The 2008 edition of the Philadelphia Eagles should be an exciting thing to watch. While Donovan McNabb can still complain about not having any weapons outside of Brian Westbrook (and possibly Reggie Brown), the Eagles took drastic measures this offseason in upgrading their defense. Philadelphia may not have the offense to get into shootouts with teams like the Cowboys, but they do have the defense to help prevent shootouts from happening in the first place.
KEY ADDITIONS:
1) Asante Samuel – One of the leading cover-men in the NFL, Samuel departs from New England for the big bucks of Philadelphia. If the Eagles decide to keep Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown, the Eagles will have one of the top trios of cornerbacks in history. Add Brian Dawkins to the mix, and this unit will be one hard defense to throw the ball against.
2) Chris Clemons – The 5th year defensive end out of Georgia is starting to come into his own and reach his prime. He was able to accumulate 8 sacks last season for the Raiders, and that number could have been more if he wasn’t only used in passing situations. The Eagles plucked him from the Raiders much like the Raiders plucked Derrick Burgess from them years ago. Expect Clemons to have a solid season in Philadelphia this year.
3) Dan Klecko – Klecko comes from Indianapolis and looks to provide depth on the defensive line. While he isn’t starter quality, Kelcko is a solid and reliable backup that can be called upon at the drop of a dime to provide some relief to the defense. A little undersized at 275 lbs, Klecko is versatile enough to get into the backfield.
4) Rocky Boiman – Boiman followed Klecko from the Colts, and will push Chris Gocong for the starting strong side linebacker position. Boiman had 44 tackles for the Colts last year, and is just entering the prime of his career.
KEY LOSSES:
1) Jevon Kearse – “The Freak” returns to Tennessee after a few disappointing years in Philadelphia. Between 1999 and 2003 for the Titans, Kearse had 10 or more sacks in 4 of the 5 years, and even had 15 in his rookie year. In the last 4 years with Philadelphia, he had 24 total sacks, and never more than 8. Kearse is hoping a return to his original team will help jump start his career, even though he hasn’t started out on the right foot already being arrested for a DUI.
2) Takeo Spikes – Spikes was the second leading tackler on this team last year. Although he was able to rack up 85 tackles last year, he is still a free agent looking for work. Be rest assured that his opportunity will come sooner than later, and although he had some disappointing years in Buffalo he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
Key Weaknesses:
The linebackers of the Eagles are a little less than average, and they will have to prove themselves this year. With arguably the best defensive secondary in football, teams will try to run the ball on the Eagles defense. Omar Gaither is by far the best and most experience linebacker on the team. He will need to lead a unit that includes Stewart Bradley (10 tackles last year) and Chris Gocong (54 tackles). Don’t think the departure of Takeo Spikes won’t be felt in Philadelphia.
Key Strengths:
The secondary of the Eagles is unmatched in all of football. Asante Samuel is one of the best corners in all of football and Brian Dawkins is an unbelievable safety. Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard are the other starting and nickel cornerbacks, and are good enough to be number 1 corners on most teams. If teams are going to put points on the board against the Eagles, they will have to do it running the ball.
2008 Predictions
The 2008 version of the Eagles will be vastly improved over last year’s unit. Their 8-8 finish last year was a disappointment. This is Donovan McNabb’s last chance in Philadelphia. Anything less than a Super Bowl and McNabb will be passed on for Kevin Kolb. Expect this team to not only make the playoffs, but possibly face the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game.
Here is a look how the 2008 schedule looks for the Eagles:
Week/Opponent
1 St Louis
2 @Dallas
3 Pittsburgh
4 @Chicago
5 Washington
6 @San Francisco
7 BYE
8 Atlanta
9 @Seattle
10 New York Giants
11 @Cincinnati
12 @Baltimore
13 Arizona
14 @NY Giants
15 Cleveland
16 @Washington
17 Dallas
Unfortunately for the Eagles, they play in the hardest division in football. While they have made strides on defense, the offense is still lacking a game changing receiver. Expect the Eagles to sweep the Redskins and split games with the Giants and Cowboys. A final division record of 4-2 is a great possibility for the Eagles this year.
As for the rest of the league, wins against St Louis, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Arizona are all possible. A 10-6 or even 11-5 overall record is very possible, and the Eagles will push Dallas for the division title. They still appear to be one step behind Dallas, and will make it to the playoffs as a wild card.
