Philadelphia Eagles: 2009 Season Predictions

So, this is my first attempt at writing an article on B/R...It took me damn near 10 minutes to find out how!  

This is my prediction for the Philadelphia Eagles' 2009 campaign. Please read, and comment!

Week 1: Sept. 13 at Carolina Panthers (12-4)

The Eagles are notorious for getting off to a slow start.

Not this year.

This is a game featuring the surprise second-place finisher after the regular season and a team that limped into the playoffs but made a miraculous run.

I personally think that the Eagles are a much improved team, and I do not feel the same about Carolina. Furthermore, I think that Carolina’s season last year was fluke-ish, and I do not expect them to win the NFC South this year.

The Eagles will utilize a balanced attack, but focus more on the passing game and squeak this game out. It will be a close, but Donovan McNabb and company will not allow themselves to lose the first game of the year. 

Eagles 31 Panthers 28.

Record: 1-0

Week 2: Sept. 20 New Orleans Saints (8-8)

The Eagles will continue their winning ways against the NFC South early in the season. 

The Eagles have been reeling against the Saints since they lost in the playoffs (still love that Sheldon Brown hit on Reggie Bush…oh man!).

The Saints have a great offense, but a less than mediocre defense. This balances out to a shootout, which the Eagles are more than capable of winning, and they have the defense to make the one or two crucial stops in this game (Where were they against Arizona in the NFC Championship?).

This game will be a great showing for both quarterbacks, and the offensive units as a whole.

Eagles 45 Saints 38

Record: 2-0

Week 3: Sept. 27 Kansas City Chiefs (2-14)

This is a game that perplexes me to no end.

The Chiefs were an underachieving team in the ever-so-weak AFC West last year, and they have brought Matt Cassell into the mix, as well as a whole new coaching philosophy.

Losing Tony Gonzales was a big hit for Cassell, and hopefully he can get it together.

As hard as I think about it, though, I can’t see the Eagles dropping the ball, so to speak, in this game. The Eagles should travel into Arrowhead and come out with a big victory, heading into the bye-week a perfect 3-0. 

Eagles 35 Chiefs 17

Record: 3-0

Week 4: BYE

Week 5: Oct. 11 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)

This is a team that let go of many stars on both sides of the ball, and it seems that they might be in rebuilding mode. Still, the Eagles have had trouble year in and year out with Tampa Bay, and Ronde Barber loves to pick off McNabb. 

Philadelphia will have to pass more than run against this defense, but I don’t see that being a problem. I don’t see the new quarterback, running back, and wide receivers for Tampa giving the Eagles' defense much of a problem. 

I think the Eagles will win this game, albeit a close one. The NFC South domination for 2009 continues this week, and the Eagles win by 11. 

Eagles 21 Falcons 10

Record: 4-0

Week 6L Oct. 18 at Oakland Raiders (5-11)

I don’t really see the Eagles losing this game.

Oakland is an ever-improving team, but I just don’t see it happening this year. Not against the Eagles.

The Eagles will take advantage of a young Oakland offense and most likely create at least three turnovers, scoring points off of at least two of them.

This Oakland defense will have a very hard time containing the three and four wide receiver sets the Eagles will deploy, not to mention bottling up Westbrook and McCoy.

The Raiders really don’t have much of a chance in this game. Eagles win easily. 

Eagles 38 Raiders 17

Record: 5-0

Week 7: Oct. 26 at Washington Redskins (8-8)

The Redskins dominated the Eagles last year.

Washington embarrassed Philadelphia after the Eagles jumped out to a 14-point first quarter lead at home, and then held them to only three points in Week 16 last year at FedEx Field.

I was at the game at FedEx last year, and plan to be there again this year (I recently relocated to Northern Virginia).

I am sorry to say, but there is no way the Redskins will sweep the Eagles two years in a row.

Their defense has been "upgraded" with the addition of Albert Haynesworth, but they still shouldn’t be able to keep up with the Eagles’ offense, and the 'Skins' offense should really be no match for the Eagles defense. \

Philadelphia had the No. 3 defense in the NFL last year, and only lost one starter (Dawkins) whose play on the field has been decreasing for a while now.

The Eagles should handle the 'Skins pretty well at home, and keep the record flawless for ’09. 

Eagles 42 Redskins 21

Record: 6-0

Week 8: Nov. 1 New York Giants

The Eagles showed us last year that they were capable of handling the defending Super Bowl champions, as they beat them two times at the Meadowlands within a month’s time. 

With Plaxico Burress out of the lineup, the Giants turned into a one-dimensional team, lacking the threat of a real deep-ball receiver. The Eagles were able to successfully stack eight in the box and contain the run game.

The Eagles will continue the winning ways against the Giants in the first meeting of the season and take this game. 

Eagles 24 Giants 21

Record: 7-0

Week 9: Nov. 8 Dallas Cowboys (9-7)

As much as I hate to say it, I think the Cowboys will have the Eagles' number this year.

Philadelphia demolished them in the regular-season finale last year, and I doubt the Cowboys players will forget that quickly.

The backfield for the Cowboys is enough to give any team a headache, and Tony Romo is an efficient enough passer to make the play action pass work with the backfield he has behind him. 

This will be crucial to Dallas’ success this year, as they no longer have a “I love me some me” player on the team. The Cowboys can finally play like a team, and win some games.

This one goes to the Cowboys at The Linc. 

Eagles 21 Cowboys 24

Record: 7-1

Week 10: Nov. 15 at San Diego Chargers (8-8)

San Diego has been called an overrated team many times, and rightfully so, as they play in the weakest division in football, and perennially post somewhere around a .500 record. 

Still, I think this will be one of the games the Chargers win.

There is a lot of talent on this roster, on both sides of the ball. Similar to Dallas, there is an amazing running back duo in the backfield behind Phillip Rivers.

LaDanian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles are the perfect 1-2 punch in the NFL: Quick and elusive meets powerful and fast. Again, Rivers can make the play action pass work well against Philadelphia, and the Eagles will be handed their worst loss of the season on this day.

The Eagles will lose by 17 points, and fall to 7-2.  Many fans will start to doubt McNabb and Reid, but they will prove the doubters wrong, as they do every year. 

Eagles 14 Chargers 31

Record: 7-2

Week 11: Nov. 22 at Chicago Bears (9-7)

This is the year for the Eagles to finally beat the Bears, as Chicago has taken it to Philadelphia the past two years.

Last year, it was with an amazing goal line stand that proved the Eagles could not gain one yard if a game depended on it. This is the main reason Leonard Weaver was brought in, to gain those crucial 1-2 yard gains to move the chains, or put six on the board.

The Eagles will get to have a taste of what Jay Cutler can do over halfway through his first season with his new team.

This will be another game for the ages, going down to the wire, and the Eagles scoring a last minute field goal off of the toe of David Akers.

Eagles 27 Bears 24

Record: 8-2

Week 12: Nov. 29  Washington

Unfortunately, it is rare for the Eagles to sweep any team in the NFC East, and it comes back to this game against Washington.

The 'Skins will have made many adjustments since the first meeting, and I believe, will prevail, at The Linc.

This game will be similar to the second game of last season, where both teams will struggle to score and move the ball due to harsh weather and banged up starters.

The final of this game will be an accurate reflection of the game that was actually played. 

Eagles 14 Redskins 24

Record: 8-3

Week 13: Dec. 6 at Atlanta Falcons (11-5)

Last year, it took a bad call on a "non-fumbled" punt for the Eagles to squeak out a win against a tough and young Atlanta Falcons team.

This year, Philadelphia will not be so lucky.

With Matt Ryan gaining another year of experience and more chemistry with his line, backs, and receivers, this is a talented team, and a team that I think will win the NFC South.

This is another game with shootout potential, but both of the defenses are pretty stout here.

I see a game coming down to the very end, with the Falcons sinking a three-pointer from 30 yards out to win the game by one.

The Eagles will score two field goals, one touchdown and try to go for two, and miss it.

Eagles 12 Falcons 13

Record: 8-4

Week 14: Dec. 13 at Giants

Unfortunately for the Eagles, not many teams go into the Meadowlands three times in a row and beat the Giants.

That will be the case this time as well, as the Eagles will drop their third straight game, and many people will start wondering if this team really has what it takes to get the job done.

The Giants will take care of business on the defensive side of the ball, and the Eagles will fall into a hole early they will not be able to climb out of.

The Eagles lose by 13 today, but it is a stepping stone for the late-season run that seems to be a necessity in today’s NFL.

Eagles 14 Giants 27

Record: 8-5

Week 15: Dec. 20 San Francisco 49ers (7-9)

The Eagles will get back on the winning side of the game this week against a team in San Francisco that still hasn’t found a clear-cut starting quarterback.

Frank Gore can only handle so much of the load, and with Vernon Davis playing like a high-school kid among men, the starting quarterback for the 49ers will have a hard day against a vicious Eagles pass rush.

Philadelphia will be playing for the NFC East crown at this point in the season, and every play will be magnified 20 times.

Eagles pull off a big victory here. 

Eagles 38 49ers 21

Record: 9-5

Week 16: Dec. 27 Denver Broncos (8-8)

The long anticipated return of Weapon-X, Brian Dawkins, to Philadelphia.

Only this time, he will be wearing a white, blue, and orange jersey (nope, not Clemson, either).

Dawkins will lead an underachieving defense into Lincoln Financial Field, and will also lead them out with their tail between their legs.

I imagine that the Eagles will have some sort of pregame tribute to Dawkins (even if it is just the crowd roaring when they hear his name announced).

I believe the Eagles will far outplay the Broncos, not only in this game, but all season long. The Broncos have long been suffering from a lacking defense, and the moves they made this year did not seem to remedy that.

The Eagles pass first offense will have its showcase here, and Kyle Orton will once again feel the pain from the Eagles pass rush.

The Eagles go on to win this one easily. 

Eagles 45 Broncos 28

Record: 10-5

Week 17: Jan. 3 at Dallas (9-7)

In another season finale, the Eagles make their first trip to the Cowboys new $1 billion home.

This will be a different game than the first meeting between these two teams. The Eagles will be in a situation where they can win to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs, as well as a first round bye if they win. The Cowboys, if they’re lucky, will be able to secure a Wild Card berth with a victory.

Unfortunately for the 'Boys, the Eagles are on a two-game win streak, and will extend it to three to take the hot streak into the playoffs.

The Eagles win this one and roll into the playoffs as a No. 1 seed. 

Eagles 31 Cowboys 14

Record: 11-5

Playoffs

With the first round bye, the Eagles need to win two games to get to the Super Bowl, and obviously just one more to bring the Lombardi Trophy down Broad Street.

My prediction is that the Eagles will win the Super Bowl this year, in a rematch from 2004 when Tom Brady led the New England Patriots past the puking Donovan McNabb.

The final score will even be the same (24-21), but with the Eagles on top this time.