Matt's Mind

Thoughts from a obsessed sports fan

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Eagles the “Dream Team”? Please…

In case you didn’t hear the news the Philadelphia Eagles are the “Dream Team,” think the Miami Heat of last year minus the absurd victory celebration before the season starts.

All this talk about the Eagles making it to the Super Bowl is a joke.

Just because you acquired the best cornerback in the league in Nnamdi Asomugha and one of the best young cornerback in the league in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie doesn’t make you the best team in the league, or even the team with the best defense in the league.

Nnamdi Asomugha
Mind you this is a team with an aging defensive and offensive line, neither of which were significantly addressed during free agency or the draft.

Sure, you have two great cornerbacks but what about the rest of the team? The weakness in the Eagles game wasn’t the defense—which was ranked 14th in passing yards allowed and 15th in rushing yards.

They don’t have a glaring weakness except for their performance Dominique Rodgers-Cromartiein close games.

All of their losses were 10 points or less, (with the 18 point loss to Tennessee being the exception).

And against playoff teams their average margin of victory was by 8 points, hardly dominating.

The Eagles main issue is their reliance on Mike Vick, since they traded backup Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals for Rodgers-Cromartie their backup is now the unproven Vince Young.

Kevin KolbWhy is this a big deal? If Vick gets hurt, and there is a very good chance he does, having played in all 16 games only once in his career—which happened to be last year, the offense is in trouble.

Even if Vick doesn’t get hurt and plays the entire season he is bound to regress from last year.

A break down of Vick’s numbers and why he is bound to regress:

Last year Vick scored 54 points, the most in his career since his second year in the league when he scored 48. Which will go down Mike Vickbecause of the next point…

Last year Vick had 21 passing touchdowns, which was his highest since 2006 when he had 20. Which will go down because…

Last year Vick threw for 3,018 yards, the most in his career since he threw 2,936 in his second year. Which will go down because of the next point…

Last year Vick’s passing completion percentage was 62.6, the highest in his career since he threw for 56.4 in 2004. His career average is 55.3, while he will do better then his career average because he has the best wide receivers he has ever had in his career. Which will go down because…

Last year Vick had nine rushing touchdowns, his highest since 2002 when he had eight. Nine touchdowns all while only having 100 rushing attempts, shockingly lower then his average.

All of his numbers will regress, especially after a career year.

Will he put up the numbers he did last year? No.

Can he have another good year and get the Eagles to the playoffs? Yes.

Only if Vick manages to stay healthy and on the field.

The bottom line is the Eagles aren’t the “Dream Team” because they got two cornerbacks. They won’t even be a playoff team if Vick misses more then three games.

Filed under NFL Philadelphia Eagles Mike Vick Nnamdi Asomugha Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

  1. matthewslagle posted this