth about the Birds lies somewhere far away from these turds. I generally agree with the Birds approach:
1. Don't leverage the future for the present-trading 2 first rounders for Boldin is assinine. the only player you even consider doing that for is a QB in his prime-Brady.
2. Be fiscally responsible-pay guys worth paying.
3. Value QB, OT, DE, and CB. Every other part is interchangeable.
4. Draft best talent available. If no first round talent matches the level you'd get in round two, trade it and get more in round two and pay less for it.
5. Be consistent in your coaches and message. The longevity of familiar faces builds trust.
6. NEVER publicly throw players or any member of the organization under the bus.
All of these core tenets are great and admirable. Where I scratch my head and get down on them stems from some of the following:
1. You throw the ball 70% of the time, yet your WR stink. The one year you had a stud WR, your offense was untouchable and your QB had a career, hall of fame type year. Your QB is supposedly your best player and most valued player, why constantly give him Torrance Small, James Thrash, Reggie Brown, Na Brown, Hank Baskett, and Todd Pinkston to throw to? I feel bad for McNabb because of their unwillingness to get an elite WR who could elevate him to the player he can be. Brady has Moss, Romo has TO, Manning has Wayne and Harrison, Young had Rice, Aikman had Irvin. I realize that you may not get one of those all time WR, but you can't do better than starting the season with Jason Avant, LJ Smith, Hank Baskett, and a rookie? That makes zero sense to me.
2. Big Red is stubborn. Stop with the arguments. the man IS stubborn. how else do you explain the terrible game day adjustments when your game plan clearly doesn't work. Yumeniora made his season sacking Don 6 times. Reid never chipped and helped out on him because "that wasn't the game plan". When his plan works they succeed, but he cannot adjust on the fly.
3. Reid is a piss poor clock manager 10 years in. he will undoubtedly blow a time out or two tomorrow because he cannot get the play in or has the wrong personnel package. that either means your plays require too much thought and verbiage or your personnel packages aren't flexible enough. I am sick of this every game after 10 years.
4. Reid makes some awful draft/free agent decisions that he does not admit and amend. Justice sucks. I don't want to hear how the coaches must see something. He was moved to RT and he can't block. My eyes tell me he sucks and if he ever plays a snap, they are in trouble. Admit the error, cut him and move on. Why keep his roster spot from a betetr athlete? Mahe fit this bill as did Pinkston and Parry.
5. The organization doesn't know how to hanle controversy well. TO kileld that season, now Lito and dickheadhaus are popping off, how can that be good? At some point you knew both issues would blow up and you did nothing. Cut the player or trade the player, but you cannot keep malcontents.
I expect this year to be 10-6, but this team is not of championship caliber. All of the sabermaticians forecasting big things for them just need something to kick up dust. The team lacks big play people (aside from 36) and needs long sustained drives to score. They also lack playmakers at DE who can change the passing game. Their special teams are so-so. That is not a championship team. Donny will will them to 10 wins, but there is too much age at OT and not enough studs int eh stable for a deep run.
I am a realist, not a sheep. This team does some great things and some head scratching things. On the whole they're better than most teams, but not in the upepr echelon of teams. I think that is a fair assessment.
Bumble
That was a pretty impressive offensive performance considering both starting WR were out. Please, oh please, oh please, may Jackson not be a one game wonder. Those were 2 outstanding catches by him.
It's a shame the D came up 5 yards short of a shutout. They deserved it.
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