About the Philadelphia Eagles

Few positions in the sports world are as tough as the quarterback spot in the NFL. That's where most of the focus is placed. The rewards are great, but the pressure is the highest. Few NFL cities put as much pressure on their quarterback as Philadelphia. Eagle fans are among the most knowledgeable and demanding in the world.Quarterbacks--going back to Sonny Jurgensen, Ron Jaworski, and all the way up to Donovan McNabb--have learned this first hand. They have been cheered loudly for their successes and booed lustily for their failures.

History

The Eagles have had long periods of frustration with just three championships since beginning play in 1933, but they have developed a personality that has endured through the decades. Philadelphia has employed a nasty, hard-hitting team that loves to punish its opponents. Head coach Earle "Greasy" Neale had hard-nosed defensive players like Bucko Kilroy, Vic Sears and Chuck "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik on his team in 1948 and 1949. The Eagles won NFL championships both years. They topped the Chicago Cardinals 7-0 in 1948 and the Los Angeles Rams 14-0 the following season. Kilroy was an especially nasty player who was featured by Life Magazine for his play on the edge. Bednarik's a Hall of Fame honor recipient who many NFL observers believe is the hardest hitting and toughest player to ever play in the game.

The Eagles' last championship in 1960 came against Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers. While the game was played in Philadelphia, the Packers were considered more talented and were favored. Bednarik was still a key player on that team and he tackled Jim Taylor on the game's final play, and he refused to get off of him until the clock ticked down to 0:00.

The Eagles had a renaissance in the late 1970s when owner Leonard Tose hired Dick Vermeil as the Eagles' head coach. Tose didn't know Vermeil, but he liked what he saw of the young coach when he walked the sidelines for UCLA in a Rose Bowl win over Ohio State. Vermeil changed the culture around Philadelphia and turned a losing team into a winner. With Ron Jaworski at quarterback and Wilbert Montgomery carrying the ball, the Eagles built a formidable team in 1980. They rolled through the regular season and when they punished the Cowboys in the NFC championship game to get to their first Super Bowl.

The Eagles were favored to beat the wild-card Oakland Raiders, but the Eagles appeared nervous and mistake-prone while the Raiders were cool and efficient. Oakland came away with a 27-10 upset. The Eagles returned to the Super Bowl following the 2004 season. McNabb was at quarterback position. Terrell Owens caught passes. Brian Westbrook ran the ball. The Eagles gave the powerful New England Patriots a run for their money before dropping a 24-21 decision.

Significance

Steve Van Buren was one of the best running backs to ever play in the NFL. He keyed the team's offense during their championships in 1948 and 1949. He was a four-time rushing champion during his career that ran from 1944 through 1951. Bednarik was known for his vicious attitude and hardcore tackling. He knocked out N.Y. Giants running back Frank Gifford with a particularly aggressive shot in 1960 that kept Gifford sidelined until the start of the 1962 season. Offensive tackle Bob "Boomer" Brown was one of the best pass blockers in the history of the game.

Jaworski and Montgomery were two of the greatest stars of Vermeil's 1980 NFC championship team. Jaworski had accuracy and arm strength. He went by the nickname of the "Polish Rifle." Montgomery had instincts, speed and great moves from the running back slot.

McNabb has been both the darling and the whipping boy of the fans. He has great arm strength and the ability to withstand hard hits because of his strength, but he also makes inopportune throws at the wrong time. He was praised and criticized by Owens during his brief but spectacular run in Philadelphia. Westbrook is one of the most versatile players to ever play the game as he is as good a receiver as he is a running back.

Defensive end Reggie White may have been the best all-around defensive lineman to ever play the game. White destroyed the run and was an outstanding pass rusher. Defensive tackle Jerome Brown used quickness to punish opposing blockers and harass quarterbacks. His tragic death in 1992 ended a potentially great career.

Considerations

The Eagles had endured very shaky ownership situations until Jeff Lurie bought the team in 1994. Lurie has remained committed to the team. He has allowed his front office people to make the football decisions and wisely approved the hiring of Andy Reid as head coach. Reid is an offensive innovator who knows how exploit match up situations and also imposes discipline on his players.

Misconceptions

The Eagles have had two outstanding head coaches in Vermeil and Reid. However, many of their other coaches have failed miserably. The coaching experiences of Joe Kuharich (1964-68), Ed Khayat (1971-72) and Rich Kotite (1991-94) rank among the worst the game has ever seen. All were bullheaded in the administration of their duties while lacking the instincts to handle players well. Ownership has also been an issue. Tose was smart enough to hire Vermeil, but he could not control his own gambling addiction and ultimately had to sell the team to cover gambling debts. Near the end of his life, he was basically broke and was supported by Vermeil's altruistic donations.

Expert Insight

It's been a frustrating run for Reid and McNabb, and there are reasons to think that their run may be coming to an end. However, if able to keep the two of them, the Eagles may once again be title contenders. If and when their partnership comes to an end, the Eagles should still be in good shape because Lurie has kept the team focused and moving forward.

Resources

• Eagles' website