Few Words before the Superbowl

The Superbowl is tomorrow and its another year without the Eagles in it. The two they went to they lost but even a loss in the Superbowl is better than not going. Oh well, there is no use dwelling on what didn't happen its time to look foward to next year and hope that the Eagles can make it then. This past week some interesting things happened and many things were said about the direction of the team durring the offseason. Let's review. To start with an arbitrator has reportedly ruled for the Eagles in their case against big mouth (Owens), meaning the now Cowboys wide receiver owes his former team nearly $800,000 in signing bonus money, and I for one am glad. Next alot has been said this week about Giants star Plaxico Burress and what impact he could have had on the Eagles offence. While I agree that they could definately have used him, they certainly must not have thought that, he told an interviewer that he wasn't even aware that they were interested. Personally I think that was a bad deal all around. Dave Spadaro had a good deal to say about the Eagles wide receivers and tight ends. The importance of both wide receivers and the tight end position are clearly high within this offense. In 2006 they scored 370 points and averaged a league-best 6.2 yards per play, a league-best 7.05 yards per first down play and a league-best 13.3 yards per catch. This year they didn't do quite so well. The Eagles need to address what they are going to do across the board in the coming weeks, and two of the positions they need to look at are tight end and wide receiver. Numbers don't tell the whole story, but the Eagles had a big reduction at tight end from 2006 to 2007, clearly effecting their red-zone efficiency. L.J. Smith is due to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of February, making it a position to clarify. Andy Reid anounced some coaching changes this week, to review, the Eagles moved Sean McDermott, back to the secondary. He is a 10-year veteran of the NFL at the ripe old age of 33 and has coached for four seasons working with both the safeties and the cornerbacks. He also appears to be the next rising defensive coach here, following along the lines of Steve Spagnuolo and John Harbaugh. Otis Smith will be helping McDermott in the secondary after he impressed Reid and defensive coordinator Jim Johnson working as a coaching intern with the team last season. Smith played 13 seasons in the league at cornerback. Shuey, a defensive quality control coach takes over the linebacker coaching position. He will be working with a group of players with whom he has already become very familiar. They know him well and are ready to be molded into the strength of this defense. Mark Whipple was known for having a brilliant, innovative mind as a college coach, who then made the transition to NFL quarterbacks coach and will be taking over that position for the Eagles this next season. Donnovan McNabb continues to express a desire to add more playmakers to the team. He has been joined by other the latest of which is runningback Brian Westbrook. "I think having more weapons on your team takes pressure off of everybody," said Westbrook, who is at Super Bowl XLII as part of a promotional campaign with Chili's Restaurant. "If you look at a team like the Patriots, they have so many weapons that if you shut down one guy, it just gives so many more opportunities to other guys to play well. Others have mentioned that while bringing in new talent is important those who are already on the team have to continue to improve. Brian Westbrook, Shawn Andrews, and Trent Cole are where they need to be. Donnovan McNabb also seems to be getting back to where he was before the injuries. There have been some questions about weither Brian Dawkins has another season left to again reach the heights. Several of the young players are going to have to step up and prove that they can be what this team needs. I hope that the Eagles are going to keep their eyes open and be aggressive and do what they can through every avenue to make the roster better in 2008.