Philadelphia Eagles: An Example of How Expectations Impact a Football Team

The Philadelphia Eagles spent the offseason collecting talented free agents.  The additions were perennial Pro Bowlers. This resulted in Vince Young declaring them the "dream team."  At the moment, everyone expected the Eagles to perform like a dream team.

However, this season has been a collection of injuries and mistakes.  The problems start with their $100 million quarterback, Michael Vick.  Vick has been unable to capture the magic of last season, leading to a lot of questions about his future.

In my opinion, this team is suffering from the effects of the "dream team" status.  There is too much talent on this team for them to play this poorly.  They have an explosive and solid receiving corps that is capable of scoring from anywhere on the field.  The Eagles also have an elusive running back in Lesean McCoy.

However, the offense has struggled to perform at a high level.  A lot of fingers are being pointed at the offensive line, but I think their struggles have been over blown.  Yes, the offensive line has had problems, but nobody is stepping up to help out.

This includes the coaching staff, who should be putting more of an emphasis on running the football.  It is no secret that every offensive lineman would rather run the football.  Running the ball allows the offensive linemen to be aggressive.  Instead they are forced to back pedal and protect the quarterback.

It appears that the expectations of being the "dream team" has impacted both the players on the field and the coaching staff.  The Eagles season is long from over, but they need to get back to basics.  They need to find some heart.  Someone needs to put the weight of the "dream team" on his shoulders.

Expectations have more of an impact than most of us realize because it has a direct impact on a team's confidence.