Return Game On Point

I’m a fan of the New York Giants so naturally I’d like to talk about problems with the Philadelphia Eagles. Today’s a pretty easy day to do that too with the loss of Stewart Bradley for the season with a torn ACL, but I’m not going too. I’m going to talk about a part of the team that has turned from a huge weakness to a major strength in a fairly short period of time. That area? The return game.

I’m sure Eagles fans can remember the nightmares of 2005 thru 2007. You know when Reno “someone better call 911″ Mahe and Dexter Wynn returning punts. Roderick Hood, Wynn and a few others returning kicks. It was a nightmare.

When the Eagles defense would make a big stop, fans would pray a punter would shank it to get good field position. There was absolutely no chance Mahe would break one and take it to the house. Shit, you’d have to worry about if he’d even hold on to the ball.

Last year the unit took a big step forward with rookie DeSean Jackson. He only averaged 8.8 yards a return on punts but he was that long sought after threat, breaking one for a touchdown with three returns over 20 yards.

Quintin Demps returned the kicks and he was also a threat breaking one kickoff for 100-yards, with five over 40 yards.

The best part? Only one fumble between the two.

This year that unit gets even stronger.

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“We’re going to start with the guys that played last year, the guys we’re going to stay with and start with,” special teams coordinator Ted Daisher said. “Quintin Demps is going to be the kickoff returner right now. Ellis Hobbs has done a great job and has good skills. He’s going to be back there. Jeremy, when he gets into camp, will also be a part of that group. At punt return, we really like DeSean [Jackson]. He’s done a nice job. [He’s] very explosive with the ball. He’s the guy right now, with Jeremy Maclin working his way in as he gets back.”

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Demps and Jackson are back, keeping the roles they occupied last season. Now? They’ve got depth, tremendous depth.

Ellis Hobbs returned kicks for the New England Patriots the last few seasons and was damn good at it. Over four seasons, he’s scored three touchdowns while returning 13 kicks for more then 40 yards. Seven of those returns came last season as he averaged 28.5 yards per return. That average was good for second in the NFL last season and what does he get for that?

A backup role to Demps. I’m sure Andy Reid will mix things up thou and have the two alternate, or even spend some time back there together to keep teams guessing.

Another guy who should help is rookie Jeremy Maclin, if he ever gets his ass in camp of course. Maclin was a terror returning kicks and punts at Missouri in 2007 and 2008, averaging 24.1 yards on kicks and 12.0 on punts. Jeremy returned five total returns for touchdowns in the two year span. Once he’s in camp, he’ll most likely backup DeSean and gradually work his way into the kicking game.

While people talk about how explosive the Eagles offense will be this season, it will be nothing without the return game. It doesn’t matter how strong your unit is if your return game constantly has you starting inside your own 20-yard line. Good thing for the Eagles that won’t happen with this group.

Donovan McNabb will be enjoying plenty of short fields this year.