(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
Last season, the Eagles were the epitome of an under-the-radar and, by the way, tremendously lucky football team, having experienced a litany of ups and downs to finish a workmanlike 9-6-1.
The Birds seemed like a well-oiled machine at points during the season, and completely out of sorts at other moments.
One needs only this to understand the team's season: the Eagles rolled into Washington with playoff destiny in their hands and blew the game against a ornery Redskins squad led by up and comer, QB Jason Campbell in Week 16, which almost dashed their playoff hopes.
The following week, with a sliver of hope and all on the line, the Eagles jumped all over a cocky and confident Dallas squad from the onset.
The game was effectively over by halftime, much to the delight of the blood-thirsty fans at the Linc.
The victory catapulted them into the playoffs on a miraculous playoff-like day, which also saw the Tampa Bay Bucs upset by the visiting Oakland Raiders on the back of RB Michael Bush's best day as a pro.
From then on, the Birds made a thrilling playoff run, winning two physical battles against the Minnesota Vikings and the top-seeded division rial New York Giants, but lost in a crushing (only as Philly could disappoint) fashion to the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game.
Nonetheless, the Eagles' success in the playoffs has inspired great expectations in many for a killer 2009 campaign.
Offensively, the team has done a great deal of retooling. Donovan McNabb, although benched last year and often criticized throughout his career, has been an efficient, top tier QB for over a decade.
He is armed with some major weapons in the form of the versatile and elusive RB Brian Westbrook and lightning-fast second-year sensation WR DeSean Jackson.
In addition to this, the Eagles had a splendid draft, nabbing Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin, Pittsburgh RB LeSean McCoy, and Florida TE Cornelius Ingram. These players provide the Eagles with a much-needed upgrade in team speed.
The additions of Maclin and Ingram, along with incumbent TE Brent Celek, should surely boost the vertical and the short-yardage, dip-and-dunk West Coast passing attack.
Only time will tell if McCoy turns into Westbrook's potential replacement. He runs with deceptive power, along with great speed and solid receiving skills, adding an extra dimension to both the running and passing game.
FB Leonard Weaver, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, was signed; many analysts believe that this is the first time the Eagles have had a true fullback in over a decade.
Weaver is a smash mouth lead blocker who will assist in opening holes for Westbrook and McCoy and should help the former return to All-Pro status after a fairly lackluster, injury-plagued 2008 season.
He also displays talent as a threatening rusher and receiver, giving the Eagles a three-dimensional back who truly fits the mold of coach Andy Reid's offensive system.
The offensive line, although early in preseason it looked in utter disarray and transition due to the loss of stalwart starting tackles, Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan, has compensated for this with what many analyst feel is the best pick-ups of the offseason with the additions of the agile Jason Peters and mauler Stacy Andrews, brother of Eagles guard Shawn Andrews.
Shawn Andrews, returning from a 2008 campaign in which he struggled through injuries and psychological issues, should make a return to form; the addition of his brother should be a steadying influence in this regard.
Arguably the most important move of the off-season, though, was the trade for former Pro-Bowler Peters from the Buffalo Bills.
Peters, endorsed by Andy Reid as the premier left tackle in the game, assures McNabb the back side protection he needs to thrive in the West Coast System.
The ground game should be much improved, with a strong right side of the line (the Andrews brothers) to set the tone and more bulk with Peters, left guard Todd Herremans and center Jamaal Jackson.
With a revamped line and receiving corps, along with a dangerous backfield, the Eagles seem destined to inflict a multi-faceted attack on opposing defenses.
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