Philadelphia Eagles 2009 Season Preview: No QB Controversy Here

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. " We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

A rather mundane offseason in Philadelphia took a dramatic turn on the night of Aug. 13. That was when news broke that the team had signed free-agent quarterback Michael Vick. All of a sudden, the Eagles were the center of the football world -- this attention will continue throughout the season, as the media will keep a very close eye on how Vick fits in. Meanwhile, coach Andy Reid has a veteran starter in Donovan McNabb to keep happy, and he's pretty good, by the way.

Offense -- There should be no controversy in Philadelphia, as long as McNabb is healthy. He's the guy, Kevin Kolb should serve as the primary backup, and any playing time Vick gets will be some sort of gimmick drawn up by Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. Conceptually, nothing has changed with the attack. Reid will continue to press through the passing game, with the addition of first-round pick Jeremy Maclin adding to a growing set of receivers. Last year's leading receiver DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis and Jason Avant all return as well. Brian Westbrook will continue to serve as the feature back, and there will likely be chatter at some point about how the Eagles don't use him enough. Rookie LeSean McCoy should be solid enough to earn some playing time. There could be problems on the offensive line, which has dealt with injury issues in training camp. If the starting five can manage to stay healthy, McNabb shouldn't have any problems getting time to throw. Vick is nothing but a wild card, and he's a dangerous one. He's a great athlete who should quickly pick up the offense. He adds another dimension to this team, even if he is never considered a full-time option at quarterback. Heat Index: 7

Defense -- The loss of coordinator Jim Johnson to cancer means that former secondary coach Sean McDermott is now running the show. While Philadelphia is very good in the secondary, thanks to the return of Asante Samuel and the addition of Ellis Hobbs, replacing the leadership of Brian Dawkins won't be easy. Still, the talent is there to make up for his loss. The big on-field questions facing the Eagles come at linebacker, where middle starter Stewart Bradley is out for the season. Is Joe Mays the answer, will the Eagles end up going with Omar Gaither, or will they be looking elsewhere? They know they're good up front. Trent Cole and Darren Howard bring the speed, and Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson work the inside. The team is deep, too, especially at end. McDermott doesn't inherit anything remotely resembling a bare cupboard, so this should be another fine season for one of the NFL's most talented and capable defenses. Heat Index: 9

Special Teams -- Despite having four kicks blocked a year ago, Philadelphia is once again going to be quite strong on special teams. Punter Sav Rocca doesn't miss on many chances to pin opponents deep, and veteran kicker David Akers continues to flash incredible accuracy despite playing late-season games outside in weather that isn't always ideal. Jackson and Quinton Demps are a formidable return duo. Heat Index: 7

Coaching -- Reid is a veteran, and he's a winner. The Eagles might be 1-5 in NFC Championships under him, but many teams in the conference would kill to have that many opportunities at making the Super Bowl over ten years. After a few years of trying to turn lemons into lemonade for McNabb, the team has some real weapons for him to throw to. If he's on his game, and Reid can continue to engineer the offense at a high level, the Eagles will do just fine. Heat Index: 8


Intangibles -- After coming oh-so-close in the title game at Arizona, the Eagles bolstered a secondary that Kurt Warner largely abused in that game. What can't be denied is that McNabb was not at his best on that day, especially in the first half. He led an incredible rally, but it was a game lost, really, by his poor first-half performance and the absence of any defensive play most of the day. The Eagles' schedule is tough, but there's a nice three-game homestand after the opener at Carolina, and Philadelphia plays five straight against non-playoff teams from 2008 after that opener. It's a chance to get off to a good start, and you should expect the Eagles to take full advantage. Heat Index: 7

Total Heat Index: 38/50 -- The pieces are in place for Philadelphia. All that is left is for Reid, a solid and proven winner as head coach, to help ease the defensive transition from Johnson to McDermott, and allow his offensive playmakers to do their thing. Expect the Eagles to battle the Giants for the NFC East title, and they shouldn't have to settle for anything worse than a wild-card spot.