What they're saying about the Eagles
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
What they're saying about the Eagles
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
Here's a roundup of what the national media are saying about the Eagles:
SI.com's Don Banks likes what the Eagles did this offseason and thinks they're poised to win the NFC East:
Typically, I don't turn in my predictions column until late August, but when I do, I believe I'll have Andy Reid's Eagles atop their tightly clumped division, poised for a bounce-back season and a return to the playoffs after the nightmare of last year's "Dream Team'' nonsense.
ESPN.com's John Clayton predicts a 10-6 record for the Eagles:
As disappointing as last year's Eagles were, they still managed to win eight games. Upgrades to the linebacker corps, a tightening up of the coverage schemes and an improved comfort level in the new defense all stand as reasons to believe things will be better in Philadelphia this year.
Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (previously a scout for the Birds) says no team is under more pressure than the Eagles in 2012:
The Eagles did have a few legitimate excuses last season. As a result of the labor dispute, the free-agent additions and new defensive coordinator weren't afforded the luxury of an offseason together. No such excuse exists this season. There is a tremendous amount of pressure for this team to make a deep postseason run in 2012. Coach Andy Reid, Vick and Castillo will all be facing intense scrutiny if the season starts poorly.
Jeremiah also looks at which quarterback will be next to win his first Super Bowl. He's got Vick as third-most likely, behind Alex Smith and Matt Schaub:
Vick was very inconsistent during the 2011 season and the Eagles fell one game short of making the playoffs. During the first half of the season, Vick really struggled to avoid costly turnovers. On a positive note, his play did drastically improve down the stretch and he helped lead the Eagles to blowout victories in each of their last four games. After a rough start, the defense really began to jell by the end of the 2011 season. The unit gave up more than 10 points only once in its last four contests. If Vick plays like he did at the end of the season, this roster is plenty talented enough to make a push toward the Super Bowl this season.
Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com has LeSean McCoy 32nd in his top 100 list:
McCoy got paid this offseason and deservedly so. Whereas the “Dream Team” Eagles were considered a disappointment in 2011, McCoy had arguably the best season of any running back in the league. He ran the ball 273 times for 1,309 yards, but also caught 48 balls and scored 17 touchdowns. A threat any time he lines up in the backfield, McCoy is still just 23 years old.
ESPN.com's Dan Graziano writes that Michael Vick needs to follow Eli Manning's example in reducing turnovers:
If Vick believes what he's saying about improved discipline -- if that's the message Andy Reid and the coaches are drilling into him, and if he's really hearing it -- then that's the first step toward putting it into practice. Vick has the raw talent to accomplish anything he wants to on the field. His long-term success will be determined by the extent to which he appreciates the quarterback position as a craft to be honed and perpetually worked on.
Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com names the most overrated and underrated player on each team. He's got Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as the Eagles' most overrated player and Jeremy Maclin as the team's most underrated player:
Overrated: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. He has the tools to be a star corner, but for some reason he just doesn't play to those skills.
Matt Williamson of ESPN.com projects the top 15 offensive linemen in 2015. Jason Peters barely makes the list at No. 15:
Peters was probably the best offensive lineman in the NFL in 2011. He was simply phenomenal in every facet of playing left tackle and teamed with Evan Mathis to form an elite left side of the line. But he turns 31 years old in January and tore his Achilles tendon on two occasions this offseason. He is unlikely to see the field in 2012. Will he return to action as someone in the same mold as when we saw him last?
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I hate when people get it confused on what transpired at the end of last season, sure we beat the 8-8 Jets, but were they 8-8 when we beat them, and the Cowboys had big hopes of making the playoffs and winning the Superbowl that the Giants ended up winning. I'm sure if Romo didn't mess up his hand while trying to pass, the Boys would have been going all out in that one. Yea, we beat some winnable teams, but the fact is, those are the same games we lost early in the season, so yea, the team showed tremendous improvement down the stretch. Should only be a sign of whats to come. Remember, we ended the prior season in a tailspin and all of the problems showed glaringly early on. I look for this team to be a major competitor in the playoffs this year, with only the Bears and 49ers as teams favored more in conference. Might not make the Championship game, but a nice beating of Cam Newton and game to remember against either of those to in the divisional round will be more than enough to bring back Reid fore one more season. Expect 2013 to finally be the year the Eagles win it all. Book that CG25!!!— papabear702- As much as I would like to see the team do well, I have to feel that they will never be able to win it all, with MV at QB, combined with AR as Head Coach. That combination just doesn't work. Sort of like Darryl Dawkins and Billy C.— philly2sf
It that dry spell till Training Camp... Nuff Said... I am ready for some football... E.A.G.L.E.S.- ..."You say it so much, until you dont even believe it, but yet you still say it. Until you know it WONT happen and you STILL say it, and then it just makes no sense. Unless however you are delusional enough to actually BELIEVE IT..."
Does anyone else seethe irony in that, well "statement"? Something about saying the same thing over and over again despite it being nonsense? And $50 to anyone whocan translate the entire thing into English...or something.
— tpizza - I just noticed that precious little Eli actually had more turnovers than Vick last year (20 to 18). So I guess it's not all on Vick after all. In fact, Eli has 50 turnovers (1.56 per game average) in the last 2 seasons compared to 27 for Vick (1.08 avg). Here are some other interesting comparisons (past 2 seasons combined): Total yards per game: Vick (315) vs. Eli (282). TDs per game: Vick (1.96) vs. Eli (1.91). Looks to me like Vick is outperforming the "great" Eli and is in no way hindering this team's ability to win a SB. Perhaps the haters need to move on to something else.— Penfold18
Comment removed.- Another superbowl prediction? Another dream team year? Are these guys nuts or what???????????????????????????????— mario1239
- Vick = 7-9!— osi is hurt boohoo
- So CG25 or whoever you're supposed to be, what you're saying is is that it is okay for you to spout off about them NOT winning a Super Bowl 2 months prior to the start of the season, but it is somehow ridiculous for someone else to say that they WILL win one? You have have just reached typical a-hole status (and that is stretching it a lot my friend because some of your stuff is literally and utterly stupid). And please explain to me why or how the teams the Eagles beat at the end of the year, the way you guys put it, shouldn't have even been allowed to suit up and play they were so bad. I don't freakin' get it! But, if the Eagles had lost to any of those teams what would your conversation be then? I already know...your comments about the Eagles would be even worse. And if I hear that freakin' kool aid reference one more time...that's gotta be the most childish, ignorant s**t I have ever heard. Who the freak 'n frack are we supposed to root for? Can we only root for teams that have won Super Bowls? Should we only root for the teams that you FREAKS say we should root for? If you don't like the Eagles, so be it. But don't blast people who are FANS of the Birds...who love the game, and watch it, live it and love it win or lose. I ain't lettin' none o' ya spoil it for me. You can go to H. E. double hockey sticks...Go Eagles!!!— phillyboy88
- One thing as absolutely certain...most predictions will be wrong and the few that are right will be lucky. I'll take it one game at a time and watch the developements with interest. GO EAGLES.— bonnerlou
- Penfold, great stat there my friend. I think some of the sport writers should actually look into that and get back to us. Last years lackluster season was due to bad breaks and bad luck, on top of poor performances and dumb plays (see Reggie Brown at the goalline). But in no way can the entire season be blamed on Vick, nor can the success of the entire teams season going forward be tied directly to Vick only. Last I remembered, if the Jets found a way to win that game against the Giants in week 16, we were in the playoffs. Just our luck that we snatched the last bit of hope from the Jets when we beat em. Anyone who really thinks that Andy Reid will never win a Super Bowl with the Eagles is just plain kidding themselves. Team is as good as it has been in quite some time, seems like all the right parties are saying the right things, everyones happy. only thing left is to hope for good health to everyone still available and get ready for Sep. Stop being such whiners and celebrate the fact that we are actually getting picked by national football writers, you know the guys who are paid to evaluate these things.— papabear702
- philly2sf, you forgot Marty Mornhinweg and Juan Castillo.— Geno D
- Real light on updates about anything happening in Eagle land. Need a new article about McNabb. Thats always good when news is slow in football to generate a slew of comments.— watsonmr
- We marked it down last year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!— mario1239
- None of it matters. Andy Reid is still the coach.— Short Circuit 3
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