Many Optimistic About Birds

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In the early stages of the offseason, it appeared to the majority of Eagles fans that the team was heading in the wrong direction. First, legendary and long-time FS Brian Dawkins was let walk into free agency (where he quickly signed with Denver for an overwhelming amount of money), and other established players such as RB Correll Buckhalter, OT Tra Thomas, and S Sean Considine were not brought back, while Pro-Bowl CB Lito Sheppard and backup WR Greg Lewis were traded away. If this were not enough, it was learned before these transactions that three of the Eagles' fine coaches were not going to be returning for the 2009 season. Pete Jenkins, a defensive line coach, announced his retirement shortly after the 2008 NFC Championship loss, and Mark Whipple, an offensive assistant, as well as Pat Shurmur, the QBs coach, both departed for jobs in higher positions elsewhere.

But after all of these saddening moves, the organization slowly but steadily crawled back into the favor of the fan base (I'm not saying that all of us "gave up" on the team's offseason, but I know for a fact that all of us experienced a moment of disappointment at one point in time). Former Bengal offensive lineman Stacy Andrews, FS Sean Jones, and FB Leonard Weaver were among the several free agents signed by the team, and a blockbuster trade that sent 3 draft picks to the Bills for Pro-Bowl OT Jason Peters also occurred as the offseason gained positive momentum.

 

As the Draft neared, a minor distraction was raised in the form of CB Sheldon Brown's contract controversy, but that soon dissolved, and the Eagles came out of the Draft with an explosion of young talent. The notable rookies to be selected--WR Jeremy Maclin, RB LeSean McCoy, TE Cornelius Ingram, CB/S Macho Harris, WR Brandon Gibson--have all appeared to be quality players and smart decision-makers in the mini-camps they have participated in.

 

And the rookies have not been the only ones to display much promise; backup players and determined veterans have shown incredible amounts of talent while practicing in camp, and it should be an exciting scene in Philadelphia when the team hits the field in full uniform during Training Camp in July.

 

The Training Camp roster has pretty much been set, with a few signings and releases taking place, as well as the restructuring of QB Donovan McNabb's contract. Now left with time to relax and prepare for Camp, there is not much news to be discussed about the Eagles. But there is a lot of praise for the team and bold predictions going around worthy of discussion. So sit back and read ahead for EVERY sports network's thoughts on the 2009 Eagles that we could dig up:

 

Sports Illustrated: The business responsible for publishing a widely-loved sporting magazine along with running a greatly organized and updated website has praised the Eagles several times this offseason, and they seem to be very optimistic about the birds' chances in 2009. Columnist Peter King wrote this in an article released shortly after the Draft: "...If I were a football fan looking for a team to root for, I'd pick the Eagles, and what they did on draft weekend is a big reason. The Eagles think. They don't do things the way they've always been done because that's the way they've always been done. For all the frustrations they've given their fans because they haven't won a championship in the 10-year Andy Reid Era, they've done what, as a fan, I'd like my team to do: They give their fans a chance every July at camp time to think they're going to make the playoffs and have a chance to contend for the Super Bowl. Isn't that what you want, as a fan? A chance, every year? What team every year in this decade has given you that chance? Philadelphia.". King isn't the only Sports Illustrated staff member to think positively about Philly; fellow columnist Ross Tucker recently spoke with Eagles' media sources and said this: "I think, on paper, they have as talented a roster as any team in the National Football League". Tucker went on to emphasize that the team must come together and work hard as a team to succeed, and pointed out one of his favorite additions to the team: "I like Sean Jones. I know how everybody feels about Brian Dawkins leaving. I've got buddies at home who are still in mourning ... Brian was and is a beloved player in Philly. I'm not sure Sean Jones will be a drop off, especially as it relates to playing center field on the back end in the passing game. Brian was starting to slip a little bit in that area. He was still an emotional, fiery leader and a punishing tackler, but more and more teams are going away from that eighth man in the box, the safety who makes tackles. You have to cover deep, and I think the Eagles are going to be OK in that area."

 

NFL Network: On the NFL Network's TV programs and official NFL website, analyst Pat Kirwan was quoted as saying "The Eagles had 16 different players sack the quarterback last year. That speaks to the creative scheming of the coaching staff and the roster depth assembled by the front office." Along with this complement, Kirwan also predicts that the Eagles will have one of the most feared defenses in the league in 2009.

 

ESPN: This mega-sports network which maintains several popular TV stations and a highly-visited website has mentioned the Eagles in positive ways many times since they've gone through their annual offseason changes. Reporter Matt Mosley believes that trade acquisition Jason Peters will "turn in one of the best performances in the league", and Mark Schlereth evaluated Donovan McNabb's contract raise with the conclusion that it was a smart decision. Other articles on the ESPN site have suggested that the Eagles will experience one of their best recorded offensive seasons, with praise circulating around rookie RB LeSean McCoy and the new pieces of the offensive line.

 

FOX Sports: Host of some of the Eagles' regular and postseason games, FOX Sports has also released comments of praise for the team and their chances of success in the 2009 season. Although they have looked at the team through skeptical eyes at some points, this network has based the majority of their interest in the team on their supposedly great Draft picks, which include Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy.

 

Bet Firms: This sports-betting business has predicted a major increase in success for the Eagles in 2009. Expert football analyst Jason Lowry said this in an article written earlier this month: "The Philadelphia Eagles might not of had the best regular season [in 2008] to date, as they finished just 9-6-1, but they found their way in the playoffs, making it all the way to the NFC Championship game. The Eagles run ended with a loss against the Arizona Cardinals, but all signs point to a very successful 2009 season...In just a matter of a couple years the Eagles have gone from having a pretty average receiving corps to one of the more talented bunches in the league. It might take a little bit for [Jeremy] Maclin to find the field as a starter, but with a healthy Kevin Curtis and the emergence of last year’s first round pick DeSean Jackson, the Eagles have quite the 1-2 punch. The Eagles also have quite the fight for the No.3 and No.4 spots, as you have the rookie Maclin, former starter Reggie Brown, the sure-handed Jason Avant, and a huge 6-4 target in Hank Baskett. All that and I have yet to mention tight end Brent Celek, who really emerged in the NFC Championship game with 10 catches. While the Eagles should have plenty of success throwing the football, the ground game should be even better in 2008 with the addition of McCoy. Brian Westbrook is still the starter and will get the bulk of the work, but with a solid back up like McCoy, the Eagles can avoid some wear and tear on their Pro Bowl go to guy. The line should be very good with the addition of Peters at left tackle, but it might take awhile for this unit to really mesh and play up to their potential. Overall this unit should be able to score with anyone in the league, and thats a pretty scary thing for everyone else with the defense they have to back them up...As long as this team avoids injury I think they cruise along in the regular season. They play a pretty tough schedule playing out of the NFC East, but I think the defense is going to really carry this team on the road. I not only
like the Eagles to win the NFC East, but they are my pick to win the Super Bowl
in 2009."
WhatIfSports: Perhaps the biggest prediction of all the sports network's expectations comes from the computer simulation program run by WhatIfSports, an online website used for various sporting events to predict scores, records, and statistics. The site determines predictions by evaluating each and every player on a team's roster, all of their statistical achievements, and every single category of football that you can imagine, and compiling into a process that simulates games and events thousands of times. The results are then calculated into a percentage, and the winning area of the calculation is dubbed the final score of a game, player statistic, or whatever else is being predicted. Paul Bessire, who runs the entire operation at WhatIfSports, said this about the system: "We use a simulation software that we've been building for almost 10 years (since 2000) that we've been honing for the NFL...We've also been doing it for baseball, basketball and hockey ... that takes into account every possible statistical interaction of the players on the field. By using all of the interactions to come up with probabilities for what could happen on each specific play, we simulate every single play of every single game to come up with an outcome. This is all based on very rigorous analysis. We try to account for everything we possibly can for what might happen during the course of a season. We start this process long, long before the season begins. The NFL is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year league. I strictly focus on the NFL starting with the draft, when the rosters come together." Below is the entire prediction that was accumulated from the simulation for the 2009 season:

 

The Eagles won the last wild card spot last year and were one big play away from the Super Bowl. This offseason, the Eagles bulked up their offensive line, added offensive weapons through the draft and replaced aging, disgruntled pieces in the secondary with younger players of similar ability. [According to the simulation,] All of these moves result in a team that earns the top seed in the NFC despite playing in the toughest division in football. The Eagles [will] average 22.8 points per game (#10 in the NFL) and only allow 13.4 points (#1) against a schedule featuring six games against teams who made the playoffs in 2008.

 

Most Significant Newcomer: Jason Peters - There is a lot to choose from here. Rookie running back LeSean McCoy may be crucial if Brian Westbrook misses more games than usual with injuries. Fellow rookies, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and tight end Cornelius Ingram could add explosiveness to the passing offense. Safety Sean Jones and cornerback Ellis Hobbs provide depth in the secondary. And offensive lineman Jason Peters and Stacy Andrews along with fullback Leonard Weaver were brought in to help keep Donovan McNabb upright. Peters, a two-time Pro Bowl selection at left tackle with the Buffalo Bills, is the most proven of the options. The 27 year old, 6'4", 340 pound former Arkansas tight end may not have had the greatest 2008 season statistically, but the praise for Peters from Eagles head coach Andy Reid, to new teammates, experts and opposing coaches indicates that Peters should be an upgrade over long-time Eagle Tra Thomas. It will be important to the success of Philadephia that all these pieces can blend together early. That starts with Peters and protecting the quarterback.

 

Biggest Strength: Defense - They may not have some of the most feared or even recognizable names in the game, but the Eagles have to be one of the most feared defensive teams in football. Led by 68 year old, defensive coordinator and king of the blitz, Jim Johnson, Philadelphia finished among the top five in the NFL in every important defensive statistic outside of forcing turnovers where the Eagles still ranked in the top ten. Gone are safeties Brian Dawkins and Sean Considine and cornerback Lito Sheppard, but second-year standout Quintin Demps and the aforementioned Jones and Hobbs may fit the Eagles even better in 2009. Our projections rank the defense as tops in the league in (fewest) points allowed at just 13.4 points a game.

 

Most Exploitable Weakness: Injuries - If the defense is the Eagles' biggest strength than the offense may naturally be the team's biggest weakness, but Philadelphia worked very hard to improve its offensive talent at every position (except quarterback where they are set). The greater concern is that said quarterback is an injury risk, as are the starting running back and one of the starting wide receivers. Brian Westbrook is a lock to miss a game or two every year and he just had off-season ankle surgery that may jeopardize the start to his season. Donovan McNabb played all 16 games last season, yet averaged just 12.3 healthy games per year from 2002-2007. Kevin Curtis, who is slated to start alongside DeSean Jackson at wide receiver, missed seven games in 2008 and had multiple groin surgeries (ouch) in the last few months. Everything about this team looks promising heading into the season, but that could all change very quickly with an injury to one of the team's key weapons.

 

Possible Fantasy Football Sleeper: LeSean McCoy, RB - These projections were run with Brian Westbrook missing three games a season on average. That may actually be a little optimistic. Our projections see Westbrook ranking tenth among running backs in fantasy value with 1,534 total yards. McCoy, a second-round draft choice out of Pittsburgh, averages 18 touches a game in his three starts and 7 touches a game when Westbrook is healthy. In total, McCoy nets 784 total yards and seven touchdowns. It is unlikely that Brian Westbrook misses the entire season, but in that case, McCoy would project to 1,557 total yards and 12 touchdowns as the feature back making 16 starts.

 

Closest Game: @Washington Redskins (Week 7) - First, it should be noted that the Eagles are favored in all 16 games. The easiest way to win a division is to beat the teams in your division. This is the first of three games against each NFC East foes. And with games against the Giants and Cowboys at home, the Eagles can put themselves in great shape to win the division by taking this game on the road to start that stretch.

 

Projected Stats: Donovan McNabb 3,449 yards, 21 TDs, 11 INTs; Brian Westbrook 1,534 total yards, 11 TDs; LeSean McCoy 784 total yards, 7 TDs; DeSean Jackson 59 receptions, 888 yards, 5 TDs; Kevin Curtis 49 receptions, 548 yards, 3 TDs; Brent Celek 34 receptions, 443 yards, 2 TDs; David Akers 39/39 XPs, 28/33 FGs

 

Projected 2009 Results: 12-4 regular season record, Super Bowl victory

Now, the listed praise of the Eagles can be found on many other sports networks, however, these were the most notable sources that we discovered. After reading all of this optimism and projections for the Eagles in 2009, I hope that you are just as excited. Remember, the predictions that were mentioned are just predictions...they don't always come true, but hey, I wouldn't mind if they did.