Early predictions, McNabb's contract, Cowboys and more
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Early predictions, McNabb's contract, Cowboys and more
Paul Domowitch and Daily News staff
The start of training camp is a good time for predictions, so here is Paul Domowitch's take on which teams are going to the Super Bowl, which teams could be in for the biggest fall and his sleeper team.
Super Bowl: When you've got a score-at-will offense like the Saints have it is certainly doable for them to repeat as champions. But they can't expect their defense to force 39 turnovers and score eight touchdowns again. Those takeaways managed to offset the fact that they finished 26th against the pass and 21st against the run and allowed 23 or more points in eight of their last 12 regular-season games. They did little in the offseason to upgrade their defense.
Right here, right now, though, I'll say the Chargers and Cowboys will be playing in North Texas in February. But check back with me again next week. And the week after that.
Biggest falls: The Patriots and the Cardinals are my two prime candidates. The Patriots won the AFC East with a 10-6 record last year, but got drubbed by the Ravens in the first round of the playoffs and are in the process of retooling a defense that wasn't very good at pressuring quarterbacks last season (31 sacks).
The Cardinals are hoping Matt Leinart can replace Kurt Warner, but that's far from a sure thing. They also traded away wide receiver Anquan Boldin and lost two of their best defensive players – linebacker Karlos Dansby and safety Antrel Rolle – in free agency. Don't be surprised to see the 49ers beat them out in the NFC West.
Sleeper: The Texans. Matt Schaub is the best quarterback nobody's talking about. The West Chester product led the league in passing yards and finished fourth in completion percentage and fifth in yards per attempt last season. Andre Johnson is the league's best wideout (216 catches, 3,144 yards and 17 touchdowns over the last two seasons). They've got one of the league's best defensive front sevens.
Just two problems: They have got the toughest schedule in the league and they're in the same division as the Colts.
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McNABB'S CONTRACT
The Redskins have not begun negotiations with Donovan McNabb on a contract extension, general manager Bruce Allen told Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. However, Allen said they expect McNabb to be with the team for "years to come."
"Donovan is so excited about this new opportunity -- the team has embraced him, our fans clearly have embraced him. We'll have plenty of time to get something done with him," Allen said. "We him as part of our future. We would not have made the trade unless we see it that way, and he knows it.
"He's a mature player who knows that he's gonna be paid well, but there'll be a right time. We made a great investment in trading for him and we like the guy, we really like him as a leader on this team, and the players have really accepted him. And we think he's gonna be a great Redskin for years to come."
Read more about McNabb's new home in Washington by clicking here.
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COWBOYS GET GOING
The Dallas Cowboys reported to training camp in San Antonio yesterday, full of promise and optimism. The Cowboys are attempting to become the first team to play in the Super Bowl in their home stadium.
"My perspective, and just observing our staff and players and everybody involved and my own feelings is there’s just not a whole lot of things not to like about the upcoming season today," owner Jerry Jones said. "We all know the game and the journey that we’ve got ahead of us, so that’s important. Looking back at last season, all you have to take one reel back and put it up on the screen or the tape and see a disappointment in our last ballgame (Divisional Playoff loss to Minnesota) and that represents most of us and most of our work up to this point with that last ballgame, so we’ve got a lot to make amends for but that’s not all bad too.
" But where I think that I won’t be going is spending a lot of time talking about that we’re having the Super Bowl in the stadium and the expectations of playing the Super Bowl there."
Coach Wade Phillips was asked about the difference with having the expectation of winning.
“I think it’s great for your football team," he said. "It puts their focus on what is expected and it’s like being in school. What you’re expected to do is come home with a good report card but it better be what you expected. So it’s the same thing here. There is pressure to do well, and any time you have pressure to do well, I think you do better.”
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TICKET SNAFU
Manish Mehta, the new beat Jets writer for the New York Daily News, moved into a home previously occupied by an Eagles fan. And he received a package from the Eagles yesterday.
"Previous owner of my house didn't give forwarding address.I received his Eagles season tickets in mail 2day. U can't make this stuff," Mehta wrote yesterday on his Twitter feed.
He also assures he is planning to figure out how to return them to the rightful owner.
What's the Jets beat writer doing OPENING other peoples mail? Even if it was sent to his address - it certainly didn't have his name on it! Typical J-E-T-S fan!— iamthemongoose
Comment removed.
More predictions from Nostradumbarse wiff. Never fails to make me laugh. Talks like an expert but his winning percentage and IQ are about the same. Single digits. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a tough schedule. Waa, waa, waa. It was last year too. The Eagles have improved the RB depth by jettisoning oft injured Westy for Bell, the depth at receivers is better with Ingram in the mix as well as the unknowns of Cooper and Harbor. That group is better than anything McNabb ever had. The OL is still a mess but no worse than McNabb had last year at the end. LBs are returning, they drafted tons of D players so the DL and secondary will be no worse if not better. The only other change is at QB. With all those improvements wiff doesn't think the Es will make the playoffs let alone press for the SB?. Hmmm. What's wrong wiff. No faith in the pig killer? Stats but no SB? That's exactly what you criticized McNabb for but as long as it's your boytoy it's OK? What a joke. You got what you were screaming for now we have to wait? No way. SB THIS year. At least stand up and be a man and put your money where your big mouth is. Show some b*lls wiff. KK isn't a rookie, FAR from it. NO learning curve excuses allowed. NO EXCUSES at all!!!!!! Or are you a Kolb apologist already?— tpizza- I love it tpizza. That is awesome.— The Reddgie
Should be interesting.Donovan gets his chance to light up an Eagles defense and he must be looking forward to Assante jumping routes.Don went down game 2 last year.K K has a great opportunity in front of him.Heres hoping the injury bug dosent get him.— HO HUM- Reddgie! Been a while! I believe everything I said was accurate, no? The only real change is at QB with rookies and returning players improving other areas. Team should be no worse than last year but for some reason after listening to that McNabb must go" rant for so long now there's no immediate pay off? What about that "accuracy" that KK is bringing? What about that "leadership"? All I know is that in his second year McNabb had the Es in the chamionship game against the "Greatest show on Turf". KK can't even get us into the playoffs in his 4th year? Gimme a break. What am I missing?— tpizza
- lonewolf10, Kolb will have some advantages over McNabb, but McNabb also had advantages over Kolb... By the way, Desean Jackson is not "a Sherman Tank looking for contact" he is only 175lbs. soaking wet and therefore cannot "knock over a few linebacker over the middle" either.....— eaglesfan81
- It's amazing what some fans say. Kevin Kolb has never played a meaningful NFL snap against decent competition yet in his career and some idiots (paging Wolfie, paging wolfie) are ready to name him the best to ever play. He could be Andre Ware. We don't know yet and no one does. And if you've grown a set yet Wolf...what is a SB contender? It's been almost a year...can you answer that yet or are you still too embarrassed?— Eilex826
- I think your points were as accurate as KK will prove to be as the E's QB for the next decade. As for the playoffs, yes, he* absolutely should be expected to get us to the playoffs every year (*I am assuming we all agree on the old adage that the QB gets too much of the credit when the team does well and too much of the blame when they don't), there should be no decrease in expectation level just because this is his first year as the man. 2 other things: the OL has to improve, from Peters pass blocking to Herremans staying healthy to hoping Cole can replace Jackson to Stacy proving AR and the FO were right in keeping him and handing him the starting RG position (how funny is it that Winston F-ing Justice, Mr 6 Sack himself, is our OL that presents the least concern or question? Hilarious) for this offense to succeeed and 2- the NFC is going to present some stiff competition because Dallas, Minnesota, New Orleans are all stacked, New York will bounce back, San Fran could be scary with thier offensive weapons, Atlanta can go far b/c of Ryan and there is always a surprise team or 2. My point being, 10-6 may not get to the playoffs and that is a lot to ask of this team right now..— The Reddgie
- 'and all of the naysayers' will wish they had 5 Arm over center again.' The Eagles could go 0-16 and most fans will still be glad DM was traded. You guys just don't get it, in order to attempt to be great, you need to get rid of the 'pretty good'.— Henry Miller
- My thoughts exactly Reddgie. Whether you loved McNabb or not he always gave us a shot. The "change" was supposed to be for the better so why should the expectations be less when the rest of the team is as least as good and probably better than it was last year? I want KK to succeed because I want to see the Eagles win the SB sometime in my lifetime. I won't even blast him if he falters but I will blast those who anointed him the second coming based on...what? College stats against inferior competition. 300 yard games in a blowout loss and another against a JV team. I'm no fool Reddgie. I need proof not crystal ball nonsense. BTW, your OL points are spot on and was thinking the same thoughts about Winny when I wrote the last post. Oh, and that was the guy 99% of the fans wanted ridden out of town if memory serves. Wiff was one of them so am I supposed to think he knows anything now? Hahaha. 'Nuff said.— tpizza
- McNabb will finish his career w/a winning record vs the Kolb led Eagles. Book it!— somertonspartan
- He's got a GOT DAM BABY ARM!— BooDuhBud
- Always awesome to read the insanity of these posts. Obviously Kolb's the next Joe Montana, because he threw for 300 yards in two games. Sure, and McNabb wasn't any good, even though the Eagles won under him more than they ever have under any other quarterback. No, the problem with Philly fans is that they think they know it all. They boo Mike Schmidt until Mike Schmidt is retired than they act as though they always loved him. After McNabb has been gone for five years, they'll pretend as though they have always loved him, too. Now Kolb is the second coming. I sure hope so, but this I will guarantee. The first time he throws a pick, the people on these posts will be calling for the back up faster than you can say Mississippi. Oh, and now Dallas is going to the superbowl? All they proved last year is that they could beat the Eagles. Last I looked, Tony Romo is still a world class choke. He's proven zip in his time in the league.— Hemingway
- Kevin Kolb = Bobby Hoying— PhillyAustralian
