| Move to the running backs. For the Rams, Marshall Faulk is coming off one of the
greatest offensive seasons in league history — despite missing two games with a knee
injury. For the Eagles, Duce Staley hopes to regain the impressive form he displayed in
1999 before suffering a foot injury that sidelined him most of last season and put extra
pressure on McNabb, who was more than up to the task. Turn to the receivers. While the
Rams’ high-flying arsenal, led by Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt and Az-Zahir Hakim, wreaks
havoc with defenses, operating out of an offense with more looks than Peter Sellers in
"Dr. Strangelove," the Eagles’ WR corps is sporting a much different look
with younger, less experienced pass catchers.
Finish with the defenses. In this case, it’s the Rams who have undergone a
facelift, with eight new starters intent on making amends for the defense’s awful
performance last season. The Eagles, meanwhile, are rock solid, especially vs. the pass.
Add all these factors up, and you have the ingredients for a most intriguing season
opener.
When the Rams have the ball:
Warner, whose forte is deadly accuracy, regardless of the distance, says he is fully
recovered from last season’s concussion. But you can expect the Eagles’
hard-charging defense (seventh in QB sack percentage in 2000) to test Warner’s mettle
early and often in an effort to rattle his confidence, if not his brains.
In this regard, particular attention should be paid to the matchup between Eagles Pro
Bowl DRE Hugh Douglas, who finished third in the NFC in sacks last season with 15, and
Rams Pro Bowl OLT Orlando Pace, arguably the league’s most dominant offensive lineman
when the spirit moves him.
It goes without saying that the Eagles’ defense must focus on Faulk, a threat to
reach paydirt every time he takes a handoff or catches a pass. An extremely underrated
Eagles LB corps, led by Jeremiah Trotter in the middle, will have the tough task of
containing Faulk and Trung Canidate, a first-round draft pick who is expected to spell
Faulk a lot more this season, provided he can avoid the injuries that made him a
non-factor last season.
Perhaps no secondary is as well-suited to handle the Rams’ lethal WR sets as the
Eagles. While Pro Bowler Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor are two of the NFC’s best
cover corners, Al Harris has few peers as a nickel back. In addition, Brian Dawkins is
widely considered the NFC’s premier free safety.
With the Eagles are expected to focus primarily on Faulk and the Rams’ elite WR
corps, it would be making a mistake completely overlooking TE Ernie Conwell, who is
expected to be more of a factor now that he’s finally fully recovered from the knee
injury that has hampered him the last few seasons.
When the Eagles have the ball:
Philadelphia’s offense begins and ends with McNabb, who head coach Andy Reid
believes will be even more dangerous this season. McNabb, who lent credence to Reid’s
assertion with an electrifying 68-yard run in the preseason vs. the Titans, must solve a
zone-heavy Rams defense that is patterned after the Buccaneers’.
In defensive coordinator Lovie Smith’s new "cover 2" scheme, it will be
solely up to the Rams’ front four to pressure McNabb — a task that could be made
easier if Eagles ORT Jon Runyan (hyperextended elbow; check status) is unable to suit up.
With newcomers Don Davis and the lightning-quick Mark Fields flanking London Fletcher
in the middle, the Rams’ LB corps appears well-equipped to handle McNabb and Staley
escaping the backfield. But they could have their hands full with Eagles Pro Bowl TE Chad
Lewis, a primary target of McNabb who also will try to take advantage of either raw rookie
Adam Archuleta or Devin Bush at strong safety. The Rams’ defense had particular
problems with tight ends last season.
As big a mystery as the Rams’ new-look defense is the Eagles’ new-look WR
corps, featuring James Thrash, second-year pro Todd Pinkston and rookie Freddie Mitchell.
Thrash, who was starting to come on in the preseason following a sluggish start, and
the lanky Pinkston, who had a terrific training camp, will face a couple of solid corners
in Aeneas Williams and Dexter McCleon.
Williams was perhaps the Rams’ most significant defensive addition this offseason.
Mitchell, who has taken advantage of the fact he performed in a West Coast offense at
UCLA similar to the one employed by the Eagles, could pose a legitimate deep threat for
Rams FS Kim Herring, who missed a sizable portion of the preseason with a hamstring
injury.
All game previews and depth charts were compiled as of Aug. 26. |
