2009 Philadelphia Eagles NFL Football Predictions

2009 Philadelphia Eagles Predictions
Preview courtesy of Ted Sevransky, An award-winning professional football handicapper featured on Touthouse.com. If you are interested in football betting this season, be sure to buy Ted Sevransky’s football picks at Touthouse.com

Overview:
In a decade under Andy Reid, the Philadelphia Eagles have made seven playoff appearances, played in five NFC Championship Games and reached a Super Bowl. That makes Philadelphia one of the most steady, consistent winning franchises in the NFL these days, even as the roster turnover continues. The Eagles have only five players remaining on the team from their Super Bowl season in 2004.

Reid’s teams have been particularly good in the road underdog role; 10-2 ATS in their last dozen tries when catching points on the road. Philly caught fire in the postseason last year, winning SU and ATS at Minnesota and at the New York Giants before coming up short at Arizona in the NFC Championship Game. Expectations are high for another strong postseason run in 2009, without any notable roster weaknesses on paper, as Philadelphia searches for their first ever super Bowl title.

Offense:
Philadelphia didn’t have a 1000 yard rusher last year or a 1000 yard receiver. Longtime starting quarterback Donovan McNabb was benched in a late November game at Baltimore, but he rebounded by playing his best football down the stretch. For the first time since 2003, McNabb started all 16 games for the Eagles in ’08. Even with the recent signing of Michael Vick, McNabb’s ability to stay healthy remains crucial for Philly to enjoy another deep run in the playoffs. With a 107-41 touchdown-to-interception ratio over the last five years, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg clearly has a good read on how to use his 32 year old superstar QB.

The Eagles have lacked star power at wide receiver in recent years, a rarity for teams that run the pass happy West Coast offense. But the Eagles braintrust has drafted legitimate playmakers in the first round of each of the last two drafts. DeSean Jackson made a splash last year as a rookie, and there’s no reason to think that this year’s top pick, Jeremy Maclin (Missouri) won’t have a similar effect in the passing game and on special teams. Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis bring a veteran presence to the wideout position. And the potential exists for Philadelphia to get Maclin, Jackson and Vick on the field at the same time, giving them as much breakaway speed and big play potential as any team in the league.

Brian Westbrook has been Philadelphia’s workhorse for the last five years, a tough runner between the tackles and a capable pass catcher coming out of the backfield. Rookie LeSean McCoy (Pitt) should ease Westbrook’s workload this year after his whopping 972 touches in the past three seasons. The biggest offensive question marks this year come on the line, where Philly has replaced both longtime starting tackles, Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas. Philly threw money at Jason Peters and Stacey Andrews in the offseason, inking both players to fat free agent contracts in an effort to keep the #6 scoring offense in the league from last year clicking on all cylinders.

Defense:
Longtime defensive coordinator Jim Johnson passed away a few weeks ago following a battle against cancer. Johnson was one of the best in the league, dialing up confusing blitzes from all over the field; particularly adept at shutting down the potent offenses within the ultra-competitive NFC East. Former secondary coach Sean McDermott has big shoes to fill, but he’s trained under Johnson’s tutelage for nearly a decade.

The Eagles rarely rest on their laurels in the offseason, and this year was no exception. The biggest changes came in the secondary, where mainstays Brian Dawkins and Lito Shepard depart. Still, talent is not a problem in the defensive backfield, with pro bowl candidate Asante Samuel, veteran Sheldon Brown, offseason acquisition Ellis Hobbs and safeties Quentin Mikell, Quintin Demps and Sean Jones all battling for playing time.

Philly’s front seven was paramount in their success last year, as the Eagles finished with the #3 overall defense; #4 against the run, #3 against the pass and #3 in points allowed. Tackles Broderick Bunkley and Mike Patterson along with ends Darren Howard, Victor Abiamiri and Trent Coles give Philly a stout presence up front. The linebacking corps underwent a makeover prior to last season, but new starters Stewart Bradley and Chris Gocong both stepped up effectively.

Schedule:
There’s no way to describe Philly’s schedule last year other than to say it was a bit abnormal. The Eagles slate was loaded with games against elite foes. They faced (and beat) both Super Bowl participants. Philly split their six NFC East games against the Giants, Cowboys and Redskins. They also faced off against the likes of the Ravens and Falcons. On the other hand, Philly also faced a litany of very weak foes in ’08 – the 49ers, Bengals, Browns, Rams and Seahawks were all bottom tier foes. When we average it all out, Philly’s schedule was ‘middle of the pack’ in terms of toughness – very similar to their upcoming schedule in 2009. However, with an early Week 4 bye, three sets of back-2-back road games and a pair of west coast trips, Philly will be tested early and often.