Position Analysis Day Two: Runningbacks

    In the second day of my offseason position analysis, I’m going to look at the runningback position.  This position was easily the strength of the offense, finishing 8th in rushing yards per game.  Brian Westbrook had a career year, while Correll Buckhalter was great in a relieving role.  However, with both backs aging and collecting injuries like trading cards, the birds don’t have much of an insurance policy or future at the position. Can third round draft choice Tony Hunt be that future?

Brian Westbrook

Westbrook proved he could be an elite NFL runningback this season, leading runningbacks in yards from scrimmage.  He set the Eagles’ single-season reception record with a career-high 90 receptions for a career-high 771 yards.  He was arguably the most complete back in the league this year, making rushing, receiving and pass-blocking look easy.  On top of that, he can deliver a big punt return in a pinch.  There’s not enough I can say about B-West. He is easily the most talented player the Eagles have had in years.

The verdict: Expect one or two more Pro Bowl-caliber years out of Westy before injuries catch up with him.

Correll Buckhalter

Buckhalter could have started for the Eagles this year and gotten the job done, although he would not have been nearly as dynamic.  Buckhalter has seen what could have been a terrific career ruined by knee injury after knee injury. However, he never gave up.  He still delivered some exciting plays this year, with 4 rushing touchdowns and and a 5.0 yards per-carry average. He proved he could be reliable, rushing for 103 yards on 17 carries in his only start.

The verdict: Buckhalter is a solid backup, but he’s an injury waiting to happen.  Would he be able to recover from yet another major injury?

Tony Hunt

When the Eagles drafted Hunt, I liked the pick.  I thought he could become the goal-line threat the Eagles need.  Early in the season, it looked like he could have done that. Hunt took the ball in the endzone for his first career touchdown in his first career game.  Then, he disappeared completely.  Word on the street is that Hunt has looked lost ever since he reported to training camp.

The verdict: Although Hunt had an awful rookie campaign, he obviously still has time to come around.  Look for the Eagles to try and inspire him by bringing in some competition, most likely through the later rounds of the draft.

Ryan Moats

Moats spent the year on Injured Reserve after looking awful in training camp.  The speedy Moats has become a human fumbling machine after a promising rookie season.

The verdict: Not much to say here.  Moats has shown he has what it takes to do something in this league, but seems to have lost it somewhere.  Maybe battling with Hunt and a rookie for a roster spot will remind him of what he can do.

Reno Mahe

Why is this guy still in the NFL?  There wasn’t a better return man ANYWHERE?? Reno would be a lot better if he wasn’t so slow.

The verdict: Poor Reno will not be on a team nor in the NFL next season and likely the rest of his life.

Thomas Tapeh

Tapeh is a solid lead blocker, but that’s about it.

The verdict: The Eagles could stick with Tapeh, but Reid likes a fullback who can catch out of the backfield. The Eagles could very likely try and upgrade either through the draft or free agency.

That’s all for runningbacks.  Stay tuned for my in-depth look at Wide Receivers and Tight Ends!

Harbaugh Hired as Ravens Coach

    The 45 year old John Harbaugh finally got that coaching job he wanted so bad. The signing was announced yesterday. He is expected to try to hire Eagles Pat Shurmur as offensive coordinator. I’m excited to see what Harbaugh can do as a head coach. As special teams coordinator, he always seemed to rally his players to work together as a unit, and that ability should translate to a team level. What could hurt the Eagles more is the hiring away of Shurmur at a key time in the development of Kevin Kolb. Expect the Eagles replacements to come from within the organization. Rumor has it that former Patriots cornerback Otis Smith, a former Bill Belichek favorite, will replace Harbaugh as secondary coach. Smith was a coaching intern with the Eagles all season.

Cole Added to Pro Bowl Roster; Harbaugh to Coach Ravens?

    Trent Cole notched career-highs with 70 tackles, 12.5 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles.  Now he’s getting what he deserves. Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News reported today that defensive end Trent Cole will be added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster.  Cole replaces Seahawks star Patrick Kerney, who will be going under the knife instead of playing in the NFL’s version of backyard football.  Cole should have easily been voted into the Bowl in the first place over Osi Umenyiora. 6 of Umenyiora’s 13 sacks came in that disastrous September 30th game against the Eagles.  Cole was a much more consistent force over the season, and should be in the Pro Bowl in years to come.

Also, KFFL among other news sources reports that the front-runner for the Ravens head coaching job, Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, has signed a huge contract to remain in Dallas.  Speculation is that Eagles defensive backs coach John Harbaugh will now receive top consideration for the job.  The Ravens are expected to bring Harbaugh and Marty Shottenheimer in for second interviews.  It would be great for Harbaugh to get this job.  While Harbaugh is a fantastic special teams coach, his first year as defensive backs coach has appeared to have left something to be desired.  Harbaugh’s departure would be a great opportunity to bring in some new blood.

Position Analysis Day One: Quarterback

For the first day of my roster analysis, I’m going to look at the Quarterback position. Most Eagles fans are overreacting when it comes to the present and future of this position. As a whole, the Eagles have sufficient depth, but of course there is always room for improvement.

Donovan McNabb:

As anyone who follows pro football knows, Donovan McNabb has been picked apart since day one: just another day in the life of a Philly QB. However, this season seemed to be the last straw for most Eagles fans. This, I disagree with. If you asked anyone who is a fan of any other team if they would want a Quarterback who would go to 5 Pro Bowls and counting and lead their team to 4 straight NFC championship games, they would be crazy to say no. It’s not McNabb’s fault his supporting cast has been weak.

With that said, McNabb was obviously hampered by his knee this year and struggled. He came into training camp slightly overweight and out of shape due to his rehab and it showed. As his knee grew stronger, he had to constantly adjust his mechanics accordingly, resulting in those wild throws we saw for most of the year. He threw 19 touchdowns versus just 7 interceptions with 3334 yards and a 61.5% completion percentage, amounting to a 89.9 QB rating. This is a solid year, although of course with a lower touchdown amount than we’d like to see. His completion percentage was the second highest of his career, and his passing yardage his third best. Here’s something that comes as a bit of a surprise: he finished 3rd in the NFL among quarterback rushing yards with 236, with 101 of those in the month of December alone. In fact, McNabb’s best month overall was easily December, leading the team to a 3-1 record with 995 yards, 6 Touchdowns, and just 1 interception.

McNabb struggled on third downs all year, with 4 touchdowns and 5 interceptions to go with a 73.5 QB rating. This is a combination of McNabb getting anxious to make a play and the receivers’ general lack of the toughness needed to go up and make a clutch third down grab in traffic. He was also sacked 44 times (17 times on third down), the second highest amount of his career. This can be attributed to a few things: First, McNabbs decreased mobility in the first half of the year. McNabb was sacked 28 times in the first half of the year, and16 the second half. As he got stronger later on, he was able to shake some more defenders. Second, the poor play on the left side of the offensive line. Third, the lack of a Tight End to get those third and short catches over the middle. Finally, McNabb simply held on to the ball for far too long sometimes.

The verdict: Despite rumors of a trade, McNabb will be back in an Eagles uniform next season. He will be in peak form with a desire to prove everyone wrong. Expect much more out the Pro Bowl quarterback next year.

A.J. Feeley:

Eagles fans got their wish this year when McNabb went down during the Miami game and the backup, A.J. Feeley came in. A.J. played well, leading the team to a 17-14 win. He put touch on his passes in a way that McNabb was unable to do at that point in the year. This only fueled the “trade McNabb” fire. A.J. continued to play well against New England…until the fourth quarter. A.J. proved why he cannot be a starting quarterback in this league by throwing 2 fourth quarter interceptions on potentially game winning drives. Against Seattle he was just plain awful, throwing 4 interceptions, including another 4th quarter pick in the red zone after a clutch Brian Westbrook punt return.

The verdict: As a backup, Feeley can be depended on to manage a game while your starter’s out. There are much worse backups out there. However, something seems to happen to him mentally when he has to start for more than a game or two. Perhaps he gets excited to show what he’s made of and rushes things, leading to poor decision making. Look for Feeley to drop to the No. 3 spot next year as Kolb progresses.

Kevin Kolb:

As was promised by Andy Reid, Kolb got to know the bench real well his rookie season. After looking pretty good for a QB in his first year in a pro offense during preseason, Kolb only saw action in one game this year. In garbage time versus the Lions, Kolb came in on one drive and promptly fumbled the ball away, looking completely lost. Not exactly the best first impression. That’s all I can really say about him. Mentally, he seems to have the tools to develop into a good QB. He showed maturity and leadership at every opportunity, making the most of his benchwarming.

The verdict: There’s some positions where Andy Reid does not draft well. Quarterback is not one of them. If Andy can make Feeley look worthy of a second round pick, I trust him. Kolb is someone Andy wanted during all four of Kevin’s years at Houston. If he feels that strongly about his ability, then I think Kolb will be a great QB one day.

Come back tomorrow for an in-depth look at runningback!

Welcome

Welcome to Everything Eagles, my blog dedicated to the best team to never win it all: the Philadelphia Eagles.  In this blog, I intend to keep readers updated on anything that happens with the Eagles, as well as throw in my two cents.  As the NFL moves from the Playoffs to the Super Bowl to the offseason, I plan on giving a position-by-posistion analysis of the team.  Then, I plan on previewing the free agency period by profiling the players I’d like to see the Eagles go out and get.  Finally, I’ll preview the incoming college prospects I’d most like to see in Eagles green as the draft nears, complete with mock drafts.

I hope you enjoy reading this blog, please comment and tell me what you think, because if I know I have readers I plan on being very interactive with the readers by actively participating in comment discussion and posting your opinions on the main page!