Philadelphia Eagles have several chinks in the armor

The Philadelphia Eagles were supposed to be the NFL dream team, but even after spending a ton of money to secure a lot of talent there are several holes that still need to be filled. The offensive line has not looked good, and the right tackle spot may need some work before we get to September. Rookie Linebacker Casey Matthews has not looked good in the LB crops, and Safety Nate Allen is struggling to return from a serious injury. It is hard to say which of these issues is more troubling.

Even with Michael Vick and Vince Young as the team’s top two QB’s, the issues along the Offensive line are the most troubling. Football games are won in the trenches and if this team cannot get it together not only will Vick and Young be running for their lives, the Eagles running game may never get off the ground. Granted the stats from the Pittsburgh Steelers game do not show the issues we are speaking off, but one has to watch an O line perform to really gauge what they are capable of.

I have been a really big fan of Nate Allen, and his injury concerns me, but given the quality of the starting corners, and depth at the DB position in general I think they can allow Nate to work himself into playing shape. I also wonder if Dominique Rodger- Cromartie could not fill in at the strong safety position. He is a physical guy, who could play that position well.

Casey Matthews is another story all together. It is hard to come in as a rookie and play Middle Linebacker and be the captain of the defense. The Eagles do not have other great options here, so this one is pretty concerning. Casey had two tackles and an assist in the most recent pre-season game, but those numbers are way down for a guy playing in the middle of the field. A good MLB usually leads his team in tackles, especially when playing against a team that runs the ball as much as the Steelers do.

Related Links:

•Philadelphia Eagles news and notes
•Joshua Lobdell.com