Stewart Bradley's Injury: Philadelphia Eagles Fans Shouldn't Panic

Cancel the Super Bowl parade and the season for that matter.

When Stewart Bradley went down Sunday night at Lincoln Financial Field, so did the Eagles’ chances of winning any games this year.

Yes, Eagles fans, the sky is falling.

But instead of panicking, Eagles fans and media members just need to relax.

This loss is not devastating.

I actually heard a host on a Philadelphia talk show say something along the lines of "There is nothing more devastating than losing a player during training camp."

Are you kidding me? Really?

I would rather have a guy go down in the first week of training camp than in the heat of a division title race or in the midst of the playoffs.

If a player goes down now, time is on your side.

Players have the opportunity to learn a new role on the team. Backups learn what it takes to become a starter or other position players learn how to play a new position.

Imagine if Brian Westbrook suffered an injury before the Eagles began the playoffs. The offense would struggle. In 2003, Westbrook was sidelined with a torn triceps tendon and the Eagles were bounced by the Carolina Panthers.

While some blame the 2003 NFC Championship failure on the Eagle receivers, Westbrook would have covered up the weak Eagle receiving corps.  The Birds could have won that game with Westbrook in the lineup.    

Enough with the comment from the sports talk host. Let’s move on to the fans.

Eagles fans are the best for many different reasons.

They have passion, dedication, and an uncanny ability to get too high on the highs and too low on the lows. They lack a middle ground and the ability to think things through.

Fans were genuinely distraught because of Bradley's injury.

I know Bradley is a good player, but he is not the kind of player that makes or breaks a season.

While he played well in 2008 as the starting middle linebacker, the Eagles didn't lose Dick Butkus out there Sunday night.

They lost a guy in his third year in the NFL who has a ton of potential.

His injury is disappointing — not devastating.

Yet Eagles fans will make you think the injury is catastrophic to their Super Bowl chances.

These are the same fans who mourned Jeremiah Trotter's departure from Philly. These are the same fans that cried foul when the Eagles cut Takeo Spikes.

They thought the Eagles were toast without Trot playing linebacker. Without Trotter, the Eagles did not miss a beat.

Eagles fans should have confidence in whomever fills Bradley's shoes.

If you look at the Eagles philosophy, the linebacker position is not the most critical position on the defense.

The Eagles want to come out, score quickly, and force the other team to play catch-up.

Once the team falls behind, the Eagles want you to pass so they can send their small, but fast defensive ends toward the quarterback and let their exceptional secondary shut down the opposition’s receivers.

So the two most important positions on the defensive side of the ball are the ends and the cornerbacks.

Just look at the Eagles' biggest free agent signings over the past couple of years and you will realize that most, but not all, of the big-name free agents played either defensive end or cornerback.

Bradley will be missed during the preseason, I won’t deny that for a second. But as soon as the Eagles play the Panthers in Week One, the team will have moved on.

That's a fact.

The only people who won't move on are the fans and media.

If the Eagles lose in Carolina against a formidable opponent, everyone will say it is because of Bradley's injury.

The media will get the fans going and the fans will let the anger fester for an entire week before the Eagles take out their vengeance on the Saints in Week Two.

This is the nature of the beast.

Eagles fans need to realize there are more important things to worry about with this team.

They need to be concerned about the offensive line playing well together and the defensive line applying pressure on the quarterback without blitzing.

They need to worry about Sheldon Brown getting enough playing time and Jeremy Maclin signing a contract.

They need to worry about Donovan McNabb playing like an All-Pro and Andy Reid utilizing the run more than he has in years past.

Bradley is done. Get over it.

The NFL is not going to cancel the season, and Vegas won't change its odds. 

With the season less than a month away, the debate should focus on who Bradley's replacement will be—Omar Gaither or Joe Mays?

Right now, I go with Mays.