As I said in an earlier blog, I believe that the Eagles vs Saints contest in Week 2 of the 2009 NFL season will be the first big test for the New Orleans Saints. A gimme opener with the Detroit Lions seems to be in the cards. Losing to the Lions would be a disaster of a start for the Saints. The Philadelphia Eagles will already have faced a tough NFC South team in the Carolina Panthers so I believe they will come in prepared.
Let’s look at this Saints- Eagles contest from the Philadelphia aspect first. This is a team that had somewhat of a revival in the playoffs. I don’t believe you could have found anyone believing the Eagles would make it all the way to the NFC Championship after their late season performance in 2008. yes, the Eagles won 4 of their last 5 but dissension over McNabb (again) and a general feeling of lassitude had this team pegged as a loser. BUT, the Eagles would not be denied. Playoff wins over the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants had Eagles fans on the edge of their seats. Then came a heartbreaking loss to the cardinals in a hotly contested game and the Philadelphia Eagles suddenly didn’t look so bad.
Heading into 2009 the Eagles have remained true to their roots. They lost Brian Dawkins and Tra Thomas, but Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook return, and they’re the heart of this Eagles offense. Both are getting a little older but there’s probably still a lot of gas in the tank and they will be a problem for a developing New Orleans Saints defense. Lying in wait is wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who could be in for a breakout game against a New Orleans secondary with a lot to prove.
For the New Orleans Saints, there’s not much to improve on in the offense. Drew Brees has been and should remain as hot as any quarterback in the NFL. He’s got plenty of quality receivers, Reggie Bush, some potential bruisers in Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell, and a good offensive line ahead of him. No, the Saints problems have been on the other side of the ball. This Saints defense has changed and the Eagles offense vs Saints defense is where the answers will start to bubble to the surface. A win in Philadelphia that stems from a solid defensive performance from New Orleans would go a long way in bolstering confidence for a Saints playoff run.
Update Sept 15th – Eagles Donovan McNabb injured. Rumor is that the Philadelphia Eagles will play Kevin Kolb against the Saints and sign Jeff Garcia as backup.
