5 Reasons Why the Philadelphia Eagles Are Not the Miami Heat of the NFL

Alright, so the Eagles added Nnamdi Asomugha. They added Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Don't forget Ronnie Brown. Oh, and what about Vince Young and Steve Smith.

There's no doubt about it. The Eagles upgraded their offense. They upgraded their defense. They are a much better team. They have the talent to go all the way.

But to be called the Dream Team? The Miami Heat? Clear NFC favorites?

Sure, they have depth at running back. They have depth at receiver. Depth at quarterback. Depth at cornerback. They have depth at every position. No one would choose to play these Eagles.

But I'll get one thing straight; they are not the Miami Heat. 

Here are five reasons why.

Reason 1: Michael Vick Is Overrated

Last year, Michael Vick showed the world that he could take a team that wasn't consisting of much talent far. He got them to the playoffs, and almost to the second round.

This year, the bar is raised. Vick is expected to do more than he ever did in Atlanta. He won Comeback Player of the Year last year, made it to the Pro Bowl and almost won MVP.

But can the Eagles really rely on a quarterback who isn't as accurate as Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees, isn't as experienced as Peyton Manning or Tom Brady and hasn't led a team to the second round of the playoffs in years?

Don't get me wrong; Vick is a talented quarterback. He presents many threats every time he takes the field. But will his running ability be enough? Can he continue to hit DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin for big gains and touchdowns?

He does have great targets who can turn a three-yard gain into a 90-yard touchdown, but it's up to him to succeed. And I don't think he can bring the Eagles to the point everyone expects.

Vick has received a lot of attention, and he lived up to the hype in 2010. But with even more hype in 2011 (if that's even possible), can he continue to shine?

Reason 2: The Eagles Running Backs Can't Carry the Heavy Load

The Eagles upgraded at nearly every position in the offseason, and one of those positions was running back. They picked up Ronnie Brown from Miami, and drafted two other running backs.

Brown has been successful in his career with the Dolphins, but once Ricky Williams got into the picture (even though he signed with the Ravens), and Reggie Bush was traded to the 'Fins, it became clear Brown was going to leave.

And he found the perfect place. Brown will fit in well with the Eagles, and he will provide another threat to compliment the already-strong Eagles offense. 

He did well in his Eagles debut, rushing for 22 yards on six carries, but will he be able to continue the success. It seems like every year, his numbers decline.

The Eagles can't afford for that to happen. LeSean McCoy is good, but can he carry the backfield? Dion Lewis and Graig Cooper are talented rookies, but they have to prove themselves.

The Eagles ranked fifth in rushing offense last year, but used a couple different threats. All of those threats may not be as reliable this year. 

That means one thing. Ronnie Brown needs to have a decent season.

Reason 3: Will the Eagles Actually Try?

As you saw with the Miami Heat, they expect championships. Not one, not two, but eight.

Of course, the Eagles expect championships too. But as you sometimes see with championship-caliber teams, they don't leave it all on the field. They expect someone else to pick them up.

And with a team jam-packed with so much talent and depth, it's likely someone will. But sometimes, other players will need to be picked up.

The Eagles can't afford for that to happen, especially at quarterback. Philadelphia's backup is Vince Young, the 2006 Rose Bowl hero. Yep, that's really it—2006 Rose Bowl hero. Do you think he cares about a championship? Not as much.

Young has had his ups and downs with the Titans, but does he have what it takes in Philadelphia? That is very unlikely to happen at quarterback, but if that happens with DeSean Jackson, who is a huge part of the Eagles success, they will quickly fall. In fact, they can't afford that with any starter.

You've seen teams with less talent beat teams with more talent. Philadelphia can't let that happen.

Reason 4: Is the Eagles Secondary All It's Hyped Up to Be?

The Eagles secondary is arguably the best in the NFL, and the best it's been in ages.

But are Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha enough?

Asomugha was a shutdown corner in Oakland, and won't be any different in Philadelphia. Rodgers-Cromartie was a playmaker in Arizona, and will do the same in Philadelphia.

And don't forget Asante Samuel, who the Eagles still have.

But will it be enough? Last year, even with Samuel, the pass defense ranked 27th in the league. Asomugha and the Raiders ranked 31st. And Arizona and Rodgers-Cromartie finished 10th.

When you combine the secondary studs together, it will likely mean success in the air will be hard to find for opponents. But even though Rodgers-Cromartie is a fast playmaker and Asomugha is a shutdown corner who almost never gets the ball thrown his way, Philadelphia needs to find a way to make it work.

Reason 5: Defensive Concerns

While it's clear the Eagles made major upgrades on defense, there are still concerns.

They only held an opponent to under 12 points once last year, against lowly Jacksonville. They lost games to Dallas, Tennessee, Minnesota and Chicago, either when their offense failed to step up, or the defense couldn't support the offense.

Nevertheless, the Eagles still need to show their defense can shut down offense on other teams. Opponents scored 27-plus points on the Eagles seven times, and 24-plus points on the Eagles nine times.

I know that was last year, and this year will be a lot different in the City of Brotherly Love, but there are still some concerns. Even though he struggled in 2010, Broderick Bunkley was valuable to the Eagles, and now he's a Denver Bronco. While Cullen Jenkins makes up for that, can it lift the Eagles?

The Eagles run defense hasn't shown big improvement, and while their pass defense is good, they will have challenges. Tom Brady and New England come to Philly in Week 12, and top running backs, such as Michael Turner, Frank Gore, Steven Jackson, etc.

We all know Philadelphia is a better team. We all know they will do well. But the Miami Heat? Dream Team? Clear NFC favorites? I don't know about that.

The nation will agree soon.