Last season for the Eagles was to forget. They had problems on and off the field. For the Eagles, the season was over in a couple of weeks. They finished with a lousy 6-10. During the offseason, they solved the Terrell Owens problem. He is now with his nemesis, the Dallas Cowboys. Looking at the Eagles, they seem ready to move on and get back on track. Unfortunately, the NFC East is going to be a tough division. All teams are expected to fight hard for the title.

quarterbacks

I’m not sure where to classify Donovan McNabb. It seems that he is going the wrong way in his career. The 2006 season is going to be crucial for him and this Eagles offense. Many will be quick to blame last season on his and Owens’ injuries. Will McNabb stay healthy this season? Will he matter? The Eagles brought in Jeff Garcia as a backup. He’s not the best quarterback out there, but he’s a decent backup option.

receivers

The Eagles’ receiving team is expected to be just above average. They don’t have a bona fide star on staff. The Eagles will most likely spread the ball out to each receiver and see who develops throughout the year. Staying healthy is going to be the biggest hurdle. If Todd Pinkston can play this season, all season, he could add a good threat.

runners

The Eagles have a pretty good running game. Brian Westbrook, if he stays healthy, will be a good fit for the Eagles’ offensive approach. To help keep him healthy, the Eagles could draft a running back for a good percentage of the chances. Ryan Moats thinks he’ll have decent playing time.

Defense and Special Teams

The Eagles have a top 15 defense in my opinion. A key addition this season is Darren Howard. He came from the New Orleans Saints. Like the rest of the Eagles team, he, too, struggled with his health. However, he could provide the spark that propels this defense up. They also added LB Shawn Barber and DT Ed Jasper. The special teams are also above average. David Akers should return to his usual good looks. Jeremy Bloom was selected by the Eagles in the 2006 Draft and will be a comeback man. He could end up giving the Eagles that return threat they lacked last season.

prediction 2006

The Eagles should have no problem improving on their horrible 6-10 record from 2005. However, they are in a very tough division. Their schedule is a nice balance of good and bad teams. They should be able to get to 8-8. How well they improved will determine the rest of the way. Their softer games include: Oakland, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans, and San Francisco 49ers. That could be up to seven wins in store for them. The other nine games are against tougher teams, including the six against NFC East foes.