Hard truths to face before '06 Season

[MURP]

the offense has plenty of excuses as to their poor play. The Defense has none, which really pisses me off.

I disagree with that statement. The LBs have been terrible and the defensive line has been shakey at best, and the play calling and execution has been down right terrible imo. I think the FO will go after some DL and LB help via free agency and spend some of that money.

thats my point Mikey.  Most of the defense has played like crap all year, but most of them were the starters going into the season.  Its not like the defense is all backup players.  (which the offense basically is due to injuries.)  The Defense has no excuse for their awful play this season.

[PhillyandBCEagles]

Anyone have any idea what our cap situation is looking like for next year???

good, as usual. 

That's what I thought, but someone on another board was trying to tell me we're slated to be $15 mil over the cap next year.  Was pretty sure that's not true (or if it is it's not taking into account the fact that we have a million guys under contract right now due to injuries) but wish I had a link to back it up.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

$15m or more under is probably significantly closer to the truth.

[BobbyT]

It's bad.  But let's be realistic.  The bad is compounded by the rash of injuries.  We're basically fielding a second or third team squad.  Now, I'm sure the team could tolerate a backup playing here or there without that much of a dropoff-- but when they're all on the field at once, it magnifies the problems exponentially. 

We've lost our probowl QB, both starting WRs, our starting FB (Ritchie to injury, basically), 3/5ths of our starting o-line, our "big" back, our starting corner, a projected starting DE who would be better suited against the run...blah, blah, blah.  There are not many teams that would look good dealing with that.  And that's not even considering the overall pallor from the Owens mess.

Right now we're looking at inferior talent and/or lack of experience...all trying to learn to play together late in the season against teams with actual playoff hopes.

This team has needs...but it's really rough to get an accurate read on that right now because of the situation.

Well said

[PhillyGirl]

That's what I thought, but someone on another board was trying to tell me we're slated to be $15 mil over the cap next year.  Was pretty sure that's not true (or if it is it's not taking into account the fact that we have a million guys under contract right now due to injuries) but wish I had a link to back it up.

Damn bandwagoners.

[JTrotter Fan]

With 15 players either on IR or PUP...what more do you need for an excuse.  Not to mention a 16th player, whom will not be named, that is done for the year.

[General_Failure]

That's what I thought, but someone on another board was trying to tell me we're slated to be $15 mil over the cap next year.  Was pretty sure that's not true (or if it is it's not taking into account the fact that we have a million guys under contract right now due to injuries) but wish I had a link to back it up.

Damn bandwagoners.

There are many words in the English language. Bandwagoners is only two of them.

[Don Ho]

Those of you thinking all is lost for next year and beyond because of last night or the way they've played this year are going overboard.   

Teams have had poor years and rebounded to get right back in the SB mix with the same coaching staff and core group of players before. 

The Pats didn't make the playoffs after beating the Rams in 2002, then came back and won SB in 2004 and 2005.  Sure they weren't as bad as this year's Eagles, but they didn't lose their starting QB and have a similar debacle like the TO situation. 

The Rams went 7-9 after losing that SB and then went 12-4 the next year. 

The Panthers went 7-9 last year after losing in the SB the year before, and may be the best team in the NFC this year.  Again, their down year wasn't as bad as this year, but they also had their QB for the whole season.

I keep thinking about those same scenarios but what concerns me is those teams although they had losing records the next year they weren't horrible.  Actually the Panthers were probably the hottest team in football the last half of the season. 

The birds look down right awful this season but I will hold off on any judgement regarding the future until we see what FO does with FA and the draft(maybe they'll get it right one of these years).

[PhillyGirl]

The Pats were HORRIBLE that year! And so were the RAMS!

[Wingspan]

The Pats were HORRIBLE that year!

the patriots went 9-7 and lost out on the playoffs by a tiebreaker.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

The Eagles could still go 9-7!


Haha.  Just kidding.

[PhillyGirl]

They were still horrible. THey had pretty much dominated the year before, and the 2 years after.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

They were still horrible. THey had pretty much dominated the year before, and the 2 years after.

That 2003 9-7 Pats team was probably better than this year's Pats team.

[PhillyGirl]

You think? I don't.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Yes, I do.  That year's team had some legitimate contenders in the division in the Jets and Miami.  This year, the AFC East is a big-time joke, and the Pats are simply the best of the worst.  They will probably face the Jaguars in Foxboro in the wild-card round, and I think they lose that game.