Get ready for the Eagles to take a step back in the division, if they trade Donovan McNabb, replace him with Kevin Kolb and continue to execute their pass-happy offense.
I’m not saying that the Birds shouldn’t seriously consider getting rid of McNabb but if they do and the team goes south, we shoudn’t hear a lot of crying.
If you haven’t noticed All-Pro left tackle, Jason Peters turns a defensive end loose every game at least one or twice. That pass rusher is going to get a running start before he buries his helmet in the back of Kolb.
Peters isn’t as a good a pass blocker as Tra Thomas but he’s a better run blocker but Andy Reid might continue to abandon his running game.
One of the biggest challenge the young quarterback is going to have is staying away from interceptions despite throwing the ball 30 to 40 times a game.
Kolb will have a great set of weapons to throw the ball to but he’s going to have to withstand a great deal of pounding from the pass rushers he will be facing.
He’s going to get hit a lot and must get in the weight room and prepare his body to take a pounding. You can’t throw the ball as much as the Eagles do and avoid taking a lot of hits.
Take a look at the teams in this division and think about what he’s going to be facing.
Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden were talking during the Pro Bowl last night about how confident Dallas head coach Wade Phillips is about his defensive front seven. Phillips doesn’t think anybody in the league can consistently block this star-studded group when they come ready to play.
They went onto talk about his two Pro Bowl corners which shut down the Eagles in the three games they played a year ago.
I want all Eagles fans who want McNabb out of here to tell me what Kolb is going to do against the Cowboys next year when the two teams meet. If he has pressure on him all game long with no running game to go to how exactly will he get the job done.
If left tackle Peters can’t block right outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware and right tackle Winston Justice continues to struggle against left outside linebacker Anthony Spencer, then how is Kolb going to have any success.
Remember that the Giants offense wasn’t their main problem a year ago, it was their defense. They fired their defensive coordinator and we hope they find one who revitalizes their defense.
They will try to resurrect their pass rush and they will still have Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora to do the job. Umenyiora will be a year away from his knee surgery, so expect him to be more like his old self.
Finally, the divison is going to be seriously tough, if Mike Shanahan is able to lead the Redskins offense back to prominence. This guy knows how to build a running attack which could mean problems for the Birds.
They had a good defense a year ago, but they’ll probably be better next year with a healthy Albert Haynesworth and promising rookie defensive end Brian Orakpo will be a year older.
