Here in Philly

[TerpsEagles]

So what will you say if, and it's a big if, but if the Eagles STILL finish higher than the Skins in the division ?

[dockeryfan]

So what will you say if, and it's a big if, but if the Eagles STILL finish higher than the Skins in the division ?

Not with Trey Darikek as the center, Lewis/Brown/Mcmullin at WR, Chad Lewis added as a spark at TE?, McNabb throwing wormburners this year, and an O-line that doesn't remember how to run block now that they are going to try that.

I really don't see it. Maybe wishful thinking on my part.

[Henry]

So what will you say if, and it's a big if, but if the Eagles STILL finish higher than the Skins in the division ?

I've said the same thing about the Eagles for the past four years. Feel free to look it up.

As long as McNabb is on the field anything's possible. This year, however, if he goes down you guys are done. Period. You simply don't have the defense to carry the team like you have in year's past, you don't have a running game of any kind, and the division is just too tough.

So yeah, I could see the Eagles winning the division and maybe even a playoff game. But honestly, to me that's the best case scenerio at this point. The rest of the NFC is MUCH stronger than it was a year ago, and the Eagles are considerably weaker. I think even you can agree with that.

[Carlito Sway]

Honestly, I can see the Eagles beating the Boys and then sweeping the Giants. Because much as I hate to say it, we got punked in the Mara game and I *still* think the Giants are overrated. Will just make for a much longer fall from grace . . . the Eagles won't go out like the Skins did against Big Blue. That's why I seriously thnk the division could fall into Gibbs' lap if he continues to win the games he should (Bucs this Sunday, for example)

[Henry]

I agree with every criticism that's been put out there except for the fact that the Eagles WR's are "practice squad" material. Reggie Brown, a seldom used rookie prior to Sunday, is gonna be a star for them very very soon.

Reggie Brown flashed some of that potential on Sunday night in his first ever NFL start against our great secondary. Being as that he was my sleeper pick in my fantasy football draft this year, I made a point of watching him closely. He really showed me something, (I was there in sec 409 woohoo!)

Now, we could have played that slant of his better, but let's not take away from the fact that the man ran his route perfectly and didn't flinch at the prospect of getting whacked by our DB's. He also caught 4 more passes making for almost 100 yards and a TD in his debut. The guy displayed really good hands and a quick burst while matched up against our secondary, which is no small feat regardless of our recent struggles.

I think he'll rip up Dallas, and he'll only get better with Owens gone and more plays designed for his combination of speed and quickness. Practice squad guy? Nope.

Perhaps that's an exaggeration. It is a simple fact, however, that the Eagles are now without both of their projected starters. Now, maybe they've sported exceptional #3 and 4 WRs all this time and we all just never new it. Even if that is the case, I would guess that the Day One #5 and #6 guys are now going to get much more playing time than the Eagles had hoped at the beginning of the season. I'm not sure how many WRs the Eagles kept on their roster, but I'm guessing eventually they'll have to start pulling up projects to fill spots.

[SonnyJ]

All Philly had to do was yield a little, and break off TO a little bread... some sort of middle ground. But NO. They stood their ground and expected TO to be a happy camper throughout the season. How naive. I knew TO was going to shut it down once things got a bit tight. And this year, it is more than tight with the return of the old skool NFC east smash mouth football. TO was not going to risk injury playing for 'minimum wage' as he calls it. Lurie had the money and the cap room to make something happen. But they (philly managmt) miscalculated big time. They failed to notice that the 3 teams around them in the NFC East were getting better. They thought that worst case scenerio, they'd go 5-1 in the NFC East (as usual) and pick up 6 more wins from the other 10 games. That was the miscalculation. Now, they got no running game. McNabb is walking on 1 leg. And They got practice squadders masquerading as professional NFL WR's. Simply put: When you are cheap, you get what you pay for. Nuff said.

The problem for the Eagles is that accommodating TO would run contrary to their whole organizational philosophy. Treating players the same, setting a price and refusing to budge, system rules above all, etc. They've let a lot of popular players go over the years due to this philosophy (right or wrong). They've been cold-blooded in their assessment - no sentimentality in that group. If they start making exceptions, they could start having a whole host of issues.

And it's largely worked. It hasn't reaped the big prize, but they have been a consistently contending team since 2000. But the chinks are starting to show. Contrary to popular belief, I don't believe TO has been the biggest problem this season for them. Henry alluded to it, but the one constant this team has had has been its defense. Even when McNabb was a callow QB getting by on moxie and his legs (certainly not his arm), the defense won games for them.

And now it isn't. It can't be leaned on as it could in the past. Maybe it'll regain its form, maybe not. I wouldn't mind seeing them do it over the next two weeks, but I kinda doubt it. The Eagles just don't have that swagger about them. As silly as it sounds, I was a little disappointed that the Redskins didn't win by more on Sunday. While I should have just been happy with finally slaying "the King", I was more relieved that they hung on. Kind of like I felt after beating the Bears in week 1.

Philly is still dangerous. You can't count them out. They are still capable of winning on sheer muscle memory. Much as I dislike them, that is a high-character bunch over there. But I think the Eagles will just be playing out the string when the Redskins next play them.

[SonnyJ]

Henry, you forgot that the Eagles have that future HOFer McCants playing for them. He'll make everyone forget about TO.

:laugh:

[TerpsEagles]

Henry, that's pretty much the case w/ the majority of teams.. and almost all teams in our division... if your QB goes down, you're in trouble. McNabb looked better last Sunday than he has all year, but I agree w/ you.

And Dockery, you know the Eagles VERY WELL... closet fan ?

Or do you know other teams that well too, aside from the Skins and Eagles..... other than the bad slant you put on my team, which is expected from a fan of a division rival... you know them very well.

Just an observation, not a jab, if anything a compliment.

[TerpsEagles]

Henry, you forgot that the Eagles have that future HOFer McCants playing for them. He'll make everyone forget about TO.

:laugh:

Reggie Brown might. :paranoid:

[budski]

Well the eagles better do something, soon. They will beat the cowboys though after that I dont know.

[Henry]

Henry, that's pretty much the case w/ the majority of teams.. and almost all teams in our division... if your QB goes down, you're in trouble. McNabb looked better last Sunday than he has all year, but I agree w/ you.

Actually, I disagree. If our QB goes down, we have a guy that started 7 games for us last year that can step in. We have a running game we can lean on more heavily if we have to.

The dropoff from McNabb to Detmer MUCH larger than it is for Brunell to Ramsey. But beyond that, the importance of McNabb to your offense is FAR greater than Brunell's to ours. We pass the ball 55% of the time whereas you do so 71% of the time. Even worse for you is the fact that while our passing game accounts for 65% of our total offense, yours accounts for a staggering 84%.

Then there's defense. Our run defense is a little soft, but overall we are still #7 in the NFL in yardage and 13th in points allowed. Your once-vaunted squad is currently sitting at 26th and 23rd, respectively.

This year, even moreso than in other years, McNabb is keeping your ship afloat. As he goes, sso do the Eagles. Much, much moreso than Brunell and the Redskins.

[Dirk Diggler]

Again, Alexander was a free agent this past offseason. Philly had TONS of money under the cap. Bash Snyder all you want, but had he been the Eagles owner, Alexander would be an Eagle right now. You think anyone would give a hoot about TO now if they had a 1700 yard back in the backfield?

Instead, they muck around with Westbrook, run the ball less often than any team in the history of the world, and now they are now stuck with a couple practice squad players leading their WR corps. Poor Andy Ried, FINALLY trying to establish some kind of a running game with Westy against us, yet it doesnt work? Really? What a shocker.

Too late now. There is no running game in Philly. Your best runningback is struggling with a sports hernia. And if McNabb goes down the Eagles are done. Not just average, not struggling, but done. Squashed. Game over. They've ridden Number 5's arm and legs for five years and used it as an excuse to largely neglect the rest of the offense, and it's about to catch up with them, because the ONE time they brought in a decent player to compliment him, they low-balled the guy and it's backfiring. Don't get me wrong, I think TO is the biggest dufus in this mess. But he's not the only one.

In fairness, Alexander was franchised - not a UFA like Kearse who you can just buy. I suppose he could have been had for less than 2 #1s but who knows? It's not the Eagles style to parlay picks for vets. Then you have to cough up the big bucks and give SA an extension that makes him among the highest paid backs in the league. And this is assuming you are willing to make the philosophical change from McNabb's offense to Alexander's offense. Hey - right now it seems like the better alternative but it's asking a lot to change philosophies coming off of a NFC crown when everything seemed to work.

[lunarluau]

:eaglesuck Disarray. Glad to hear that their team is falling apart. Couldn't happen to a better group of fans. :eaglesuck

[raperry2]

Every Iggles fan I have ever known is never content unless they are in misery and ****ing about the team....this thread just confirms what I know.

:eaglesuck

:laugh:

[The Full Monty]

Perhaps that's an exaggeration. It is a simple fact, however, that the Eagles are now without both of their projected starters.

Well everyone knows that.

Just to play devil's advocate, Reid liked using Greg Lewis a lot last year anyway and probably hasn't forgiven or forgotten Pinkston's "alligator body", so the dropoff from Owens/Pinkston to Owens/Lewis at the start of the year was nothing dramatic.

Sunday night showed us that with Owens gone, Reggie Brown, a rookie 2nd round pick from Georgia stepped up and had a great rookie debut against a great secondary on national tv. Will he always play like that? Maybe not. But the kid will be a star very soon and while he won't put up Owens-like numbers, I think he'll prove himself worthy of the high draft pick.

Ultimately the real problem with the Eagles, even with a healthy McNabb, has been their total lack of a running game. That doesn't work in the NFC East no matter how good your receivers are.

[Monte51Coleman]

On a side note:

This thread is EXACTLY why I enjoy this site so much. Civilized discussions being well presented in an educated, articulate, and mature fashion. How refreshing. Nice job guys!

[Henry]

Well everyone knows that.

Just to play devil's advocate, Reid liked using Greg Lewis a lot last year anyway and probably hasn't forgiven or forgotten Pinkston's "alligator body", so the dropoff from Owens/Pinkston to Owens/Lewis at the start of the year was nothing dramatic.

Sunday night showed us that with Owens gone, Reggie Brown, a rookie 2nd round pick from Georgia stepped up and had a great rookie debut against a great secondary on national tv. Will he always play like that? Maybe not. But the kid will be a star very soon and while he won't put up Owens-like numbers, I think he'll prove himself worthy of the high draft pick.

Ultimately the real problem with the Eagles, even with a healthy McNabb, has been their total lack of a running game. That doesn't work in the NFC East no matter how good your receivers are.

Just because I enjoy arguing ...

You're right about Pinkston. He was nothing exceptional. He's a guy that's good for 30-50 catches and 600-700 yards.

Lewis is on pace for about 600 yards. So, while the dropoff is nothing significant, I don't think that means Lewis is all that great, but rather Pinkston was a rather pedestrian #2. Am I losing my mind or didn't we all (meaning anyone who followed football in any way) figure Philly had the best #1 WR and the worst #2-4 WRs in the division?

Sure, these backup backups now pressed into starting roles might shine spectacularly. Anything's possible. But one of the thing's Philly has often been criticized for is its inability to get McNabb decent WRs to throw to. I mean just because James Thrash averaged 55 catches for 650 yards with the Eagles, that doesn't mean he's a legitimate starter in this league, rather it goes to show what a heck of a job McNabb does with limited talent. I think that will be the case with Lewis and Brown this year as well. Which again is why I say as McNabb goes, so do the Eagles.