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He actually said "I want to win a championship this year," or was did he just say, "I think we can win a championship this year"?

I think he said something very close to "This is a championship team right here" or "this team can win a championship".

I remember it being his boldest prediction since the 2004 season, not that it means anything.

He's pretty much said every year that this is a championship team. I really thought he said "I want to WIN this year".

It was definitely bolder than his usual brand of ice milk, but like FD said, it's not like it matters in the long run. There will always be something preventing this team from winning it all, and it's usually in the mind of the HC.

Well, all things considered, if the Eagles didn't have a bunch of the injuries they had last year, including McNabb's slow recovery from the injury from the year before, they could have pulled out 2 more wins during the season. 10-6 gets them in the playoffs, and makes them as competitive as a team like New York was last year.

The formula for winning a chapionship includes:

1 part Talent
1 part Game Plan
1 part Health
1 part Luck

The last few years, the Eagles have had talent. When they went to the Superbowl, they had health (for the most part) with them, but missed out on the luck factor, which you really can't prepare for.

I'm not trying to sound like a homer, but IF the secondary stays healthy this year, and IF the WR's step up and progress more from last year, and IF McNabb/Westbrook stay healthy and produce as they have while healthy, this team has the ability to beat any team in the league, if they have that 'luck' on their side.

There are ways of getting around luck though. New England has been doing that for years (though that pretty much goes with gameplan if you ask me). What it comes down to really is the game plan, making the adjustments needed and keeping people guessing. If health isn't a big factor, and the progression from the players that need to progress shows up, and the Eagles don't win it all, the whole sum of the blame has to go on FB and his staff.

It's time for accountability to take hold. Excuses like not having a game breaking WR should not be an issue. Who was the game breaking WR for the Giants last year? Plexiglass? Come on, the guy disappears half of the game. The team is solid, and if they stay healthy, they should compete at the highest level.

lyte, what "bunch of injuries" are you referring to?

and mcnabb's "slow recovery" was actually normal recovery and totally foreseeable. they even had a perfect qb to transition back to mcnabb had they wanted to.

Optimism abounds???

Injuries aside the Iggs are a damn good team regardless of what the rest of the magazines and all the beat writers out there say.. Good enough to win it all?? Don't think so... Good enough to keep us all watching them??? Hell yeah!

We need a game breaking receiver... Unfortunately the jury is still out on that one!

Mainly the swiss cheese secondary in the begining of last season that had third stringers starting at some point. The reason why Lito was put on the market and they moved to get the best CB in FA. Dawkins was hurt, and they had depth issues there.

Thomas went down, causing the revolving door of sacks the Giants had on inexperienced linemen replacing him. Kearse was injuried and a disappointment when he did play. I could go on, but if the starters were in all year, and healthy, they could have made a run.

They still were missing some key pieces. I will say that in addition to the issue of playmaking WR, the MAIN reason this team will not succeed is Reid's complete and utter loyalty to his Matrix.....(aka the System). It includes an unprecedented 70/30 pass/run ratio that keeps his defense on the field and exposes his quarterback to the threat of decapitation on his numerous 5 to 7 step drops. I could go on and on about his dumb ass scripted plays, his constant fall back on play action on third and long, his bag of "trickery" that really sucks and every knows what he's doing even if they didn't tape the signals, the ridiculous complexity of his playbook, etc.

This team will not make a run as long as Reid delivers unswerving loyalty to the System and is unable to make adjustments at half time or negate the strengths of his opponents. Even JJ seems stale from time to time. He's gameplanned some big time games last season including the NE game, but its the same shit time after effin' time. The System overworks his defenders, increases the chance for injury to them, their QB and their only playmaker in Westbrook.

So, given the consistency of Reid, there is little reason to expect ANYTHING different.

Part of the luck Lyte referred to also includes having a division that blows, aka the AFC East. NE had 6 easy games against the Jets, Bills, and Dolphins, and that's HUGE. Same with the Eagles in 2004 - the NFC East that year sucked. Luck, in this division, is going to be hard to come by.

I agree with Jules. Until you hear the collective pop that is Reid's and the FO's heads coming out of their asses, it's gonna be tough to win it all.

"It's time for accountability to take hold"

Pardon me if I don't hold my breath for the FO to even question FB, let alone hold him accountable for his gaffes.

I guess that's really the point though is it? They have 'some' or 'most' of the things they need to be successful, but if you told someone last year NY had all the tools to beat a 16-0 Patriots team in the superbowl at the begining of last season, with Shockey on IR, you would be in a white jacket in a padded room or a bar on the upper west side.

NY got very lucky last year. Some say they developed well, that role players stepped up, etc. They game planned correctly, put people in the position to win and they got a few breaks. You can't really pick any championship team in history that doesn't get a few.

Yes, a weak division helps, but NY won last year when 3 teams from their division went to the post season and the one that didn't finished at .500. Weak divisions help, but can't define everything. While people can complain about the NFC East's problems, the last thing you can say is it's a weak divsion. If anything, it's one of the deepest out there.

Any team that succeeds will have at least one player develop that wasn't expected to in the offseason. NY had a ground attack when it wasn't expected to have one. I think the Eagles this year have the opportunity to develop role players to get pressure, screw the 10mil/year DE that will blow out his knee. I like the idea of getting a bunch of pure pass rushers in the draft, and just throwing them in the fire. DT is one of the deepest in the league. CB is one of the deepest and best out there if everyone's healthy. The young linebackers can step up, and you could be looking at one of the greatest D's in history.

If they're healthy. If young talents on the squad take the next step.

Offensively, there are holes on the line that need to be filled. A legitimate WR tandum needs to be formed, and that means 3-4 deep (read: 1 game breaker gets double covered, but 4 talented guys that get 40-50 catches and 700yrds/season overshadows it). Depth at TE needs to be a concern. Westbrook will need a back to give him rest from time to time, not a guy that is a 'change of pace'. McNabb needs to get through a whole season healthy.

All that can make take the team to the championship. However, like others, I agree they can't go anywhere if everyone knows where they're going to be. I remember pop warner football, our coach kept hammering to us we had a power running game, and were going to keep running the ball until we were successful. Teams knew that, figured it out and planned against us, and we had a horrible season. FB is coaching pop warner now, refusing to change anything to adjust to what people are doing against him. Until he changes that, the Eagles can only hope to be either a very good team or very lucky, but never a champion.

I disagree that NY got very lucky last year. They got production from key players at key moments (especially their rookies), and they gameplanned teams very well, which was half of the battle. And let's not compare their front 7 to the Birds'; theirs is better. Are they as good as some of the championship teams of the past? No; they're on the low end of the totem pole of NFL champs. But they didn't win playoff games because of a few lucky bounces.

Anyway, I think this team has the capability to be something special (one of the greatest Ds? Not quite. But definitely very good). Hopefully they won't need luck to win it all.

Freddie Mitchell, per his MYSPACE page (ugh) is going to get a tryout with The Ravens.

(Per PFT.COM).

Bah-Roo-Tull.

Outside of the crazy catch and near sack in the SB, the Giants weren't "lucky". They finished the season strong and beat the three solid teams to win the SB. Green Bay may have been the only imposter.

PS, The Giants had serious production from the front four and got insane pressure on QBs. They weren't rent-a-fast-balls. The Birds have for years needed to blitz to get pressure. That is the major distinction between them and the elite defenses in the league.

As for solid WRs? Forget it. They won't have 4 people who have 50+ catches. What they really need is one WR who can actually beat press coverage and catch the poorly thrown balls by McNabb.

Agree 100% with Seth's eval of McNabb. He isn't worried, he has his mobility back (saw it at the end of last season) and doesn't give a shit. There is no pressure on him now since he probably believes he's on his way out.

I can't imagine the Eagles/Reid just handing over the QB job next year if McNabb has a kick ass season. Reid always follows the GB model (though before it was more specific to Holmgren), and I think Kolb sits as long as McNabb plays well/stays healthy.

Why, oh, why aare the Eagles entertaining the idea of LIto playing WR. Just get a real f'in WR. PLEEEEEAAAAAASSSSSE!

I think Kolb sits as long as McNabb plays well/stays healthy.

Problem is, he hasn't seen a full season since running out of gas in Jacksonville. Always something that happens to Mr. Glass.

Kolb will be in at least 2 games this year. And not as mop-up duty.

That doesn't bode well for the Birds, then.

Seth, how the hell did you end up at Freddie Mitchell's MySpace page?

Good question.

Eagles are apparently in the hunt for Jason Taylor's services.

And apparently they have officially at 1 point inquired about Chad Johnson.

But currently, they're persuing Jason Taylor.

Im OUT for partin with the 1st rounder Parcells wants- and Im out for givin a 2nd to a guy with what, TWO yrs left? They can have a 3rd. At most.


Cha cha cha.




Yo, click it

Oh, just saw that (to Eagle in DC)--- I have no access to anyone's MySpace pages as i dont have a log on.

I saw that he posted it to his MySpace page per PFT.COM.

Im OUT for partin with the 1st rounder Parcells wants- and Im out for givin a 2nd to a guy with what, TWO yrs left? They can have a 3rd. At most.


I don't get you 736. You talk about "the window" is getting smaller and smaller- yet you draw the line for a proven pass rusher at a third rounder? That 2nd rounder is gonna do what? Especially with Reid being the one using it to trade down for more picks the next year? Don't the Eagles have enough picks as it is that they could spare a 2nd rounder?

Just looking for an explanation, not baiting

I think a bigger problem than the draft pick would be the money- and also now you'd have to sacrifice playing time for other guys that they've already invested money into. Plus he and Cole play the same side.

traditionally, the birds keep 5 DE's.
cole, abiamiri, clemons are locks. the 3rd rd pick would also appear a certain bet unless an "injury" puts him on IR somewhere in pre-season. i dont think they would expose him to waivers for a trip to the practice squad.

that leaves juqua, who 2 yrs ago was pretty good at getting pressure. last yr, he was disappointing. problem is, in between, they extended juqua and while i'm sure the signing bonus wasnt huge, it would be a cap hit if they cut him this early in the extension.

plus dont forget darren howard. he's....... aw hell, just release that stiff.

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