State of the Eagles

Since our new president won't give an official State of the Union address this year -- and because the Eagles' tumultuous season is finally over -- I figured it would be appropriate to give a State of the Eagles address. From a wild regular season to a deflating playoff loss, much can be said of the 2008 campaign. Here's my take on all things Eagles....

First and foremost, ladies and gentlemen, please know that the state of the Eagles is strong. I know that fans are upset with the way the season ended, but Philadelphia football could be in much worse shape. We, Eagles fans, are fortunate to have good people in decision-making positions. From the ownership to the coaches, very few teams have as many quality people at the top.

You can say what you want about not winning a Super Bowl over the last decade, but sometimes great organizations don't win the big one. It doesn't mean that the Eagles aren't one of the best teams in football year in and year out, and it doesn't mean that the Eagles' brass can't get the job done. In fact, this administration has had more success than any other in team history. Oh, you don't like the way the current regime runs things? Who would you rather have? When a team is good for a long period of time, the expectations become greater and greater. And when a team gets oh-so close one year, many people want to make drastic changes when things don't work out as planned. Frankly, drastic changes will not right the ship over night. It takes tweaking.

In addition to dumping Andy Reid, many fans also want to see Donovan McNabb hit the road. They think -- as they've said for a few years now -- that's he's past his prime. Note to the misguided: Donovan McNabb is still an elite player in this league. Yes, he is erratic at times, and yes, many of those times happen to be on key downs or key drives. However, professional football is the team game. What if this HOF-caliber quarterback had some weapons to give the ball to? I'm not making excuses. I'm being fair. The average fan's perception of this man could be a lot different if he had more talent around him. I'll address that later, though.

As you know, the Eagles have not won a Super Bowl in the ten seasons that Reid and McNabb have been in Philadelphia. And because they've not won a Super Bowl, they've been underappreciated by many Philly fans. For some reason, football fans are convinced that -- like golf or tennis -- the career of a coach or player should be measured in terms of championships. Maybe they didn't get the memo, but it's like I said before: pro football is the team game. No one person can win a championship on his own. With as good as our coach and quarterback have been these last ten years, I'm positive that they aren't the ones that need to be removed.

Speaking of championships, the Eagles won't be winning one this year. They've broken our hearts again. As for that painful loss to the Cardinals, this game cannot be pinned on any one thing. It wasn't the gameplan, the offense, the defense or the special teams. It was a bit of each. Any way you slice it, the Eagles were outplayed by Arizona. Considering that the Birds dominated the Cards 48-20 in Week 13, this NFC Title Game loss caught most sports fans in the Greater Philadelphia area by surprise. Didn't I warn you that anything can happen when two nine-win teams face off in this type of game? Although I was aware of the circumstances, I was as sure as you were that the Eagles were going to get pressure on Kurt Warner, shake him up, get a few turnovers, and hop on the plane to Tampa - but I was wrong. It doesn't bother me that the Eagles lost another NFC Championship. I'm used to that by now. What bothers me is that the Eagles, despite being a better team than the Cardinals, couldn't get the job done. It's painful to blow an opportunity that great.

I mentioned earlier that no one aspect of the Eagles' game can be blamed for losing the NFC Championship this year. They won as a team in their first two playoff games, and lost as a team in their final one. Still, it's hard to overlook the greatest discrepancy between the Cardinals and Eagles: the presence of a top-flight wide receiver. Larry Fitzgerald was clearly the difference maker in this game. He made many huge plays, including three touchdowns in the first half. He seemed, as he has this entire postseason, to be unstoppable. The Eagles simply could not find a answer for Arizona's extraordinary wideout.

Meanwhile, the wide receiver position -- as it has been for years -- was a major weakness for the Eagles' offense versus Arizona. There were deflected passes, bad routes, and dropped balls in both the Title Game and throughout the regular season. I must admit, DeSean Jackson was impressive this year. I liked the pick when he was drafted, but I didn't expect him to step in and become the team's top receiving option as a rookie. But while Jackson proved to be Donovan's number one target, he isn't a true number one. Put a guy like Jackson alongside a big target like Brandon Marshall, Roy Williams or T.J. Housh and you not only improve your team, but you draw attention away from Jackson and greatly improve depth at the position. Imagine if DeSean Jackson was the Eagles' number two receiver and Kevin Curtis could move back to his natural position, the slot. Hint to any Eagles exec that may be reading: Hosuh is a free agent this offseason.

The Eagles have been frugal with their money for years. They've always saved a little extra for a rainy day. In case the organization hasn't heard, today is a rainy day. Maybe they'll shock all of us here in the Delaware Valley and use some of that cap space this offseason. You know, the last time they signed multiple big-name free agents they ended up in the Super Bowl. Coincidence? I think not.

As I stated previously, the Eagles need to tweak - not dismantle. Besides the obvious need for a top wideout, there are other areas that need to be addressed....

Mel Kiper's latest mock draft has the Eagles taking Chris Wells, a bruising tailback out of Ohio State, in the first round. I've seen the dude play live before, and he's the real deal. Despite a brief history of injuries (he missed three games in '08), Wells has power, speed, and most importantly, patience. Whether the Eagles actually select Wells or not, this type of player is the kind that the Eagles have lacked for many years. Brian Westbrook, who's never played a full season in his NFL career, would be much fresher with another quality tailback to split time with. Plus, B-West will turn thirty in September. And if history tells us anything, it's that running backs generally take a step back around that age. At some point, they'll have to replace Westbrook. Why not draft a top back now and slowly incorporate him into the offense? Another underclassman to watch out for: Knowshon Moreno.

Running back isn't the only position that features an aging star. For as long as I've watched football, safety has been a strong suit for the Eagles. Ray Rhodes drafted Brian Dawkins in the '96 NFL Draft, and the rest is history. B-Dawk has been the heart and soul of the Eagles for many years. The imprint he's left on this organization cannot be ignored. However, Dawkins is starting to look slow. I hate to rip such an all-time great, but he's been slow for two years and his big hits are looking dirtier by the game. As one of my readers pointed out recently, the guy doesn't even tackle people anymore. As their going down he comes flying in with his helmet and either hits them with it, or he does this weird thing where he turns and hits people with his back. I expected the Eagles to install a succession plan at safety each of the last two years. Time is running out. If they don't act quickly, we could be one play away from watching Sean Considine start again. Eesh!

The final question mark going into '09 is the situation on the offensive line. Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan, both of whom are worthy of HOF consideration, are a combined sixty-nine years of age and each is without a contract as of today. Replacing both tackles is an issue for most teams. However, this situation could work itself out nicely if: a) Shawn Andrews can stay healthy and move over from right guard to right tackle, and b) if Todd Heremans can move back to his natural position of left tackle. From there, all the Eagles would have to do is fill in both guard spots. And as far as I'm concerned, they can go down to Geno's and find the two fattest guys in sight and let them suit up at guard.

Other than the few positions I just mentioned, the Eagles are in very good shape. The defense was spectacular in '08, and McNabb and Westbrook are still great players. Realistically, the Eagles are just a step away from the Super Bowl. And again, tweaking is all that's necessary. Addressing these needs could make a huge difference. With $36.5 million in cap space (the third highest figure in the league), I just hope that the Eagles will be a little more generous this offseason.

So, please Philadelphia, don't give up on your squad. Their future is bright. It's the season of hope, of change. Let's follow the lead of our new president and work towards a better tomorrow. The Eagles may be in better shape than America at this point, so keep your heads up and hope that next year can be a successful one.