The Eagles need at least a couple of their stars; Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Asante Samuel or Trent Cole contribute some big plays on Sunday, if they want to start the season on the right foot.
We might have to put DeSean Jackson in that group before too long and
it would be great if he had an amazing performance on Sunday because it
would mean the Eagles have scored on big plays.
With all of the uncertainty surrounding the football team, the ony way they win this game is if a couple of these guys take over at different times.
If McNabb were to drop back and hit Jackson will a couple of 40 or 50 yard lazers for touchdowns, it will force the Panthers to throw the ball more than they want to do.
They may need McNabb to camouflage the offensive line problems by turning a break down into a big play or escaping the rush, buying some time then punishing the Carolina defense with a big play.
We all know that Westbrook is capable of taking what looks like a two-yard game and taking it the distance. Westbrook is capable of doing it in the run game, passing game or screen game. He’s like a ticking time bomb, he could go off at any time.
Samuel can pick a quarterback’s pocket in broad daylight with more than 80,000 people on the scene and millions watching on television. A pick six versus Jake Delhomme would bring back memories of that six-interception playoff game he had about eight months ago.
Of course a sack and strip by Cole would unnerve Delhomme and put the Birds in the position for a short drive.
The Birds are not in the best position to win this game and that’s why a couple of their stars needs to help them steal it from the Panthers.
If the Eagles can win this game versus a Carolina team that was undefeated at home during the regular season a year ago, with all of the
uncertainty surrounding the football team, they’re going to have a
great season in 2009.
Take away costly injuries and
regardless of what happens on Sunday in Charlotte, the Eagles are going
to get better as a football team as the season progresses. This has
been a description of Andy Reid’s teams as long as he’s been here.
He knows how to get his team going in the right direction and keep it going in the right direction throughout a season. He’s clearly open to criticism during the playoffs, but in the regular season he and the Birds are behind only the Pats and the Colts when it comes to winning in this past decade.
Let’s get this season started, right.
