2006 Eagles preview
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There seemed little doubt in training camp or preseason that quarterback Donovan McNabb had returned to form after missing seven games last season following sports-hernia surgery. Whether the Eagles will return to the form they demonstrated in winning four straight division titles (2001-04) and playing in Super Bowl XXXIX remains to be seen. One could probably pick this team to finish first or last in the NFC East and make a pretty compelling case either way.
That said, Monday's addition of speedy wide receiver Donte' Stallworth fills a big need and bolsters what appeared to be a shortcoming. It allows second-year veteran Reggie Brown to return to the No. 2 role (for which he is better suited) and should create some voids in the middle of enemy secondaries for standout tight end L.J. Smith. The big questions on offense are whether tailback Brian Westbrook can stay healthy and whether coach Andy Reid will run the ball more after a 2005 season in which the Eagles had the NFL's most lopsided offense.
Philadelphia suffered through so many injuries on defense last season that coordinator Jim Johnson was forced to cut back on his trademark blitz packages. That shouldn't be the case this year, even though the linebackers, outside of Jeremiah Trotter, remain question marks. The addition of end Darren Howard, a superb technician and a difficult matchup for opponents when he moves inside to tackle in nickel situations, should boost the pass-rush.
A healthy Donovan McNabb will be key this year. The West Coast offense requires a good tight end, and the Eagles have two: L.J. Smith, their leading receiver last season, and Matt Schobel. RB Brian Westbrook is a major threat as a receiver and has been effective when given the opportunity to run the football. Defensive end Darren Howard should help the pass-rush.
For a pass-happy team, the Eagles never seem to invest in a quality wide receiver. The only vertical threat is Todd Pinkston, who is still hampered by his Achilles injury. Eagles fans better hope McNabb does not get injured this season, as the team has no real backup. The lack of a running game or the commitment to one will allow teams to concentrate on the pass.
The Eagles should be more competitive this year, but so should the rest of the NFC East. The lack of a go-to receiver will hurt McNabb's effectiveness and should prevent the Eagles from making the playoffs.
Prediction: Fourth in NFC East.
Jeremiah Trotter is widely recognized as one of the best run-stuffing linebackers in the NFL, but his 2005 metrics show that he still might be underrated in this respect.
Trotter faced 72 point-of-attack (POA) blocks (the 12th most among linebackers), and he defeated nearly one-half of those blocks. His 35 defeated run blocks were easily the highest total for a linebacker. Trotter was also one of the best linebackers in the league at shooting through a gap to stop a running play. He did this nine times last year, which was second only to Larry Foote's 12.
Trotter isn't one of the best run stuffers in the league. He is the best.
| Team Preview Centers |
| Key Stretch |
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Nov. 6: at Baltimore Nov. 20: Indianapolis Nov. 27 Baltimore Dec. 4 at Pittsburgh |
| Comings & Goings |
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Key Acquisitions: DE Darren Howard; TE Matt Schobel; LB Shawn Barber; WR Jabar Gaffney; QB Jeff Garcia. Key Departures: |
| Offensive Starters (as of 8/30) |
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RB Brian Westbrook FB Josh Parry QB Donovan McNabb WR Reggie Brown RT Jon Runyan RG Shawn Andrews C Jamaal Jackson LG Todd Herremans LT William Thomas TE L.J. Smith WR Donte' Stallworth |
| Defensive Starters (as of 8/30) |
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LDE Jevon Kearse LDT Darwin Walker RDT Mike Patterson RDE Darren Howard SLB Dhani Jones MLB Jeremiah Trotter WLB Matt McCoy LCB Lito Sheppard FS Brian Dawkins SS Michael Lewis RCB Sheldon Brown • Complete roster |
