I've thrown out a challenge to the followers of every other NFL team out there: tell us why your team will be better than the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007. Plenty of eager writers are lined up to tell you exactly why they think they'll be superior to the black and gold.
Today's author is K. Jablonski, an aspiring sports journalist from Bloomsburg University. His task? To try and convince you that the Philadelphia Eagles will be superior to the Steelers in 2007.
I'm of the belief that we'd really develop more of a dislike for the Eagles given the opportunity. I think we should play them every year. Need proof? Watch a Penguins-Flyers game. Based on hockey, our cities loathe each other. Why the NFL hasn't caught on to this idea yet, I don't know. So what do I know about the Eagles? Well, let's see:
--They have a QB who gets hurt every year, an epidemic so bad that they used a high pick to draft his eventual successor
--Andy Reid may be a great coach, but as a parent, let's say he has some room for improvement
--I realize it was a few years ago, but remember, this very same braintrust thought it was a good idea to bring in Terrell Owens
--I realize it was a few years ago, but remember, this very same braintrust thought it was a good idea to bring in Terrell Owens
--They can't seem to decide whether they like Jeremiah Trotter or not. Don't worry, I'm sure they'll give him a third tour of duty around 2009.
OK, I'm taking over this article, when it clearly belongs to someone else. I'll shut up now and turn it over to our resident Eagles fan to let him try and make his point.
Why the Eagles Will Be Better Than the Steelers in 2007
by K. Jablonski
The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a season where they were just three points away from the NFC Championship game. Now that we have McNabb back at the helm and other key injured players back, along with new additions on both sides of the ball, there’s no way our cross-state rivals can compare with us.
Both quarterbacks, McNabb and Roethlisberger, are experienced and proven winners, so flip a coin on who you want guiding your team there. At running back, Brian Westbrook is one of the most under-rated versatile backs in the NFL. Next to LaDainian Tomlinson and emerging star Reggie Bush, Westbrook is second-to-none. He led the league last year in yards per touch and will look to carry half the load this year as offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg will continue to call the plays and run the ball.
Kevin Curtis was added to this team for speed and a sure set of hands, and he will prove pivotal as to how this offense operates. If he isn’t grasping the ball over the middle and picking up important first downs, the team won’t move and will make the Steelers revamped offense look like USC.
Our offensive line averages a little over 6”5’ tall and 332 lbs, one of the biggest lines in the league. With Westbrook and rookie Tony Hunt running behind this line, it’s tough to see defenses having an easy time stopping us.
Kearse is back from injury and slimmer than last season. He says he’s in good shape, and with the depth on this line they will be fresh and good to go in the 4th quarter late in the season. Key additions Ian Scott and Montae Reagor add experience and a quality pass rush, run stop ability, respectively.
The only aspect that the Steelers hands-down have the Eagles beat is at linebacker. Takeo Spikes was a big addition for us, but the release of Jeremiah Trotter simply cancels the TKO move out. The linebackers should be alright, and with our defensive line getting in the face of offensive lineman, all our linebackers have to do is make the tackle. Shouldn’t be that hard.
Our secondary? Best in the league, enough said. Only team that can compete with ours is Denver who added another shut down corner in Dre Bly to play across Bailey.
But the key to every NFL season is to win your division. The only team that the Eagles will have to contend with for the whole season is the Dallas Cowboys. The Giants will stick their head around for awhile, but they won’t be there throughout the course of a seventeen week season.
The Steelers on the other hand have to put up with the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals, both teams who will BOTH be there at the end of the season. It’s tough to see Pittsburgh winning this division, but it will be an interesting competition for second place and possibly a wild card berth between them and Cincinnati.
Based on head to head competition on position levels, and throw in the division and conference we play in, there’s no way possible that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be better than the Philadelphia Eagles this year.
