Finally, Eagles regular season football is upon us. We’ve gone through roughly 7 months of the grueling offseason. We’ve gained players, and lost players, as every other team has. We’ve been predicted to win the Super Bowl, and miss the playoffs completely. We experienced a less-than-pleasing preseason, but what does that matter anyway? We have finally reached the peak of excitement. Tomorrow–yes, tomorrow–the 2009 season will kick off for our beloved Philadelphia Eagles, and despite our issues, it’s sure to be an awesome day.

We will be without the services of two starting offensive linemen and a backup Linebacker when our Birds take the field tomorrow afternoon, but there remains an extreme amount of potential for the offensive unit, as well as the young defense. There were a few suprises delivered over the past few days, with the announcing of rookie Macho Harris officially getting the starting FS spot, and the confirmation that RT Shawn Andrews has re-injured his back and won’t be available to play Sunday (maybe that wasn’t so much of a surprise).

Despite Andrews’ inability to stay healthy and the tension surrounding how his replacement for tomorrow–Winston Justice–will perform, as well as the worries that will follow Macho Harris’ play at Safety, we as Eagles fans have to be thrilled that our team is back and ready to play. I think we overlook how great of a team we have the potential to be this season. Take the time to imagine what tomorrow could hold: Donovan McNabb completing a long TD throw to highly-ranked rookie Jeremy Maclin, or Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy combining for a monster rushing attack, or Asante Samuel intercepting a pass and returning it for 6 points, or…the possibilties are endless.

That is why tomorrow, at 1 p.m. ET time, our true “football selves” will return. Sure, some of us will get worked up over a bad play call or something of that sort, but that’s all part of the experience. Ladies and gentlemen, let me say it one more time: THE EAGLES ARE BACK! Now let’s–at least temporarily–push the thoughts of Shawn Andrews, Joe Mays, Todd Herremans, and every other hurting Bird from our minds and concentrate on the team that will indeed be playing tomorrow.

In the remainder of the post, you will find a brief rundown of the Eagles’ opponent, and a few things to watch for during the game, as well as an up-to-date injury report:

Opponent Breakdown

Team: Carolina Panthers

2008 Record: 12-4 (0-1 playoffs)

Overall: A monstrous running game headed by DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart led the Panthers to an NFC South title, and into the Divisional round of the playoffs. However, after playing in the regular season with much success, QB Jake Delhomme struggled in the postseason, and was part of the reason why Carolina was dropped from the postseason so quickly. Nevertheless, they remain one of the league’s fiercest offensive candidates, with WR Steve Smith lineing up on the outside, and the famous running attack from last year. Defensively, they are not one of the top in the NFL, but they rank fairly high, especially with young MLB sensation Jon Beason manning the middle of the unit, and Pro-Bowl DE Julius Peppers rushing the QB. Overall, the Panthers are probably one of the tougher opponents on the Eagles’ ‘09 schedule, but are certainly susceptible in certain areas.

Injury Report

RB Brian Westbrook knee pain Probable

FB Leonard Weaver sprained MCL Probable

WR Kevin Curtis knee pain Probable

OT King Dunlap elbow soreness Probable

OT Winston Justice shoulder pain Probable

OT Shawn Andrews back pain Out

OG Todd Herremans foot stress fracture Out

C Nick Cole knee pain Probable

DE Darren Howard strained groin Probable

DT Mike Patterson ankle pain Probable

OLB Moise Fokou shoulder pain Probable

OLB Tracy White rib strain Probable

MLB Joe Mays shoulder sprain Out

CB Dimitri Patterson ankle pain Probable

What to Watch For…

• Backup RT Winston Justice will get the start in place of the injured Shawn Andrews, and we’d all like to forget his last attempt at starting a game. Against the New York Giants in 2007, Justice allowed an uncountable amount of sacks, and was one of the primary assistants in giving the G-Men the chance to break the NFL record for sacks in a game. No matter, he will face a tough task dealing with the Panther’s defensive line, which happens to include the dangerous Julius Peppers. Be sure to keep an eye on Justice’s side of the line.
• When a 5th-round draft pick is playing in a starting position, you’ll always want to watch him. Everyone assumed Quintin Demps would take over the starting FS job after Brian Dawkins departed via free agency, but rookie Macho Harris out of Virgina Tech is the guy. His performance in his first real game should tell alot, and you should be on the lookout.
• Sean McDermott, who replaced longtime coach Jim Johnson as the team’s Defensive Coordinator earlier in the offseason, never exploited any aggressive blitzing packages or typical “Eagles-style defensive” calls in the preseason. But why would he? Tomorrow is when we could see the debut of McDermott’s methods of coaching, for he could be playing it safe, or taking an approach similar to Johnson’s–rough, aggressive, and passionate.

*For those who are actively using the Twitter network, you will find live “tweets” regarding the game from my profile (BleedGreenCody) at various points in the game.* *Also, be sure to visit our new partner website at www.blitznation.com, and catch some intriguing live blogging while Sunday’s games are being played out.*

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