The NFC East seems to be back to is glory of yesteryear. The rivalries within this division always make the race for the division title an interesting one. One thing is for certain, when the month of December arrives, the division crown will still be very much up for grabs.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
These birds rose from the ashes of an all but incinerated season in 2006 when Jeff Garcia led a rejuvenated offense to an NFC East title.
Garcia has since been cut loose to squelch any possible quarterback controversy with Donovan McNabb on the mend from a torn ACL. However, Coach Andy Reid had another plan in mind on draft day when the Eagles stunned everyone with their selection of Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb. It would not be a complete football season in Philadelphia without a controversy following McNabb.
In reality, with a healthy McNabb, this Eagles team is the deepest it has been since making the Super Bowl in 2004. Philadelphia boasts one of the deepest offensive lines in football. Currently, Pro Bowl guard Shawn Andrews has yet to see the field with a mystery ankle injury, but is expected to return for the season opener against Green Bay. Along the defensive line, expectations are high, especially for second year tackle Brodrick Bunkley, who looks to overcome a disappointing rookie season.
The Eagles offense looks to continue its rejuvenated play in the second half of the 2006 season. With Jeff Garcia at the helm, this offense succeeded well running the ball, a part of the offense that seemed to be neglected before McNabb's injury. Running back Brian Westbrook proved that he could indeed take the punishment of an increased number of carries. The question is will a balanced attack remain with McNabb back under center?
Defensively, this team looks to vastly improve its lackluster run defense that ultimately led to its Divisional round ouster at the hands of the New Orleans Saints. A surprising move on the Eagles part came when middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was granted his release. Second year player Omar Gaither is expected to fill in Trotter's spot with newly acquired linebacker Takeo Spikes on the weak side and 2006 third round pick Chris Gocong on the strong side. The Eagles hope Gaither will make up for the lack of speed that Trotter possessed.
Two players to watch are rookie running backs Tony Hunt and Nate Ilaoa. Both backs could provide the short yardage and goal line help that this team has sorely missed since Duce Staley.
Overall, with a healthy Donovan McNabb and a revamped defense, Philadelphia looks to be the tops of the NFC East and among the top two of three teams in the conference.
