Reasons to Believe Michael Vick, Eagles Will Rebound in 2012

The Dream Team's inaugural season did not end with the dream they envisioned in August of 2011.

Instead of raising the Lombardi Trophy, or even making it to the playoffs, like so many people expected, the Philadelphia Eagles' (8-8) finale came as a 34-10 victory over the Washington Redskins.

2011 was a disappointing year for the Eagles.

They had a very up-and-down year, yet somehow clung onto playoff hopes until Week 16. By their final game of the season, the Eagles had no one to blame but themselves for not making the playoffs.

But 2012 can be different in the City of Brotherly Love.

Here's why:

2011 Problem: 4th Quarter Defense

The Eagles had five fourth quarter leads slip away from them in the first 12 games of the 2011 season.

Five.

In the first two of those losses, versus the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants, quarterback Michael Vick got injured and was unable to return to the game. But the Eagles shouldn't have even needed contributions from him—they had the lead!

The next fourth-quarter collapse came at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers, before anyone knew that they were actually a very good team. But Vick threw for a career-high 416 yards and two touchdowns, so he certainly wasn't to be blamed.

The fourth meltdown was to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football, just a week after the Eagles smashed the Dallas Cowboys—a win that could have been a turning point. Instead, the Eagles squandered a great opportunity and dug themselves a deeper hole.

Philadelphia's fifth and final fourth-quarter loss came to quarterback John Skelton and the Arizona Cardinals.

Solution: Steve Spagnuolo

It's time to move on from Juan Castillo and look to other defensive coordinator options.

Castillo stepped into the defensive coordinator position in 2011 when Howard Mudd came out of retirement to coach the offensive line—Castillo's job in 2010.

Mudd helped turn LeSean McCoy into one of the best running backs in the NFL.

Castillo helped turn former Pro Bowl cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie into scarecrows in the secondary by using a zone defense rather than man-to-man.

The Eagles need to relieve Castillo of his duties because Steve Spagnuolo has now been fired by the St. Louis Rams. While he might not solve all the Eagles' problems, Spagnuolo is known for his defensive mind, one that was taught by Jim Johnson, the former Eagles defensive coordinator.

While the defensive coordinator with the New York Giants, Spagnuolo's defense was crucial in beating the New England Patriots to keep them from ending the season 19-0.

With much better players in Philadelphia than those in St. Louis, he can be very successful.

2011 Problem: Turnovers

The Eagles did a very poor job protecting the ball in 2011, finishing with 36 turnovers.

Those turnovers consisted of 24 interceptions and 12 fumbles. Michael Vick threw 14 of the interceptions after only throwing six in 2010. Vick also led the team in fumbles with seven.

As far as the defense went, they forced a fairly average 23 turnovers, picking off 14 passes and forcing 9 fumbles.

That left the team with a give/take ratio of minus-13—the 30th ranked give/take ratio in the NFL.

Solution: Control Vick

In order to turn around the turnover problem the Eagles had in 2011, Michael Vick needs to take more care of the ball.

He alone accounted for 21 of the turnovers the Eagles committed. Yes, only two of his seven fumbles were lost, but almost nothing messes with an offensive drive like a fumble does.

For Vick to cut down on his turnovers, he needs to remember that he isn't the only offensive weapon on the team. While he's an amazing threat, he has running back LeSean McCoy and wide receivers DeSean Jackson, assuming he re-signs, and Jeremy Maclin around him. All of those guys can be just as exciting and effective as Vick.

If he can do that, he would make less ill-advised throws into coverage and just throw the ball out of bounds instead of scrambling with the ball held out in the open.

But let's change gears now.

Let's focus on what the Eagles have to build on in 2012.

2011 Record

Believe it or not, the Eagles finished a respectable 8-8 and finished second in the NFC East.

Sure, it's not the Super Bowl title that fans envisioned and wanted, but it's a much better record than most believed they would get after starting Seasons 1-4.

On top of that, the Eagles finished 5-1 in the NFC East—the best record within the division.

The team was also a very respectable 5-3 on the road. Despite having a 3-5 record at home, they did play the likes of the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots at home.

Next season, the Eagles will face the New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.

While those are all elite teams, the 2012 Eagles can be just as elite.

Offense

Despite all of their struggles, the Eagles finished the season with a top-10 offense.

They finished with the fourth-ranked offense in the NFL based on yards and also had the fourth-most first downs in 2011. Michael Vick led the No. 9 passing offense, and LeSean McCoy anchored the fifth rushing attack in the league.

All of this came with multiple injuries to Michael Vick, including a concussion, a broken right hand and broken ribs. Wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin each only played 15 and 13 games respectively. Running back LeSean McCoy only played in 15 games as well.

If those guys can stay healthy in 2012, the Eagles offense of 2010, when they scored 439 points, should be back in form.

Defense

The Eagles were also a top-10 defense in 2011—they finished eighth in terms of yards given up.

But the Eagles weren't without some major issues on defense. They lacked a solid group of linebackers, and that hurt them down the stretch. The secondary was often used in zone defense rather than the man-to-man coverage that cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie have thrived in throughout their careers.

But there were some bright spots as well.

Jason Babin (pictured) proved to be one the best free-agent pickups of the 2011 offseason as he racked up 18 sacks to go along with Trent Cole's 11 sacks. The Eagles defensive line was a great one in 2011, and they should be just as good in 2012. 

Whether Juan Castillo stays or goes, the defense got better as the season went on and the players were used correctly. They can build off that in 2012.

2012 NFL Draft

The Eagles will have the 15th selection in the 2012 NFL draft.

With that pick, the Eagles should draft a linebacker. Which linebacker?

Boston College's Luke Kuechly.

The Eagles had no real leader up the middle of the defense, and Kuechly can come in and fill that void. In 2011, he recorded 191 tackles and intercepted three passes in 2011 for the Boston College Eagles.

He has good instincts and knows how to finish tackles—something that linebackers all around the league seem to be having problems with.

But regardless of who's chosen, the Eagles need to select a linebacker.

Win Streak

The Eagles finished the season with a four-game winning streak—something that can be used as a huge confidence booster heading into the offseason.

Sure, the wins were against the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins, but a win is a win.

Also, the Jets and Cowboys were both in playoff contention in Week 17.

Chemistry

The 2011 offseason was an exciting one in Philly as they formed the "Dream Team" full of Pro Bowlers.

But the short offseason and condensed training camp left the Eagles with an All-Star team in 2011 but almost no time together on the field.

We've all seen our share of All-Star games in every sport, and they all look the same—a spectacular offense with little to no defense. 

And that's a pretty good way to describe the 2011 Eagles.

But now, they've had time to play together and to learn each other's tendencies.

Chemistry problems shouldn't be as much of a problem next season. Each player will have a better sense of their role and what's expected of them. 

Look for a much more cohesive Eagles team in 2012 that could actually compete for a title.