Standing Pat?

What will the Eagles do now that Curtis is out?



The $50,000 question today has to be, what will the Eagles do next?

Well if you listen to Howard Eskin, who is the mouthpiece for the Eagles, then they probably aren't doing much.

They look at the Curtis injury as a one-month injury and anybody they'd be bringing in, would be a stop-gap option.

If they truly believe that their problem is as simple as that then we're in for a very long season.

The wheels are falling off the Eagles van and we're still two weeks away from the kick-off of the NFL season.

Victor Abiamiri may or may not play this year. Chris Clemons, the Joe Banner bluelight free agent special gets hurt if a mosquito lands on his arm. The special teams are a trainwreck. Reggie Brown is banged up. Curtis is out until at least the end of September.

I don't mean to sound totally negative, but I'm a realist. During this offseason I had this team pegged to win 10 or 11 games, possibly more if they have a stellar defense. I just don't see how their defensive ends will contribute. They're trying to sell us on Jerome McDougale coming back from the dead and finally contributing. He got drafted in 2003! That was during George Bush's first presidency! And, the five years of McDougale's career have seemed longer than Bush's entire presidency.

And, if that isn't bad enough the Eagles are trying to sell us on Darren Howard, their free agent bust that they signed in 2006.

What are the positives on this team? Well, McNabb is healthy, fighting for his NFL life and playing not just for his future in Philly, but potentially auditioning for his next team. Brian Westbrook is an elite back. The defensive backfield, while laden with drama is probably the best one in the game. The linebacking crew with Gocong, Gaither, and Bradley is among one of the most athletically gifted young groups in the league. Bunkley and Patterson are stud interior lineman and Cole is a pro bowler. But, you can't dismiss the fact that they have pedestrian defensive ends aside from him.

What does this all translate to right now? It's hard to say. This team could surprise everybody and win 11 games. Or, we could be in store for a very long season if Banner, Reid, et al. don't take a long, hard look at what they really need and that's a difference maker on offense.

It would behoove them to call the Cardinals ASAP and get Boldin.

Or, maybe they think they're just fine. After all, that resulted in one playoff visit in the past three seasons with that line of thinking.