Sporting News Eagles Preview

[PhillyPhreak54]

Scouts View
I think you've got to give Brad Childress a lot of credit for Donovan McNabb's development. He's done a really nice job of getting into Donovan's hip pocket and saying "OK, this is what we need to do". McNabb has become an accurate thrower, and last year was by far the best season of his career....I think the Eagles have the best secondary in the NFC. The corners are very good. You don't see them giving up big plays. And I love the two safeties, Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis...They'll miss Ike Reese. Any time you take a special teams player as valuable as Reese out of the equation, its going to hurt.

Reasons For Optimism
Start with Donovan McNabb who arguably is the best quarterback in the conference and the second-best in the league. McNabb dramatically improved his completion percentage and passer rating last season while still making big plays with his arm and feet. McNabb calls RB Brian Westbrook "The Ultimate Weapon." Westbrook (5-10 205) is a tough runner for his size, has excellent speed and makes defenders miss. His greatest strength is as a receiver coming out of the backfield or lining up in the slot. There might not be a linebacker or safety in the league who can cover Westbrook man-to-man. Last season the Eagles sent three defensive backs to the Pro Bowl, and the one who did not go - Sheldon Brown-had a really good year. Brown, Lito Sheppard, and Dawkins and Lewis allow Defensive Coordinator to do whatever he wants with the front seven. The special teams, led by David Akers, again will be a strength. The coverage units got off to a rough start in the exhibition season, but they will improve under respected coach John Harbaugh.

Reasons For Concern
There is little depth and even less experience behind the starters on offense. The projected backup lineman are two rookies - T's Todd Herremans and Calvin Armstrong - are two players who never played a down in the NFL - G Adrien Clarke and either G/T Trey Darilek or C/G Jamaal Jackson. The backup wide receivers have caught four passes - all by #4 man Billy McMullen. The projected #3 is rookie Reggie Brown. Don't be surprised if a veteran wideout is signed after final cuts around the league. The Eagles are also expected to pursue a veteran RB because Correll Buckhalter's season ending knee injury left them without experienced depth. The backup tight end figures to be an undrafted rookie, either Stephen Spach or Andy Thorn. The team has depth on the defensive line, but it needs one of its right ends to provide a good pass rush opposite LE Jevon Kearse. Starter ND Kalu is coming off a serious knee injury that sidelined him all of last season.

X-Factor
On the field, Terrell Owens has looked like the All-Pro receiver who averaged 15.6 yards per catch and scored 14 touchdowns last season. Off the field is where problems could occur. He still wants a new contract and isn't speaking to McNabb. If Owens acts up, he could spoil what looks to be a super season for the Eagles.

Starter Rankings
1-5 with 5 being the highest

WR - Terrell Owens - 5
LT - Tra Thomas - 5
LG - Artis Hicks - 3
C - Hank Fraley - 3
RG - Shawn Andrews - 3
RT - Jon Runyan - 5
TE - LJ Smith - 4
WR - Greg Lewis - 2
QB - Donovan McNabb - 5
FB - Jon Ritchie - 2
HB - Brian Westbrook - 5

LE - Jevon Kearse - 4
DT - Darwin Walker - 3
DT - Hollis Thomas - 3
RE - ND Kalu - 3
OLB - Keith Adams - 3
MLB - Jeremiah Trotter - 5
OLB - Dhani Jones - 3
CB - Lito Sheppard - 5
CB - Sheldon Brown - 4
SS - Michael Lewis - 5
FS - Brian Dawkins - 5

K - David Akers - 5
P - Dirk Johnson - 3
KR - Rod Hood - 3
PR - Dexter Wynn - 3

I bolded that little blurb about the depth on the DL...why? Because MARK ECKEL wrote that optimism, concern, x-factor blurb. Funny that he should write it, eh?

[PhillyPhreak54]

Bringin' It With David Akers

Each team has this little segment with a player on the team...Akers reps the Birds.

Weirdest pregame ritual: "Hugh Douglas is nonstop.He doesn't shut up. He talks. He sings. He listens to the strangest music, and he knows all the words.

Funniest trash talker: Hugh again. He trash-talks his own team. He has names for everyone. He's the one who started "Big Red" for Andy, and he calls Trot "Pantyman." He's relentless.

Worst thing I've seen in a pile-up: Let's just say I've seen guys go for the wrong ball.

Most unique locker: Brian Dawkins'. It's all that X-Man stuff. He has every figurine that Marvel, or whoeverm has made. He has posters and masks and all that. And it fits him too, because he's like a superhero - mild mannered off the field and a hero on it.

Cheapest teammate: Koy Detmer. I'll call him frugal. He only spends money on food and video games, never on clothes or a car. He used to borrow toothpaste from me.

Most wired teammate: Jason Short. We have a lot of guys - Dawk, Trot-, but we call Jason "Full Throttle" for a reason. After we played the Giants, their guys were telling other teams, "Watch out for No.52; he's crazy".

Bet you didn't know this about Andy Reid: He builds ships in little bottles.

Worst ride: Koy Detmer's, by far. The one he has now is a billboard (with ads for a local car dealer), but it's so covered you  can't even read it.

[PhillyGirl]

Bringin' It With David Akers

Each team has this little segment with a player on the team...Akers reps the Birds.

Weirdest pregame ritual: "Hugh Douglas is nonstop.He doesn't shut up. He talks. He sings. He listens to the strangest music, and he knows all the words.

Funniest trash talker: Hugh again. He trash-talks his own team. He has names for everyone. He's the one who started "Big Red" for Andy, and he calls Trot "Pantyman." He's relentless.

Worst thing I've seen in a pile-up: Let's just say I've seen guys go for the wrong ball.

Most unique locker: Brian Dawkins'. It's all that X-Man stuff. He has every figurine that Marvel, or whoeverm has made. He has posters and masks and all that. And it fits him too, because he's like a superhero - mild mannered off the field and a hero on it.

Cheapest teammate: Koy Detmer. I'll call him frugal. He only spends money on food and video games, never on clothes or a car. He used to borrow toothpaste from me.

Most wired teammate: Jason Short. We have a lot of guys - Dawk, Trot-, but we call Jason "Full Throttle" for a reason. After we played the Giants, their guys were telling other teams, "Watch out for No.52; he's crazy".

Bet you didn't know this about Andy Reid: He builds ships in little bottles.

Worst ride: Koy Detmer's, by far. The one he has now is a billboard (with ads for a local car dealer), but it's so covered you  can't even read it.

ahahahaha! Funny shtein!

And Hugh is most definitely NONSTOP. At dinner that night, the guy talked my ear off (and ate the rest of my dinner when I was finished). No wonder all of the players used their Bose gift cards (sponsor of the show) to buy these QuietComfort headphones for plane rides. LOL

[T_Section224]

Most wired teammate: Jason Short. We have a lot of guys - Dawk, Trot-, but we call Jason "Full Throttle" for a reason. After we played the Giants, their guys were telling other teams, "Watch out for No.52; he's crazy".

[MURP]

Ritchie gets a 2 as an FB eh?

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Cheapest teammate: Koy Detmer. I'll call him frugal. He only spends money on food and video games, never on clothes or a car. He used to borrow toothpaste from me.

That's awesome.  I also like that AR builds ships in a bottle.  I don't know why, but I do.

[Larry]

That's probably how Reid develops his unending patience.

[General_Failure]

Pantyman. That needs more circulation.

[PhillyGirl]

Pantyman. That needs more circulation.

Took you half a day to point that out, GF...you're slipping. 

[Eagles 3x]

Why Pantyman? One can only hope that it's because he collects panties from all his conquest.

[General_Failure]

Pantyman. That needs more circulation.

Took you half a day to point that out, GF...you're slipping.

Yes, how dare I not see that while I was sleeping.

[rjs246]

Whatever hippy.

[PhillyGirl]

Pantyman. That needs more circulation.

Took you half a day to point that out, GF...you're slipping.

Yes, how dare I not see that while I was sleeping.

lazy farg. Up at 3:30am posting and sleeping all day. Nice life, slacker.

[General_Failure]

I was up at 6 am, too. How 'bout you princess.

[PhillyGirl]

I was up at 6 am, too. How 'bout you princess.

If you were up that early, you'd have read it.

King lazyass.