POLL: Which team improved more this offseason - Redskins or Eagles?

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

Its funny... we are arguing and agreeing. This will all be water under the bridge by next week. Thnak God football season starts (for me) this week.

maybe i should have just posted that 3 pages ago? lol

[shawn]

I don't get it. The Eagles are in every top 5 power rankings list.

We swept them last year, they lost their highest-impact defensive player, we added the best defensive player in the league.

Not only do I think the Redskins were better than the Eagles last year, but I also believe that gap has widened. I expect to sweep the Eagles this year. Am I missing something? Did one offensive lineman vault the Eagles into Top 5?

Pretend for a minute you never saw any power rankings. Who improved more this offseason - Washington or Philadelphia?

just because you beat them twice doesn't make you better over all. the cowboys of late 90s beat the redskins several years in a row, yet ended up 5-11 each year. that doesn't make them a better team over all. the eagles went to the NFC championship game last year. they added two OL men and another top WR prospect. they drafted westbrook's eventual backup. they lost dawkins who is something like 37-38, may miss his leadership but replaced him with an underrated player.

yes, haynesworth will have impact on the redskins defense, allowing their DEs more one on one situations to rush the passer, but they also lost the underrated shawn springs. a lot hinges on Campbell who has proven that he is only average. so in some critical areas, the redskins haven't improved but hope for internal improvement, with players taking the next step.

[Mahons21]

Westbrook isn't exactly healthy to say the least, just saying...

-I didn't say he was... I was talking about how they have performed in this decade.

[ThePreciating]

I thought the Eagles went to the NFC Championship game last season which could, maybe, possibly explain the power rankings.

The Cardinals took care of them, and somehow ended up seven spots below the Eagles in the power rankings.

[IbleedBnG83]

-I didn't say he was... I was talking about how they have performed in this decade.

I misread then I guess. You did say a healthy McNabb/Westbrook

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

The Cardinals took care of them, and somehow ended up seven spots below the Eagles in the power rankings.

i think some people are weary of ranking the cardinals that high again. remember, again, the eagles have been to 5 of the last 10 NFC championship games. thats an impressive number. the cardinals have been once since 1754 so its a little safer to rank the eagles that high. history says that as long as mcnabb and that defense are there, that team is going to contend every year. the cardinals have done it once.

if they repeat their success again, you better believe youll see them ranked in the top 10 in these power rankings next season.

[skinny21]

First of all, don't patronize me. If you want to be taken seriously, stick to the topic.

Secondly, you said...

You are basically saying that if Peters doesn't work out, you would think the Redskins have the edge? Really? I would like to hear this explanation.

I never said Sean Jones will step in and they won't miss a beat. Re-read what I said. I said that they MAY NOT BE AS GOOD, but it doesn't mean they won't still be very good. McDermott has been with the Eagles long enough to know the scheme. He was the secondaries coach so I'm sure his safeties will be fine.

You seem to be really writing off the Eagles this season...

I think it could be argued that the Redskins improved more this offseason... especially if Peters doesn't work out as you two were discussing. Don't get me wrong, I'd probably still give the edge to the eagles, but I think its a lot closer than you seem to think.

Let's say that Haynesworth and Peters are a wash (in terms of improvement at their respective positions)

There's a decent chance that Hall and Orakpo improve our team more than Sean Jones and Jeremy Maclin improve theirs.

I don't really consider Stacey? Andrews an upgrade... more of a cheaper alternative (I could be off-base here, this is just my impression/recollection). I think a similar argument could be made of Dockery.

McCoy is a nice pickup for them, but does he provide that much more improvement than Barnes, Bridges and (I hope) Williams?

In terms of coaching and leadership, at least theoretically, we've got more continuity.

So... maybe its a fairly close call until we see how the season plays out, no?

Oh, and just for the hell of it, I think the Eagles have (at least so far) better coaching than we do, better talent at wideout, less talent at TE, somewhat similar offensive and defensive lines, and somewhat equal rbs and linebackers*. Although I've probably seen McNabb throw more balls at his targets' feet than any other qb... they've still got the edge at qb (for now). All in all, I'd give them the edge but wouldn't be surprised if we surpassed them for the next few years.

*if Orakpo or someone else pans out for us, Fletcher maintains his level of play and McIntosh plays like we know he can, than ours are definitely better than theirs... just too many ?'s right now.