Eagles Window Is Closed?
It is the perception of some that the door to a SB has been shut for the Eagles. This sounds exactly like several years back after the loss to the Pats. I guess the basis for this is:
1) McNabb will never get them there,
2) There's no great RB on the team,
3) The defense is atrocious.
Setting aside issue #1 which has been debated to death, here is my rebuttal as to why the window is not closed:
1) To win the SB you need a big play threat. That has traditionally come out of the RB position on this team, however DeSean is now that guy.
2) McCoy did a serviceable job as a rookie. There's no reason to think he can't step up in year 2. And frankly, the entire offense is very young and there's no reason to think they can't be better this year. This is after having an explosive offense last year.
3) Given #2, the defense doesn't have to be lights out in order for this team to have a shot. Get them up to average and you keep the window open.
4) Say what you will about this coaching staff, but they always put winners out there.
5) There is no dominant team in the NFC. The Saints were very good last year, but they do not strike me as head and shoulders above the rest of the NFC. If there's no dominant team, then that increases the chances of a good team squeaking in to the SB.
And maybe that's why people are so down about this team. We look back at the dominant teams the Eagles had, garnering the top seed in the playoffs, and we're clearly not looking at the same type of team here. But that does NOT mean the window has slammed shut. Frankly, there's only a handful of teams that have no shot (CLE, STL, DET) and there's many more that can make the playoffs. This is a team that can make the playoffs. This is a team that can win in the playoffs. It's not a given, but it's definitely a possibility. Especially before we've even gotten to the draft.
So don't give up quite yet.
1) McNabb will never get them there,
2) There's no great RB on the team,
3) The defense is atrocious.
Setting aside issue #1 which has been debated to death, here is my rebuttal as to why the window is not closed:
1) To win the SB you need a big play threat. That has traditionally come out of the RB position on this team, however DeSean is now that guy.
2) McCoy did a serviceable job as a rookie. There's no reason to think he can't step up in year 2. And frankly, the entire offense is very young and there's no reason to think they can't be better this year. This is after having an explosive offense last year.
3) Given #2, the defense doesn't have to be lights out in order for this team to have a shot. Get them up to average and you keep the window open.
4) Say what you will about this coaching staff, but they always put winners out there.
5) There is no dominant team in the NFC. The Saints were very good last year, but they do not strike me as head and shoulders above the rest of the NFC. If there's no dominant team, then that increases the chances of a good team squeaking in to the SB.
And maybe that's why people are so down about this team. We look back at the dominant teams the Eagles had, garnering the top seed in the playoffs, and we're clearly not looking at the same type of team here. But that does NOT mean the window has slammed shut. Frankly, there's only a handful of teams that have no shot (CLE, STL, DET) and there's many more that can make the playoffs. This is a team that can make the playoffs. This is a team that can win in the playoffs. It's not a given, but it's definitely a possibility. Especially before we've even gotten to the draft.
So don't give up quite yet.
Labels: football
posted by Chasing10K at 12:20 PM
20 Comments:
The problem is that you need at least a serviceable D, which they don't have. And drafting a bunch of rookies there won't improve it much, so your D isn't going to dramatically improve. It was awful last year-see Dallas weeks 16 and 17.
Their O line is also bad. Maybe the Andrews sisters can get healthy and both grow sets of testicles, but barring that, the O line is extremely average by NFL standards.
I like Jackson, but let's not gloss over the fact that he got completely shut down not once, not twice but thrice by their division rival Cowboys. He is an amazing talent, but physical cover corners can jam him and stifle him.
McCoy looked promising, although he is nowhere near as fast as some of the elite RB in the league. They need another RB for sure.
And to say that the division is average...well that's just plain wrong. Minnesota is very good if Favre comes back, Dallas is very good, and the Saints are very good. Throw in teams that underachieved last year like the Cardinals, Panthers, Giants and Falcons and this is a very competitive league. The Birds sit in that latter pool. Could win, but probably aren't going to.
Bumble
and what in God's name are they doing at QB? You can only play 1, right? You only truly need 2, right? They need to turn that excess position into something that will help them in FY10/11.
Bumble
I have a feeling the Eagles are going to trade Kolb to Dallas and get DeMarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, Mike Jenkins and Jason Witten and return.
No way, Big Dog. Dallas will not include Jenkins in that deal. Ware, SPencer, Witten and probably a mid round draft pick should get it done.
Captain
yeah, Dallas will throw in Cliff Harris, Charlie Watters, Bob Breunig, Too Tall Jones, Randy White, and Harvey Martin
I'm not saying that there aren't very good teams in the conference. I just don't see them as that much farther ahead of the Eagles.
MIN: If you're banking on a 40+ year old QB to make you "elite", then that's a recipe for disaster. I don't care who he is.
NO: Just because their D dramatically improved (so why can't ours would be a good question) doesn't mean they'll fall right back off this year.
DAL: Their skill position players are starting to get a bit old, I'd never bet money on Romo in crunch time, and this team ALWAYS underachieves vs. its talent.
All those underachieving teams could improve, but then you could say the same thing about the Eagles. Again - no one looks unbeatable. So why not us? You can't honestly say this team has no shot at the playoffs. And once you're in, you've got a chance. Way, way, WAY too early to write this team off.
Wow !! I've never met anyone who's glass is always half-full. Kudos to you, Phil. You're a great fan, but I'm still not sold.
Dog -- You forgot Randy White's brother Danny White. Then you can bring back the reverse, end around, pass to the wide open QB chugging down the opposite sideline. That need's a name, it's not really a wildcat play.
Captain
I'm not writing them off, I just don't think they're good enough. Remember, this is a team that should be setting the "gold standard". That gets rammed down our throat every chance the owners can do it. Gold implies best to me. This team is not even top 10 by NFL standards, so either it isn't truly a gold standard or someone's definition of what gold means is a helluva lot more forgiving than mine.
Bumble
Randy White isn't Danny's bro. Randy White was one tough SOB. Delaware guy, grew up in Hockessin and went to U. of Maryland. Played DT at like 240-250, but just a beast. If you lived in DE you must be tough. That college produces nothing but scholars and difference makers (U of Delaware)
Randy White isn't Danny's bro. Randy White was one tough SOB. Delaware guy, grew up in Hockessin and went to U. of Maryland. Played DT at like 240-250, but just a beast. If you lived in DE you must be tough. That college produces nothing but scholars and difference makers (U of Delaware)
I find it interesting that no team is willing to pay a first or high second for Don. He is good and some teams are a QB away from being very good (San Fran, Arizona). Is this a classic case of calling the Birds bluff and caving late in the game or does every other team see the injuries, the small play in big spots, and the fact that Philly is trading from a position of weakness and at best we'll see a 3 or worse, no trade?
Interesting stuff.
Bumble
Age, big contract, small play in big spots, Eagles in a pickle....all very valid concerns. Unless Favre retires and Childress wants to take another immediate shot at it, I don't see anybody else ponying up anything significant. The QB controversy this season may be more entertaining than anything we'll see on the field.
Captain
Is it just me, or has Reid the GM botched this 15 ways from Sunday? Every day that goes by, their position of weakness only deepens. 3 QB who can play would seem ideal, but not if all 3 want to be and in essence could be starters. That is nothing short of a cluster f&ck.
Bumble
PS-Ha ha, my word verification is dicula. Heh heh.
What does it say when you have a Pro Bowl QB, who is still relatively young (early 30s, I guess that is debatable), who is considered one of the best in football and no one is jumping at the opportunity. I am sick of hearing how spoiled we are in Philly to have him and we just didn't deserve him and are classless...blah blah blah....well, NFL now is your opportunity to have him....why the silence? This is messed up....it truly is a money situation that the Birds botched up...Reid should have just stayed on the Donovan is my starter kick....no one believed it, but the coach didn't publicly kill any trade that way. No one wants Vick for that price....Kolb is in essence untouchable and Donovan's $ alone is cost prohibitive.....but you can't go back now, can you???? Let's hope the draft frenzy pushes someone to pull the trigger on something silly.
Trade Sheldon Brown ? Who's going to tacke in the secondary ? Who's going to lead the defense on this team ? I know sheldon was a bit if a b*tch last off-season, but he played a very solid year. Played hurt, didn't whine, pout or quit like Lito and was the best player on our defense. We've added a guy with 2 bad knees, and Sheldon's back-up had a season ending neck injury. Nice.
Oh, and we don't know who the QB is gonna be, but he have 10 (count 'em, TEN) draft picks.
Captain
I go back to my "why did they ever draft Gocong?" rant of the past several years? If you need an LB, draft an LB.
Brown was tough and a leader. This team has none of those.
Reid the GM has no effing clue right now. My observation is that he over values the players he has and he's been such a turd to veterans that no one would want to come here to play.
Get ready for a sub 7 win season boys. This team as currently concocted sucks like the new kid in Boys town.
Bumble
So anything happening tonite?
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Pre Pack Administration
Nice Post...
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