The Eagles have some quality assistant coaches who don't get a lot of credit. They spend countless hours toiling in front of game footage designing the game plans.
They have to do that during the few hours when they're not training developing and babysitting the team's players.
During the first five or six years of the Andy Reid regime, you could make a good argument that Reid's decision to bring Jim Johnson to town as his defensive coordinator was the best decision he made short of drafting Donovan McNabb as his quarterback. Johnson led a defense which went years without allowing an average of more than seventeen points a game. His defenses were not only hard to score on, they were also opportunistic. Jim used his blitzes to keep offenses on the defensive and out of sync.
The last couple of years haven't been as outstanding but he's trying to get back to that high performance level. Even with the dropoff of the last couple of seasons, Jim still is regarded amongst the very best defensive coordinator in the NFL.
Marty Mornhinweg probably surpassed Johnson last year when it comes to popularity with the Eagles fans. Mornhinweg was the architect of the change for a pass-happy offense to a more balanced and run-oriented attack. Marty seems to have a better feel for the in game adjustments and flow than Andy. He's the first offensive coordinator that has won Reid's confidence to the point where the head coach will focus his attention on other areas while the former Detriot Lions head coach calls the plays. This was no casual accomplishment when you consider Reid's experience and resume as an offensive specialist. Marty's decision to make the offense more balanced, could wind up being the key cog that leads the Birds to a Super Bowl championship.
For years John Harbaugh was the Eagles special teams coordinator and once of the best in the business. Year in and year out, the Eagles special teams made the plays when they had to be made. Who will forget Brian Westbrook's punt return against the Giants to lift the Birds into NFC East superiority which they have rarely reliquished over nearly three quarters of a decade. Harbaugh had the uncanny ability to motivate adn utilize the scraps which were given him after Reid and staff put together the offense and defense units. John might be the best communicator of all the coaches. John decided last year after being either turned down or not even interviewed for vacant head coaching jobs in college and the pros, decided to become the team's defensive backfield coach.
Despite all of the glowing comments about the formentioned coaches, the most important assistant coach on the Birds may be offensive line coach Juan Castillo. This leader of the big boys who open the holes for Brian Westbrook and protect Donovan McNabb has developed one of the best offensive lines in all of pro football. Juan develops more free agents than just about any offensive line coach in the NFL. He made do with a barely average-talented players for year. Guys like Hank Fraley and Artis Hicks were free agency that started for the Birds. Juan has developed a late round draft pick like Todd Herremans into a quality guard in this league.
Last year when McNabb went down, it was the offensive line more than any other area of the team which took over and dominated down the stretch to get the Eagles to the playoffs. Castillo should get most of the credit for that.
