What they're saying about the Eagles
Predictions for the 2010 NFL season continue to trickle in. Here's a look at what the national media are saying about the Eagles.
What they're saying about the Eagles
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
As we sit a week away from the start of the 2010 NFL season, predictions continue to trickle in.
Here's our weekly look at what the national media are saying about the Eagles.
SI.com's Ross Tucker previews the NFC East and has the Eagles going 9-7. Tucker has all four teams in the division finishing above .500, with the Redskins and Cowboys going 10-6. He has the Giants finishing 9-7.
Tucker lists one thing that each team needs to improve. For the Birds, he says it's an intimidation factor:
The defense took a step back last year under first-year defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and must get back to being the intimidating crew that the late Jim Johnson created during his tenure in Philly. The Eagles got a number of reinforcements this offseason after trading for linebacker Ernie Sims from the Detroit Lions and using their first two draft choices on defensive end Brandon Graham from Michigan and safety Nate Allen from South Florida. All three are expected to start from day one. The defense also returns rock-solid middle linebacker Stewart Bradley after he missed all of the 2009 campaign with a torn ACL.
Sean McDermott and Andy Reid have pointed to Sims as a guy who can provide that intimidation factor. But, in my opinion, that has to start with being a playmaker, something Sims will have to prove he's capable of in the regular season.
SI.com's Peter King also previews the Eagles in a video that accompanies Tucker's piece. He praises the Eagles for moving on to Kevin Kolb, but says it will be tough for them to win the division or even make the playoffs this season.
NFL.com has six different experts chiming in with Eagles predictions. Two predict 10-6; two predict 9-7; one predicts 8-8; and one predicts 5-11.
Vic Carucci has the Birds winning just five games:
Kevin Kolb will eventually be a good quarterback. This year, however, he isn't ready to carry the load and the team will feel his growing pains.
None of the experts have the Eagles winning the NFC East. Three have them finishing second; two have them finishing third; and Carucci has them finishing last.
Jason La Canfora gives the Eagles 10 wins:
Kevin Kolb is going to be a star. If the OL was more settled I'd like their chances more. Dick Jauron should bring consistency to secondary.
CBSSports.com's Clark Judge predicts a third-place finish for the Eagles. He has the Cowboys first, the Giants second and the Redskins last:
This is one of the most intriguing teams out there because after eight playoffs and five conference championship games they had the guts to cut loose the quarterback who took them there. Now, I'm not sure what to make of them, other than it's never wise to underestimate Reid. He admires Kolb and believes he's a better fit for what the Eagles do with their passing game than McNabb ... and maybe he's right. But one problem: McNabb had over 10 years of starting in this offense; Kolb has two games. So expect mistakes borne from inexperience, which means expect more losses than last season.
In case you missed it from earlier this week, here's what Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski think about the Eagles.
And Phil Simms' take on the Birds.
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No way all four teams in the NFC east have winning records, that's just silly. The fourth place team will have 4-6 wins.
uh, it just happened 3 or 4 years ago so its pretty possible. I think the garcia year in 06, we were 10-6 so were 1 or 2 other teams and the 4th team was 8-8 or 9-7...the skins made the wildcard at like 9-7 or something. I agree and have been saying a similiar prediction all offseason. should be a close division top to bottom.- oh yea, and I would put the eagles last. 7-9. they will beat the few crappy teams they play and get 1 or 2 more nice wins, but Reids crappy all-pass offense wont beat most of those opponents.
Comment removed.- Gruden in '11.— snakeplissken
redskins will be in the nasement of the nfc east— dpcoz- Washington and Dallas fight for first place....Giants 3rd...we are last. 6-10 this year....yes, we will suffer a big "drop off" by going with Kolb. Next year 8-8 if he's still the QB.— philly449
- sheil,the Birds have a brutal schedule starting with a superbowl favorite packers and 2 with the cowboys and then the colts and minnesota that's five games vs possible superbowl teams with the falcons-giants-houston-titans-bears and 49ers all possible playoff teams,,if the birds are 8-8 this season it's a success,if they win 10 or more games Big Red and Kevin Kolb may win coach of the year and an all pro selection respectively...the Birds are looking at the Big Picture and that is 2011-12-13-14-15 with 2012 a superbowl run....no need to worry about the preseason play the colts are 4-20 in the last 5 preseasons...LETS GO BIRDS! LETS GO KEVIN!...2012-SB!.....WOLF!— wolf 4
- 9-7 seems reasonable. Maybe just out of the playoffs or just getting in.— quentin1978
- I love how the defense took a step back under 1st year coordinator Sean McDermott.....not the defense took a step back after losing its hall of fame free safety and then its new leader Stewart Bradley before the season even started...Nate Allen looks like a nice addition and Stew is back...i am kind of a homer but also a realist....if the d can stay healthy this still is the same team that has DJax JMac BCel Shady JAvan and LWeav or is that a different team.....the media will call it a big surprise when we are 10-6 11-5 but not I.....and to all the Big Red haters.....remember Rich Kotite......holla— illadelphiasfinest
- Eagles will be competitive in every game they lose, which will be 9.— Gene London
Still say they'll be in the 7-9 to 9-7 range.— Mabus- I agree with Wolf4. If you look at the projected wins of all of the teams we face this year the Eagles actually have THE hardest schedule in the league. The Defense looks a heck of a lot better than it did last year. Having Bradley back and the pick up of Graham and Allen look to be pretty good. The o-line leaves a lot to be desired, but Kolb looks like he can scramble when he has to. Of course, this is still the preseason, so we'll have to wait and see how it all pans out. Green Bay looks extremely impressive, but I think we have a chance of going 3-1 in the first 4 games.— Redbeard73
- Gruden would be perfect for this team. A former qb coach, hard nose on defense and loves to run the ball. He could whip these birds in shape in no time!— Ghostface
- Ross Tucker should have his keyboard taken away for having the Redskins winning 10 games. Please. Their top skill players -- Portis, Moss and McNabb -- are a combined 100 years old.— PhillySF
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