PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
2009 RECORD: 11-5-0
(2nd in NFC East)
HEAD COACH: Andy Reid
Key Additions: RB Mike Bell (FA/New Orleans), DE Darryl Tapp (trade/Seattle), DB Marlin Jackson (FA/Indianapolis), LB Ernie Sims (trade/Detroit), LB Alex Hall (trade/Cleveland)
Key Losses: QB Donovan McNabb (trade/Washington), CB Sheldon Brown (trade/Cleveland), LB Jeremiah Trotter (FA), RB Brian Westbrook (FA/San Francisco), S Sean Jones (FA/Tampa Bay), LB Will Witherspoon (FA/Tennessee), WR Kevin Curtis (FA), WR Reggie Brown (trade/Tampa Bay)
Offense: Kevin Kolb will get his chance after the Eagles traded long time starting quarterback Donovan McNabb to Washington.
Kolb filled in last year when McNabb was hurt and passed for 741 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions.
Michael Vick will be the backup and showed some old flashes of brilliance, but for the most part he will be used sparingly unless Kolb struggles or gets injured.
Brian Westbrook, another fixture in the Eagles' offense through the years, is also gone via free agency to San Francisco.
The Eagles will rely on LeSean McCoy (637 yards rushing with four TD), Mike Bell (654 yards with five TD with New Orleans in '09) and fullback Leonard Weaver, who ran for 323 yards and scored twice. McCoy is also a good receiver out of the backfield, having made 40 catches in 2009.
The primary wide receivers are play maker DeSean Jackson (62 catches for 1,156 yards and nine touchdowns) and Jeremy Maclin, who made 56 catches for 773 yards and four touchdowns.
Tight End Brent Celek is a perfect compliment to the speedy wideouts and led Philly with 76 catches last season good for 971 yards and eight touchdowns.
Jason Avant (41 grabs for 587 yards and three TD) and Hank Baskett provide depth at wide receiver for the Eagles.
The line consists of center Jamaal Jackson, guards Todd Herremans and Stacy Andrews and tackles Winston Justice and Jason Peters.
Defense: The Eagles were making adjustments a year ago with a new defensive coordinator and at times it showed.
They finished 12th in total defense last season, allowing 321 yards per game, but proved to be an opportunistic defense that accumulated 25 interceptions and 44 quarterback sacks.
Trent Cole led the Eagles with 12.5 sacks and will start at defensive end along with Darryl Tapp, who was acquired from Seattle in the off-season. Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley are the tackles in the 4-3 scheme. Juqua Parker (eight QB sacks) is also available on the defensive front line.
The linebackers are Stewart Bradley in the middle along with outside linebackers Akeem Jordan and Moise Fokou.
The secondary is led by Asante Samuel, who tied for the league lead with nine interceptions in 2009. He is the left cornerback along with Ellis Hobbs at the right corner. The safeties are Quintin Mikell and Marlin Jackson. Quintin Demps and rookie Nate Allen will provide depth in the secondary.
OUTLOOK: If Kolb can be a consistent quarterback, the Eagles can continue to soar in the NFC East, where they finished 11-5 last season. Remember, two years ago, this team came very close to reaching the Super Bowl.
There have been numerous changes in personnel and Head Coach Andy Reid has been a solid fixture for over ten years in Philadelphia.
With the speedy receivers and consistent running attack, the Eagles should score some points again in 2010. They finished fifth in scoring in the NFL last season with 429 points.
The defense must be more consistent after getting torched at times last season. They gave up 337 points, which ranked 19th in the NFL.
In the always tough NFC East, Dallas looks to be the favorite this season and the New York Giants are looking to rebound from a .500 finish in '09. Washington now has McNabb at QB and who knows what to expect from them.
Philadelphia may well be a playoff team again but that will ride on the play at quarterback. A 9-7 finish is the likely outcome this season, but the Eagles could be better or worse.
TEAM SCHEDULE:
Week 1- vs. Green Bay
Week 2- at Detroit
Week 3- at Jacksonville
Week 4- vs. Washington
Week 5- at San Francisco
Week 6- vs. Atlanta
Week 7- at Tennessee
Week 8- Bye Week
Week 9- vs. Indianapolis
Week 10- at Washington
Week 11- vs. NY Giants
Week 12- at Chicago
Week 13- vs. Houston
Week 14- at Dallas
Week 15- at NY Giants
Week 16- vs. Minnesota
Week 17- vs. Dallas
No comments:
Post a Comment