NFC East 2009 Pre-Season Preview: Still the Best in Football?

Prior to the start of the 2008 season, almost all of the hype centered around what was considered to be the best division in all of football: the NFC East. There was talk that the Cowboys were so stacked with talent, they were the easy Super Bowl favorites.

Dallas stumbled to a 9-7 finish in the regular season, and were unceremoniously stomped from playoff contention in the season’s final game, a 44-6 drubbing at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Then there was the defending champions, the New York Giants. A team that was expected to struggle tremendously along the defensive line with the loss of retired defensive end, Michael Strahan, and the season-ending knee injury to Osi Umenyiora.

The G-Men flew out of the gates, soaring to an 11-1 start.

Enter Plaxico Burress. In the days leading up to the Giants 23-7 victory over the Washington Redskins, Burress accidentally shot himself in the thigh at a New York night club.

Without their biggest weapon, the Giants stumbled to a 1-3 record in December and were bounced from the playoffs by the Eagles at home in the divisional round.

Speaking of the Eagles, a team that Sports Illustrated columnist Paul Zimmerman had picked to with the division with a 12-4 record and lose the Super Bowl…again, to the Patriots, stumbled their way to a 9-6-1 record.

Thanks to a frantic and miraculous week 17, the Eagles squeaked into the playoffs, and wreaked havoc among the NFC. They upset the Vikings and Giants on the road, but saw their magical ride come to an abrupt halt in the NFC Championship game…again.

And then we have the Redskins. Oh, the Redskins. The team that almost routinely makes the most moves to try and buy the Super Bowl, again played below expectations and again missed the playoffs.

Quarterback Jason Campbell, under the tutelage of rookie coach Jim Zorn, led the Skins’ to a 6-2 start, but struggled late in the year and finished out the season 2-6.

Okay, so you have four teams, all considered to be high quality, three stumble their way through the season and one gets off to a hot start, but chokes in the playoffs. Does that sound like the league’s best division?

In 2009, this is again going to be considered one of the league’s top divisions. But the question remains, can they live up to the hype?

We begin with the division champs, the Giants.

 

New York Giants: 2008 finish (12-4)

On offense, the Giants will remain a threat, regardless of the loss of Plaxico Burress. Like the Eagles of 2008, they may not have that stud at receiver, but they do have a good amount of complimentary receivers who can still hurt you.

Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon will be counted on to lead the receivers this year. But two players with upside are draft picks: Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden.

Nicks has been compared to Anquan Boldin with his toughness and great hands. Barden is an enormous target who presents a huge red-zone threat to go along with tight end Kevin Boss.

Eli Manning will again have the benefit of being protected by the league’s best offensive line, as well as the cushion of Brandon Jacobs and Amhad Bradshaw on the ground as one of the league’s most potent rushing attacks.

On defense, the Giants will be considerably better along the front seven with the additions of outside linebacker Michale Boley, tackle Rocky Bernard, and defensive end Chris Canty.

With Osi Umenyiora returning from injury, Big Blue presents a fierce pass rush that will combine with a dominant rush defense, and offenses should have fun trying to score on this defense in 2009.

Arguably the only weak point of the 2008 Giants defense was the linebackers. Antonio Pierce was the only starter who was consistently productive. But with the addition of Boley and the selection of Clint Sintim in the second round, there is some solidity there.

The secondary could feel the effects of losing strong safety James Butler to free agency, but there are affable replacements waiting in the wings.

2008 first-round draft pick Kenny Phillips will see an expanded role as the starter at free safety and has a lot of upside.

Terrell Thomas is a versatile player who can make the transition from cornerback to safety, and he could very well be the leader in the clubhouse to make the move to strong safety.

The cornerbacks, on the other hand have a considerable amount of talent and should again be among the league’s best.

Cory Webster, who has finally lived up to expectations and 2007 first rounder Aaron Ross form one of the NFL’s top tandems at corner.

Kevin Dockery has the ability to step in and start as well, he is a very good nickel back and a solid special teams player.

The Giants’ special teams were among the leagues best in 2008. But this year, Jeff Feagles will be in his 23rd season, his production will be brought into question because of his age.

Lawrance Tynes will re-assume the kicking duties after an injury-plagued 2008 cost him his job to since retired John Carney.

Tynes, as you may remember, kicked the Giants to the Super Bowl with his game winning 47-yard field goal in the NFC Championship in 2007.

Kick returning may be an issue for the Giants. Amhad Bradshaw and Domenik Hixon both had their good returns, but each struggled with consistency.

 

Philadelphia Eagles: 2008 finish (9-6-1)

In 2009, the Eagles will again boast the NFL’s biggest offensive line, thanks to the additions of right tackle Stacy Andrews and left tackle Jason Peters.

Those two additions should bolster an offensive line that lost bookend tackles Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas to free agency.

With Brian Westbrook sidelined at least until pre-season, LeSean McCoy and Lorenzo Booker will need to pick up the slack in the running game.

McCoy, the Eagles second choice in the draft this year, is looked upon as the team’s back of the future and is expected to relieve some of the load that has been heaped upon Westbrook’s shoulders.

The Eagles passing game should again rank near the top of the league in 2009. McNabb got the weapons he was asking for when the Eagles drafted Jeremy Maclin in the first round this year.

With sophomore sensation DeSean Jackson continuing to improve along with Kevin Curtis finally getting that clean bill of health, this attack will be a match up nightmare.

The red zone offense will again be under heavy scrutiny this year. The front office added a weapon down there with the fifth round selection of tight end Cornelius Ingram. Ingram, along with budding star Brent Celek, should vastly improve a red zone offense that has been atrocious over the past two seasons.

Defensively, the Eagles should again be ranked among the best. Sure, the loss of Brian Dawkins will be felt emotionally, but not physically.

The Eagles may have sufficed for Dawk’s departure with the signing of Sean Jones, who has flown under the radar as one of the league’s top safeties for a couple of years now.

The Eagles secondary is loaded with talent, headed by Asante Samuel and Quintin Mikell. Sheldon Brown, whose off-season has been clouded by a contract controversy, is still one of the league’s premiere cover corners.

But the addition of Ellis Hobbs via trade at the draft may signal the end of Brown as a starter. Behind Brown and or Hobbs, there is Joselio Hanson, who got a huge deal in the off-season, speaking in terms of dime backs, with a five-year, $21 million deal…a deal that may have pushed Brown over the edge.

More is expected of Samuel in 2009 as he has another year of experience in Jim Johnson’s defense. And Quintin Mikell, is expected to take the reins as the leader in the secondary following his great year in 2008.

The Eagles front seven rivals that of the Giants. They have a solid corps of linebackers with Bradley, Jordan and Gocong, as well as one of the deepest defensive lines in the NFL.

Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley, both former first-round draft picks, are what I believe to be the most underrated tandem at defensive tackle in the NFL.

The only question mark on defense would be at left defensive end. Victor Abiamiri has the ability to step in as the full-time starter this year following an injury-plagued 2008. Juqua Parker and Bryan Smith are also candidates to compete for the starter’s job.

The Eagles special teams, which was mediocre to above average in ’08 will need more consistency in the coming season.

Every week it was something else. From Sav Rocca’s struggles punting, to DeSean Jackson’s backward returns, there was a different oddity all year.

The bright spots were David Akers finally hitting from 40-plus on his field goals and Quintin Demps consistently giving the Eagles good field position on kickoffs.

 

Dallas Cowboys: 2008 finish (9-7)

That brings us to the NFC East’s traveling circus, a.k.a. the Dallas Cowboys.

Terrell Owens is gone, banished to the snow-covered landscape that is Buffalo. So now there is no excuse for Tony Romo to under-perform in December again.

He has the weapons around him. Roy Williams, Jason Witten, Patrick Crayton, and Miles Austin provide more than enough talent in the passing game.

Williams will be under a microscope after his abysmal performance following being traded to Dallas in Week 6. Witten is easily the best tight end in the game from any standpoint, and Crayton and Austin are playmakers with big upside.

The ground game should be heavily relied on in Dallas in 2009. They have a trio of backs who can do just about everything.

Marion Barber is the hammer that will absolutely wear down a defense. Felix Jones is a versatile back who can score from anywhere on the field with his explosiveness.

Then there’s the slasher, Tashard Choice. Choice, a very toolsy back who does everything, and does it well.

He runs hard, catches the ball well, and is an above-average blocker. I see him as a smaller version of Derrick Ward, just waiting for a big deal in free agency one day.

The Cowboys offensive line is a big question mark. They either were impenetrable, or resembled the Detroit Lions.

They committed penalties like there’s no tomorrow and they need a wake-up call. They are a very talented bunch; they just need some continuity and consistency.

On defense, 2009 will be a year to regain respect for Dallas.

The Dallas defense was embarrassed for the final two weeks of 2008, surrendering 47 points. They tackled poorly and committed dumb penalties. They were just plain awful.

Along their defensive line, Jay Ratliff is the only standout. Marcus Spears has yet to play up to his first round pick potential, and Chris Canty the other end, is playing in New York.

Free agent signee Igor Olshansky is expected to pick up the slack at right end in 2009.

Where Dallas really excels is with their linebackers. When Demarcus Ware and Bradie James are playing at a high level, there are few offensive lines who can stop Dallas.

Though Greg Ellis and Zach Thomas have left, Jerry Jones brought in former Falcon Keith Brooking to fill in.

The departure of Greg Ellis will give former first-round draft pick Anthony Spencer the chance to show Wade Phillips that Dallas made the right choice drafting up to get him in 2007.

Potential-wise, Dallas could have one of the best units in football. Stop laughing and stay with me here. Terrance Newman, when healthy is one of the top cornerbacks in all of football, but he is rarely ever healthy.

Then there’s the 2008 first round pick Mike Jenkins, who made some very good plays in 2008 as well some very confusing plays, such as not giving an all-out effort.

At the nickel-back spot, there is Orlando Scandrick, who has tremendous speed and instincts. He has the potential to really shine as a nickel back and could push for a starting spot in a year or two.

That brings us to the safeties. Wade Phillips needs to have a sit-down conversation with Ken Hamlin. When I watched Dallas play, I watched Ken Hamlin run his mouth more than anything else on defense.

This guy can really play, but he needs to keep his head in the game and forget about all the crap and stop shooting his mouth off.

At strong safety, Gerald Sensabaugh should really provide an upgrade over the former starter Roy Williams.

Sensabaugh shined in 2008 whem Jacksonville gave him the chance to play. Sensabaugh’s play making ability gives the Dallas secondary a little more bite and could discourage some teams from throwing.

Dallas’ special teams lost two of its key components within two weeks in 2008 with both Matt McBriar and Felix Jones suffering season-ending injuries.

While Nick Folk was great kicking field goals, he had trouble with his accuracy on kickoffs, having two or three go out of bounds.

The return units really struggled for the ‘Boys in 2008 with Pacman Jones bringing the ball up. Jones did not make the big plays he once made in Tennessee, and also struggled hanging onto the ball. We’ll see how things pan out in 2009.

 

Washington Redskins: 2008 finish (8-8)

For the Redskins offense, it all begins with Jason Campbell. They offense goes as he goes. For the first half of 2008 Campbell was terrific, and he had the Skins’ at 6-2 and the surprise team of the season.

But due to poor decision making and an offensive line that could not stay healthy, it all fell apart as the Washington finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs.

But Washington is poised to make another run if their offense can stay healthy and Campbell can grow as a player and play a full year with some consistency.

His weapons are not the best, but they get the job done. Santana Moss and Antwan Randle El are sufficient receivers to go along with Chris Cooley in the passing game.

Plus, there’s the three second round draft picks from 2008 who are expected to grow and produce this year. Receivers Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, and tight end Fred Davis are all expected to have their roles expanded.

The offensive line was stellar for the first half of the season but fell apart with injuries and poor play late in the year. If they can stay healthy and not make the mental errors they made late in the season, things will be a lot easier on Campbell.

Clinton Portis’ production took a big dip when he came to Washington, but he is still one of the league’s top workhorses. Portis was the one constant on the Skins’ offense in ’08, and will again be heavily leaned on to carry this Redskin team.

If the offense is unable to get the job done, Washington should be able to count on their defense to keep them in games.

By adding Albert Haynesworth and Brian Orakpo in the off-season, defensive coordinator Greg Blache has been given two pass rushers who could put the Redskins defense over the top.

If there is one weakness on the Skins’ defense, it would be the linebackers. And you can’t really consider them a weakness.

Outside of London Fletcher, there is the unproven rookie, Brian Orakpo. He may be a solid pass rusher, but there are questions about how he will adjust to playing linebacker, opposed to playing defensive end in college.

The Redskins defensive line would not be considered a strength without the addition of Haynesworth. When he is on the field, Albert commands a double team at all times, having him at tackle opens up the possibilities for Blache to implement an array of exotic blitzes.

The strength of the Washington defense is easily the secondary. LaRon Landry, Deangelo Hall, Chris Horton and Carlos Rogers make up a secondary that was dominant in the second half of the year when the offense hit a wall.

With Horton developing into a stud at strong safety, and Landry prowling around at free safety, the Redskins may have the one of the league’s top combos at safety.

Hall and Rogers came up big late in the season, and their play nearly kept the Eagles from making the playoffs. Hall had a resurrection after being unceremoniously cut by the Raiders, and Rogers was consistent all season, although he went pretty much unnoticed.

With the talent these four teams boast, there is no doubt that this is the toughest division in all of football right now and I’ll go out on the limb and GUARANTEE that the NFC East produces THREE playoff teams.

 

PREDICTIONS:

1) New York Giants: 12-4

The Giants are stacked all over the place. Their ground attack should make up for their lack of experienced firepower at receiver.

Plus, that defense should be absolutely nasty with all of the additions and the return of Osi Umenyiora. If Hakeem Nicks can make an impact early, the offense could be even more dangerous.

 

2) Philadelphia Eagles: 11-5

The Eagles are almost an exact clone of the Giants, with a couple of exceptions: 1. they don’t have the ground attack that can take over a game. 2. They have better receivers.

If Brian Westbrook can play anywhere near the level he played at in 2007, that win total could jump one or two.

 

3) Washington Redskins: 10-6

I may be taking a risk here, but there is something that intrigues me about this Redskins team.

They added some very key parts on defense to add more to the pass rush and the offense should rebound after the collapse in the second half of 2008.

They could easily make a run at the division title in my eyes.

 

4) Dallas Cowboys: 10-6

It was tough putting the Cowboys in the cellar, given the amount of talent and potential they have. But I just don’t think they made the improvements that they needed to unlike the other three teams in the division.

But there is a possibility that they could actually be a better team without a certain player whose name we will not mention, cough, cough (T.O.).

Brian Westbrook To Have Surgery: Uh-Oh for Philly?

It’s times like these, in which those famous sayings arise in the city of Philadelphia. Sayings like: “Only in Philadelphia” or “We’re cursed” are perfect for the situation the Eagles have been put in.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, Brian Westbrook is due to have surgery on his injured right ankle. Dr. Mark Myerson will be performing the surgery on Friday in Baltimore. In a statement released by the Eagles, the surgery is said to be a “Debridement” of the ankle.

A debridement is the process of removing dead tissue or foreign material from and around a wound to expose healthy tissue. This is just another setback for the oft-injured running back.

Westbrook was coming off of a very tough injury-plagued 2008 campaign and prior to the season had received a new six year contract.

The timetable for his return will be determined sometime post-surgery. Early reports said that the possibility of a surgery could sideline Westbrook until the end of preseason or the beginning of the regular season.

But, this procedure is nothing major, so it is safe to believe that there could be a good chance we see Westbrook in training camp.

But what does this mean for the Eagles?

It means that players like, LeSean McCoy, Walter Mendenhall, Lorenzo Booker, and Eldra Buckley, will get sufficient playing time in training camp to strut their stuff and prove they belong in the NFL.

This most benefits Booker. Lorenzo is definitely on the roster bubble following last year’s flop of a regular season that was preceded by a fantastic camp. LeSean McCoy will most likely see most of if not all of the snap’s with the Eagles first string offense, should Brian miss significant time this summer.

On the bad side of things. It has to rise the awareness of Andy Reid and company, that they might not have done enough this offseason addressing the running game. Now, do not take that as a quick jab at the front office.

McCoy looks promising, but what is behind him? He was supposed to be the guy spelling Westbrook. If Brian is unable to perform at a high level in the regular season, McCoy could begin to carry the load, and we could even see an increase in touches for Leonard Weaver.

But that is mostly speculation, we will know more of the implications of the surgery later on this week.

Philadelphia Eagles’ Coaching Staff Profile

Over the past decade, no coach has been as successful in the NFC than Andy Reid and his Philadelphia Eagles. Throughout the years, Reid has put together a staff of tremendous assistants, three of whom have gone on to become NFL Head Coaches.

Another has become one of the NFL’s elite defensive coordinators. But what of the staff of today? Reid’s coaching staff is regarded throughout the NFL as one of the best. Here is a profile of Reid’s top assistants and they key members of the Eagles coaching staff.

We begin at the top.

 

Andy Reid: Head Coach (1999-???)

Who?!? That was the reaction that reverberated around the city of Philadelphia when the news broke that the Eagles had hired little known assistant coach Andy Reid to be the new leader of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Reid’s road to Philadelphia began at his alma mater, Bringham Young University. Reid was hired as a graduate assistant to LaVell Edwards. He then spent the 1983-’85 seasons at San Francisco State as the team’s offensive line coach and helped them lead the nation in passing each year.

Following his successful stint at SFSU, Reid floated around as the offensive line coach for: Northern Arizona (1986), University of Texas El-Paso (1987-’88) and Missouri (1989-’91).

In 1992, Reid was hired by a former colleague from BYU and then head coach of the Green Bay Packers, Mike Holmgren. Holmgren hired Reid as the teams Tight End/Offensive Line Assistant.

Thanks to some urging from Holmgren early on, Reid became more familiar with the Packers offense, “It was his curiosity, the questions he asked, his note taking,” said Holmgren, “He was just a sponge.”

In 1997, Reid began a two-year stint as the Packers quarterbacks coach. In that first year, the Packers won their second consecutive Conference Championship, and Brett Favre had been crowned as the league’s Most Valuable Player for the third consecutive season.

Following an early exit from the 1998-’99 playoffs, Reid was contacted by a team in turmoil. A team in a seemingly endless downward spiral towards futility, the Philadelphia Eagles.

Andy holds the Eagles highest winning percentage among coaches (.607) and is the club leader in wins with 107. He has won NFL Coach of the Year twice (2000 and 2002).

Reid has also led the Eagles to five NFC East division titles (2001-04 and 2006) and five appearances in the NFC Championship(2002-2005 and 2009)

Now we move on to the men behind the scenes, the assistants.

 

Jim Johnson: Defensive Coordinator (1999-???)

Jim Johnson was hired as the Eagles defensive coordinator on Jan. 22, 1999. Since then, he has built a defense that is routinely among the leagues elite.

Johnson’s coaching time line began at Missouri Southern, where he was head coach from 1967-68. From there, Johnson bounced around the college scene as a defensive coach. He was the defensive coordinator at Drake University from 1969-72.

He then spent the 1973-76 seasons as the linebackers coach at Indiana University before moving on to Notre Dame as the team’s defensive coordinator from 1977-83.

Johnson then spent 1984-85 as a defensive coordinator for Jacksonville and Oklahoma from the since defunct USFL.

From 1986-93, Johnson coached the defensive line and defensive backs for the St.Louis/Arizona Cardinals. Johnson really excelled as their secondary coach. He helped future Hall of Famer, Aeneas Williams become the first rookie cornerback to lead the league in interceptions since 1981.

From 1994-97, Johnson spent two years with the Colts as the linebackers coach and two as the team’s defensive coordinator.

Following his brief stint in Indianapolis, he coached the linebackers for the Seattle Seahawks. There, he helped the Seahawks register 10 defensive scores, eight coming on interceptions before coming to Philadelphia in ’99.

Almost from the outset, Johnson built this once maligned unit into one of the leagues most feared. In 1999, the Eagles led the NFL in forced turnovers with 46, including five interceptions returned for touchdowns.

In 2001, Johnson’s unit became the fourth in league history to go all 16 regular season games without giving up more than 21 points.

JJ’s philosophy of: attack, attack, attack has made game planning for Sunday a nightmare for coaches throughout the league.

While in the City of Brotherly Love, Johnson’s system has produced 26 Pro Bowl selections: Brian Dawkins (7), Troy Vincent (5), Jeremiah Trotter (4), Hugh Douglas (3), Lito Sheppard (2), Trent Cole (1), Asante Samuel (1), Michael Lewis (1), Corey Simon (1), and Bobby Taylor (1).

In January, Johnson was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer, and has left the team for an indefinite period of time for a second round of Chemotherapy. He has been temporarily replaced by our next coach.

 

Sean McDermott: Secondary/Interim DC (2000-???)

Following a successful playing career at William and Mary from 1994-97, Sean spent the 1998 season as a graduate assistant. Also in 1998, the Eagles came calling, offering a job as a scouting administrative coordinator.

In 1999, McDermott was promoted to assistant to the head coach. Following his one-year stint as an assistant to Reid, McDermott was given the role of defensive assistant/quality control coach, where he handled the linebackers.

McDermott would receive another promotion in 2003 where he was given the job as assistant secondary coach, a job he held for a single season before being given complete control of the secondary and the safeties in 2004.

In 2004, both of McDermotts starting safeties (Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis) garnered Pro Bowl honors for the first time in club history. Dawkins went on to earn two more Pro Bowl selections under McDermott in 2005 and 2006.

Not only did Dawkins flourish under McDermott, the Eagles credit McDermott with the development of starting strong safety, Quinten Mikell, who has become a Pro Bowl contender. McDermott would hold the secondary/safeties coach position until 2007, when he was moved to the linebackers coach.

Under McDermott’s tutelage, two stars emerged at linebacker in 2007. Omar Gaither led the team with 170 tackles and 14 quarterback hurries. And strong side linebacker Chris Gocong emerged from the practice squad in 2006 to register 92 tackles and seven for loss in 2007.

McDermott moved back to the secondary in 2008, where he engineered one of the NFL’s top units. Two of his players made the Pro Bowl (Dawkins and Asante Samuel).

As I said, this guy is highly regarded by his peers, “I don’t think there are a lot of secondary coaches that are as good as Sean McDermott,” Eagles head coach Andy Reid said. “He was a phenomenal linebackers coach and, really, his versatility I just think is second to none.”

If the hype on McDermott proves right, he could very well be the next disciple of the Andy Reid era to earn a job as a head coach in the NFL.

 

Marty Mornhinweg: Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator (2003-???)

Marty Mornhinweg’s roller coaster ride up and down the coaching ladder began at his alma mater, The University of Montana.

In 1985, Marty managed the wide receivers at the school, before leaving for Texas El-Paso in 1986. He spent two years at UTEP as a graduate assistant before leaving to play quarterback for the Denver Dynamite of the USFL. Following one year in Denver, Mornhinweg began a seven-year journey in college football.

That journey began at Northern Arizona in 1988, where he coached the running backs for a season before leaving for Southeast Missouri State to take over the offensive coordinator position, along with the quarterbacks coach position.

After a two-year stint at Southeast Missouri, Marty moved to The University of Missouri in 1991 where he would manage the tight ends and the offensive line for three seasons. In 1994, Mornhinweg made his final collegiate stop as he returned to Northern Arizona as the team’s offensive coordinator.

Following that one-year stint in Arizona, the Green Bay Packers tabbed Mornhinweg as their offensive assistant and quality control coach on offense. There, he was reunited with a former collegue, Andy Reid. The two had previously coached together at Missouri and UTEP.

In 1996, Marty took over the quarterbacks coaching position, and helped Brett Favre win his first of three consecutive MVP awards. In addition with Favre’s tutelage, Mornhinweg helped the Packers win their third Super Bowl.

Mornhinweg would leave the Packers in 1997 to join Steve Marriucci’s staff in San Francisco as the team’s offensive coordinator for four years. There, he sent another quarterback to the Pro Bowl: Jeff Garcia. Following the 2000 season, the Detroit Lions came calling, offering a job as the team’s head coach.

Mornhinweg’s time as head coach in Detroit was certainly forgettable, as his teams won a combined five games in two seasons. Following the 2002 season, Lions GM Matt Millen fired Mornhinweg. Then in 2003 Andy Reid and Mornhinweg were together coaching again, when Reid hired him as the team’s Senior Assistant.

In 2004 Mornhinweg was promoted to the Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator position, and has been there since. Under Mornhinweg, the Eagles offense has evolved into one of the leagues more explosive attacks.

In 2006, the Eagles led the NFL in plays over 20-yards with 74. To go along with the big plays in ’06, the Eagles offense scored 398 points, the second highest total in team history.

One group that has been consistent in Mornhinweg’s time, has been the offensive line, which leads us to our next coach.

 

Juan Castillo: Offensive Line (1995-???)

Castillo, the longest tenured coach on Andy Reid’s staff is highly regarded as one of the league’s best offensive line guru’s. A former linebacker, Castillo’s coaching career began in 1982 at Texas A&M-Kingsville. At TAMK, Juan coached the offensive line for four years before leaving to coach high school football in Texas in 1986.

Castillo returned to TAMK in 1990 to again coach the offensive line. He gained recognition from then Eagles head coach, Ray Rhodes for aiding in the development of five division II All American offensive linemen. Four of those linemen went on to play in the NFL: Jermaine Mayberry, Jorge Diaz, Kevin Dogins, and Earl Dotson.

In his five-year stint at TAMK, he spent three summers as a coaching intern for Tampa Bay, Buffalo and Seattle. In 1995, Rhodes hired Castillo an offensive assistant, a position he held until 1997 when he was assigned to coach the tight ends.

In 1998, Castillo was assigned to coach the Eagles offensive line, and from there, the story goes on.

Under Castillo, four Eagles linemen earned their first trips to the Pro Bowl: William Thomas, Shawn Andrews, Jermane Mayberry, and Jon Runyan. Castillo’s units are known for being dominant pass blockers, and yielding very little sacks.

In fact, in 2008 the Eagles offensive line set a club record for fewest sacks per pass attempt (one every 27.3).

Castillo also developed a knack for developing undrafted rookies into starting NFL linemen. That list includes: Jamaal Jackson, Hank Fraley, Artis Hicks, Bubba Miller and Steve Edwards. Castillo will almost certainly return another dominant offensive line thanks to the offseason additions the Eagles made.

Trent Cole: A Mock B/R Interview

You’d be hard pressed to find a single player on the Eagles’ roster with a motor like that of defensive end Trent Cole. Since being selected in the fifth round of the 2005 draft, Cole has played with a chip on his shoulder. Experts said he was undersized, so he got bigger. 

The experts also questioned whether he could perform consistently for an entire season. Cole again silenced the critics by having one of the best seasons as an Eagles defensive end since Hugh Douglas’ 12-sack performance of 2002. 

Now, Cole will be looked upon to be one of the leaders on an already talented Eagles defense. His motor and leadership intrigued me to chose him as my mock interviewee. 

Here are my 10 burning questions for Mr. Cole:

1. Trent, you came into the NFL with a lot of naysayers. With your performance over the past three years, do you think that you’ve silenced those doubters?
2. Among your 34 and 1/2 sacks, which one stands out the most?
3. You play in the league’s most physically tough division. Does playing against that level of competition six times a year prepare you more for the playoffs or add some wear and tear?
4. In past training camps, you have gone head to head with Tra Thomas, an elite left tackle. Now you will be facing Jason Peters, arguably the best tackle in the game today. How does this prepare you for the regular season where you will face dominant players like Chris Samuels and Jordan Gross?
5. You played your collegiate ball at Cincinnati, for a mediocre Bearcats team. Is there a sense of pride regarding the fact that your almamater is now one of the elite teams in Division I football?
6. Growing up, was there an elite pass rusher that you looked up to? Do you model your playing style after that player?
7. Until the 2008 season, you carried the load as the team’s premier pass rusher. With the amount of talent that Andy and Jim have added at defensive end, do you feel that there is less pressure on you to set the tone for the front four from a pass rushing standpoint?
8. With Jim Johnson taking a leave of absence for a second run of Chemotherapy, do you think there will be any change in the dynamic of the defensive play calling by Sean McDermott?
9. Asante Samuel previously guaranteed a Super Bowl Championship season. What is your opinion of players playing Nostradamus two months prior to training camp?
10. With the amount of depth at each position, how does this defense compare to that of 2008 in your opinion?

Philadelphia Eagles Training Camp Preview: Position Battles

Eagles fans can smell this certain time of year as soon as the NFL Draft concludes. Yes, it is training camp. The time where tens of thousands of Eagles fans decked in midnight green flock to Lehigh University to get their sneak preview of the team.

The 2009 training camp will entail numerous depth and position battles. From the frequent battles along the offensive and defensive lines, to the war that will be waged at free safety, the 2009 training camp will be one to remember.

We begin our position battles preview at a position that was guarded for 13 seasons by Brian Dawkins, free safety.

FREE SAFETY: Sean Jones vs. Quintin Demps

This competition will be watched with impeccable detail, as both the second-year player Demps, and incoming free agent Jones each have the talent to be productive starters.

Quintin Demps:Andy Reid wasted little time announcing that Demps would be given the first crack at the starters job this offseason. Demps, a fourth-round draft pick in 2008 saw decent playing time at safety in 2008 due to his duties as the teams kick returner and some occasional time at cornerback.

Demps will be facing some significant questions coming into camp. Can he do all of the things that the Eagles ask of their safeties; step up against the run, pressure the quarterback, and make big plays in  coverage.

Demps’ maturity will come into question as well. He took some bad rookie penalties in 2008, most notably an ugly roughing the passer penalty in the Eagles crushing loss in the NFC Championship game. But as they say, with age comes maturity.

Sean Jones:That brings us to Sean Jones. Jones is a sixth-year player from Cleveland, where he flourished for the lowly Browns. The fact that he played for Cleveland may have been the main reason the Eagles were the only team to contact him this offseason as a free agent.

In his three seasons as a starter, Jones posted Pro Bowl numbers. He intercepted 14 passes: five in 2006, five in 2007 and four in 2008. He posted 243 tackles: 111 in 2006. 96 in 2007 and 56 in an injury plagued 2008.

Given his resume, there should be no doubt that Jones will get a fair chance to start for the Eagles in 2009. He has the size and speed to perform as a free safety. He looks to be a sure tackler, is always ready to lay the big-hit, and has a nose for the ball, all qualities of a certain player who used to occupy that position.

DEFENSIVE END: Darren Howard vs. Chris Clemons vs. Victor Abbiamiri vs. Juqua Parker

This has to go towards the top of the list of battles coming into camp for the Eagles. Four players, who have the combined skills of the next LT, and yet none of them were able to separate themselves from the pack in 2008.

Darren Howard:We start with the Eagles sack leader in 2008, Darren Howard. Howard rode the momentum of a very productive offseason into training camp, where he quickly impressed Jim Johnson. Howard then followed his solid training camp with his best year as an Eagle, tallying a team high 10 sacks.

However, Howard saw little time as an every-down end, registering a meager 26 total tackles. If Howard can show some more versatility as a run-stopper rather than just a pass rusher, he could very well be the full-time starter in 2009.

Chris Clemons:We now shift to the Eagles second splash in free agency from 2007-2008, Chris Clemons. Clemons came off of a strong season in Oakland where he tallied eight sacks, mostly as a third down rusher. The Eagles saw enough of him to sign him to a very lucrative five-year deal.

However, Clemons was sidelined for a good portion of training camp last summer when he suffered from severe dehydration. As the season began, Clemons saw little time on the field, but made an impact as the year wore on.

His playing time increased in the second half, where he registered all four of his sacks, two coming in the Eagles 44-6 trouncing of the Dallas Cowboys in the seasons final game.

If Clemons could have avoided that dehydration spell, he may have pushed Darren Howard to being cut, and earned himself some significant playing time. Like the aforementioned Howard, he will need to show that he can be more than just a pass rusher in camp to land a starting job.

Victor Abiamiri: We now look to third-year player Victor Abiamiri. The former Notre Dame standout battled through a wrist injury that sidelined him for a good portion of the year, only to make a big impact late in the season.

It took Victor awhile, but when the Eagles hit the stretch run, he stepped his game up, in limited playing time, posting two sacks. In the postseason, Abiamiri saw an increase in workload, and made the best of it, tallying six tackles and a sack in two games.

Like Chris Clemons, who knows what could have happened had he not gotten hurt in the beginning of training camp. Given his skill set and size, Abiamiri could be one of the front runners to land the starting role at defensive end. That is if he can stay healthy. 

Juqua Parker: Now, we turn to Juqua Parker. JP came flying out of the gates as a sleeper to make the Pro Bowl, tallying 4.5 sacks in the team’s first six games. Parker has the potential to be the every-down end the Eagles are looking for, but will need to put a full season together, not just six games.

As the season wore on, Parker saw his role as a run stopper diminish a bit with the emergence of Victor Abiamiri. Relegated to more of a pass rusher, Parker failed to register a sack in the teams final eight games. He and Howard may be the odd men out in this grouping, Parker more than Howard due to production in 2008.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER: Akeem Jordan vs. Omar Gaither

One of the changes that led to the Eagles resurgence in 2008 was Akeem Jordan’s emergence in the second half of the season. Jordan replaced then starter Omar Gaither, who was having a solid season in week 12. Andy Reid and Jim Johnson made the change to give the defense a bit more speed, which is what Jordan brings to the table.

Akeem Jordan:Jordan flourished in 2008 following him being inserted as the starer, tallying 45 of his 61 tackles in his six starts. Jordan brings more athleticism to the table than Gaither, his speed and acceleration make him a reliable player against the run and in coverage.

He even garnered high praises from former middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, “When I saw this guy in camp, I said “If he gets to start, he’ll be a Pro Bowler.” That would send shivers up any young linebacker’s spine.

If Jordan continues to improve his tackling ability and play recognition skills, he should have no problem holding on to that starting spot, that is if he can improve as I mentioned.

Omar Gaither: Being relegated to a backup in 2008 had to leave a bad taste in the mouth of Gaither. You go from being a very promising young player to a backup in a flash. Before being benched, Gaither was on pace for a big year, posting 59 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 10 starts.

Gaither is a bigger linebacker than Jordan, which gives him an edge as a pass rusher as well as a run stopper. He possesses adequate speed, but tends to be a liability in coverage against tight ends. He does a good job of wrapping up the ball carrier and has solid play recognition skills, which should give him a very good chance at winning his job back.

Right Cornerback: Sheldon Brown vs. Ellis Hobbs.

The addition of Hobbs raised some eyebrows on draft day. The Eagles already had themselves a solid group of corners, and then they throw the curveball that gets the media and fans swarming. Hobbs is projected to push Sheldon Brown for the starting job in training camp.

Sheldon Brown: It is really a shame that we are discussing Sheldon Brown’s job being up in the air, due to the fact that he has been a rock at cornerback for the past five seasons.
No corner the Eagles have had in the past five years has been as solid as Sheldon in coverage. Sheldon’s rare combo of cover ability, speed, and hitting prowess makes him a dangerous man in the secondary.

It would really shock me to see him lose his job in camp this year, even with the addition of Ellis Hobbs.

Ellis Hobbs: Hobbs has the potential to be a very good corner in the NFL, but his inconsistencies helped push him out of New England. He has the speed and ball skills to be an explosive corner, but just hasn’t put it all together.

He is easily beaten on double moves and has the tendency to take some very bad penalties. He could see a shot at Sheldon Brown’s starting job due to his contract situation.

Dime Cornerback: Jack Ikegwuonu v. Victor Harris

This is one of the more intriguing battles coming into camp. Ikegwuonu will be trying to prove that Andy Reid made the right move drafting him in the fourth round of last years draft. Meanwhile Harris will be mearly contending for a job.

Jack Igegwuonu: Ikegwuonu spent the entire 2008 season on injured reserve due to a torn ACL that he suffered while training for the combine. Prior to the injury, many scouts had him as a late first to early second round pick.

He displayed solid quickness and ball skills in college that make him an interesting player. But what is yet to be determined is how he will react to finally getting on the playing field in 2009.

Victor Harris: The Eagles saw enough in the former Virginia Tech standout to draft him in the fifth round. He projects more as a safety in the NFL, but has the playmaking ability to make in as a corner. This competition with Ikegwuonu should give him a solid chance to make this team and see some playing time.

Receiver: Brandon Gibson vs. Reggie Brown vs. Hank Baskett

We now shift gears to the offensive side of the ball. Where an always hot-button issue will house a big competition as we approach camp.

Brandon Gibson: The sixth-round pick out of Washington State in this year’s draft has the potential to be a sleeper in 2009. He has all the makings to be another Muhsin Muhammad type receiver. He is a solid underneath receiver with a decent burst and solid leaping ability.

Camp will be huge time for him, not only because he is a rookie, but he needs to silence the doubters and skeptics who pointed out his struggles catching the ball as a senior. This kid has the talent and the character, now it is all about putting it all together. I really like him as either a fifth receiver or a solid practice squad addition.

Reggie Brown: Disappointment. That is the only word that comes to mind when considering Reggie Brown’s performance, or lack there of in 2008. This is a make or break camp for Brown, sadly.

After showing flashes of being a future star during the 2005 and 2006 seasons, this guy has simply fallen off a cliff. Dropped balls, poor routes, injuries you name it, he has simply fallen apart.

If Brown can prove in camp that those ugly drops are a thing of the past, he may sneak on to this team. It will be interesting to see how he performs come July. Which Reggie will show up? The motivated player who makes big plays? Or the guy who drops passes and saw little playing time in 2008? Only time will tell I guess.

Hank Baskett: Some people would have Jason Avant here instead of Hank, but Avant is just too reliable over the middle and is the Eagles Mr. Third Down. Anyway, on to Baskett.

After coming to the Eagles via trade prior to training camp in 2006, Baskett turned heads with his leaping ability and down field prowess. But he has rarely flashed those abilities in his three years in Philadelphia.

Baskett has the tools, great leaper, solid speed, good hands, decent route runner, it is just a matter of putting it all together. Hank provides the Eagles with a deep threat and a goal line presence, but he needs to do those things on a more consistent basis. In 2008 he showed signs of improvement, but fell off a bit later in the year.

In camp he should see some significant competition from Gibson and Brown.

3rd String Running Back: Walter Mendenhall vs. Lorenzo Booker vs. Eldra Buckley

This one should be a doozy folks. The power and speed back the Eagles have lacked for years against the two shifty, scat backs who probably will not make it past the first cut.

Walter Mendenhall: Here is another player who is on my sleeper list. Mendenhall was signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent following the draft. He could provide the power and speed combo the Eagles have lacked since Duce Staley. He is a load to bring down at 227 pounds to go along with a 4.4 40-yard dash.

At Illinois State in 2008, Mendenhall averaged a stunning 6.3 yards per carry and 11 touchdowns on just 126 carries. He is the older brother of Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall. It should be exciting watching this guy in training camp.

Eldra Buckley: I see Buckley as more of a gamebreaker more than a tackle breaker given his size. The Eagles do not need a gamebreaker, they have two at the top of their crop of backs. However, he may have a chance on this team as a special teamer.

Lorenzo Booker: What do Freddie Mitchell, Quintin Caver, Barry Gardner, and Lorenzo Booker all have in common? They all turned out to be all hype. Now that may be a bit premature given the fact that Booker has been with the team for all of a single year.

But this guy had Eagles fans and coaches salivating during training camp, where he displayed the explosiveness and versatility that made him the nations to running back in high school.

But that player never showed up for game time. It won’t be camp that decides Booker’s fate really, it will be the preseason games.

The Eagles will begin training camp Sunday, July 26, with rookies and selected veterans scheduled to report to Lehigh.

All remaining veterans are scheduled to report July 29, with camp breaking at Lehigh on Aug. 12.

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