Hard truths to face before '06 Season

[Eaglez]

I think the biggest problem with this Eagles team is the front 7.

Keep Cole, Kearse, and Patterson and ditch the rest. Rayburn, Hollis, and the like are all wastes of money and get no push up the middle. I'm not so much concerned about the ends and I think they would be helped out immensely if we had quality DT's to push the line of scrimmage backwards. The middle of the line usually gets pushed backwards/gets stopped in their tracks. It would also help greatly against the run and and force a lot of plays towards the outside.

Saying that, we need two very good OLB, so when the rush gets pushed vertically we can have the speed and range at that position in order make those plays laterally. Otherwise it does us no good.

So my two main concerns for the defense in the offseason are:
1. 2 DT's
2. 2 OLB's

As for the offense, I think we need to focus on the line. A new C, and G are needed, and a big play threat at the WR corps for McNabb. Also a good FB to open up holes and allow Westbrook to run through and follow. Westbrook had his best rushing year running behind Ritchie. He needs a similar backfield mate that isn't afraid to bust up skulls and blow people up. Josh Parry is not that type of player.

So for the offense:
1. G
2. C
3. FB
4. Playmaking WR

Hopefully those positions can be addressed in the draft. And if the Eagles get a top 10 choice, I would be open to trading it for possibly 2 later 1st rounders or a couple of spots drop and an early 2nd rounder; just so we can get higher quality rookies in the fold who can make an impact now.

[methdeez]

Not to mention that a disciplined Trotter in coverage on that 3rd down play would have resulted in a Seattle FG....not a TD...

You cannot expect them to not give up a ten yard pass when the QB has 8 seconds.

[General_Failure]

So they're allowed to be stupid after ... what? Four seconds? Five?

[methdeez]

So they're allowed to be stupid after ... what? Four seconds? Five?

6.7864456
It's in the handbook.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Some good posts in here...

1. New OLBs
2. A big RB who can pound the A gaps for short yardage
3. A real goddamn FB
4. A real backup QB
5. An approach to the off-season where they are not afraid to admit mistakes and go fix them
6. A real WR
7. Heart, guts and balls

[QB Eagles]

Then again, because of his Hall-of-Fame level of production, the FO (and the fans) would probably have made an exception and made sure to keep Reggie around past 30 a la Dawkins.

dawkins is no hall of famer but i understand your point.

I disagree. I think Dawkins has a great shot at the Hall of Fame. At least as good a shot as Eric Allen. He was clearly the best free safety in the league for a long time, and many of the sportswriters who vote on the HoF have written so. Dr. Douche is already on record saying he thinks Dawkins is a shoe-in, but that old coot will be dead by the time Dawkins' chance comes up.

As of now I'd say he's the only current Eagle with a 50% chance to get enshrined.

[General_Failure]

So they're allowed to be stupid after ... what? Four seconds? Five?

6.7864456
It's in the handbook.

JJ knows Trotter can't read, right?

[henchmanUK]

Then again, because of his Hall-of-Fame level of production, the FO (and the fans) would probably have made an exception and made sure to keep Reggie around past 30 a la Dawkins.

dawkins is no hall of famer but i understand your point.

I didn't say that Dawkins was necessarily a Hall-of-Famer (although he has a chance to be), but I'm glad you can understand my point.  The Eagles haven't had a player on defense that changes games like Reggie did since he left for Green Bay.  I don't think any front office with the cap room would let a player like him go, even one like ours that tends to allow "aging" players to find another team.

Speaking of defensive linemen, Jevon Kearse is stealing money as he routinely gets swallowed up by single blocks.

FF, I agree with everything you say in this post. The worst thing about Monday night was, on the night they were honouring Reggie, "The Freak" decides to put in his usual no-show.

[ice grillin you]

first things first...pinky is average at best...they only miss him because hes better than greg lewis...the mistake made was not in undervaluing pinky but in that just about everyone overvalued greg lewis...the lemmings all followed reid and bought into his god complex in thinking an undrafted free agent wr who isnt fast (where is the myth of greg lewis' speed thread?) or big could play in the league

outside of sheldon trotter and dawkins the defense is unbelievably soft...get some men out there and get rid of everyone else

reid needs to go as coach

they need to find out and find out quick how many if any of these young lineman can play...i havent seen enough of them to make that judgement myself but the second the season ends they need to have a sit down with juan castillo and have an organizational roundtable on the future of the oline

while i am the last person to use injuries as an excuse and i hope andy doesnt pass the whole season off as wasted due to injuries but the fact of the matter is with a healthy mcnabb this team would have had a legit shot at a wild card...not saying that would have been good enough but the difference btwn him and the back up qb's is ridiculous...which if nothing else should tell andy to get a quality back up qb next year...that is a must in todays nfl

this season can be summed up in a single number...ONE...that represents the number of free agents the eagles signed in the offseason...and his name was mike mcmahon...that is NOT good

[Eaglez]

Yeah I would add a quality backup QB to the fold as well. I don't know who could possibly be out there though who could pick up the offense and contribute right away if need be.

Maybe Favre will decide to stay a few years in Philly to hang out with Reid and shoot the sh!t.

The T position might need to be addressed too. I don't know what is going on with Runyan. They might need to pursue someone in the draft or pick someone to possibly replace him. I'm not sure about the young guys but I'm guessing Herremans will be getting a lot of reps for the rest of the year and we can better evaluate him at the end of the year.

Also, we need some quality depth across the line. I know I mentioned new DT's, but we also need to keep the rotation fresh along the ends. I don't care for Kalu and Juqua Thomas is garbage. Maybe McDougle can come back and contribute, but having essentially sat on the bench for his entire pro career I can't imagine him doing that great. With that being said, I think McDougle should have to fight for a position on this roster - meaning that he doesn't automatically get a spot and must earn it by going up against some good FA acquistions and draft picks. 

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Maybe Favre will decide to stay a few years in Philly to hang out with Reid and shoot the sh!t.

Saint Brett has made it clear that he will retire when his career as a starter in Green Bay is over.

[Zanshin]

lol...Lewis was never meant to be a starter.  He was going to be a third receiver, and he would have been fine at that.

People crack me up. 

"ooooohhh....the sky is falling, the sky is falling!"

It's a bad, snakebit season.  Deal with it and lighten the farg up.

[bobbyinlondon]

Some good posts in here...

1. New OLBs
2. A big RB who can pound the A gaps for short yardage
3. A real goddamn FB
4. A real backup QB
5. An approach to the off-season where they are not afraid to admit mistakes and go fix them
6. A real WR
7. Heart, guts and balls

Phreak, you might need to add this name to your wish list--Jon Kitna. He really is the only viable backup that's due to be a UFA in 2006--unless you want to go with reclamation projects such as Joey Harrington or David Carr, if they're cut.

[SunMo]

lol...Lewis was never meant to be a starter.  He was going to be a third receiver, and he would have been fine at that.

he would have?  i don't know about that, he's soft as a reciever and a 3rd WR, slot guy needs to be able to fight for a ball.  he certainly can't do that.

"ooooohhh....the sky is falling, the sky is falling!"

It's a bad, snakebit season.  Deal with it and lighten the farg up.

yeah good point, why would people be upset about a 42-0 loss at home on monday night football?  i just don't understand it.

[ice grillin you]

its so cool when people tell you the proper way to deal with the eagles results


its also revisionist history to say that when pinky went down there wasnt a ton of fans who thought that lewis would step right into the #2 slot and prove that he was nfl starter material...as did andy