renesauz
IBL Representative
Look a little closer. I admitted a 14-2 prediction to be homerism.First off let me start by saying im a Cowboys fan. When a majority of Philly fans are claiming 14-2 and 13-3 its going to upset posters in the Shark Pool because its blantant homerism not realism. Dallas was the #4 scoring offensive in the league last year. That was with Bledsoe starting 6 games, Marco Rivera at RG and TO playing with an injured hand the whole season. So this year they have upgraded their offensive line, TO is healthy and Romo is able to take all the preseason and off season snaps. You mentioned that Philly has returned 20 of 22 starters Dallas is returning 20 of 22 starters as well, with arguable upgrades at the 2 positions the starter is not returning (Leonard Davis for Marco "turnstile" Rivera and Ken Hamlin for Keith Davis/Pat Watkins). Last year the Dallas defense fell apart down the stretch because they could not pressure the QB. Wade Phillips is brought in whose defense is based on pressuring the QB. If anyone should be able to say 14-2 or 13-3 its Dallas fans. Oh and for all you McNabb backers I remember hearing last year that Culpepper was able to run in the preseason and was way ahead of schedule how did that work out for him? Oh yea he went back on IR to continue rehabbing his knee.Nice to see you clarify a little Routilla.The thing about the "Eagles hatred" I'm seeing in here is that it doesn't seem to have a justification. I mean, I can point to a dozen factors to back up a 12-4 prediction. 14-2 is pure homerism, regardless of who is predicting it and regardless of the team.The Eagles have lost very little, gained arguably just as much in free agency. Most of the key players are still young, and could reasonably be expected to improve. I beleive the receiving corps in particular is being generally overlooked and undervalued. McNabb's injury was not anywhere close to the severity of Carson Palmer's, and happened earlier in the season. Unless a new setback occurs, it's very safe to assume he'll be back and ready at the start of training camp, let alone the season opener.The coaching staff is mostly intact from last year, and the systems remain intact. 20 of 22 opening day starters are still with the team.....a fact that is all too often overlooked in these evaluations.The team has a very strong recent history of success. There is no reasonable explanation for many of the predictions given in this thread (someone said 4th in NFC East). Assuming that this is at least a playoff caliber team...a closer look at the schedule itself....NFC EAST: I expect the cowboys to be good, but not Super Bowl caliber. I expect the Giants to be disoriented, and the Skins to be improved, but not yet "good". 5 - 1 division record is hardly unrealistic, but let's say 4-2 for the sake of argument.Detroit, Buffalo, and Miami are three home games a playoff caliber team should win. That's 7-2.The other two home games are against Chcago and Seattle. Seattle does poorly traveling cross country. Chicago's defense lost pieces and isn't looking as dominant as last year. It's very reasonable to say the Eagles win AT LEAST one of these two. That's now 8 -3.Road game at Minnessota....win, but might be closer then some homers are thinking now. 9 - 3.That leaves road games at N.O., N.E., the Jets, and G.B. Sorry, but I'm not drinking the Favre cool-aid this year. G.B may beat up a few bad to average teams, but I think Philly handles that one. If the Eagles win just ONE of those other three, they go 11 -5. I personally think that N.O. played a little over their heads last year, and will step backwards a little. I also think that though the Jets are up-and-coming, they aren't quite to Philly's caliber. Personal opinion, and I can see a strong argument for the Jets winning at home...until I remember that Reid's Eagles almost never lose after a bye...go check the record, but I think it's like 6 -1. New England is not an unbeatable team, and I think the Eagles should match up well. My 12 - 4 prediction assumes the Eagles win two of those three (NE, NO, NYJ).I could go into far greater detail about why I think the Birds are the early favorite for the NFC title, but it's really not necessary for this smaller debate. Anything under a 10 -6 prediction is somebody not really in tune with the NFL (or predicting multiple significant injuries). A 10-6 or 11 -5 prediction from somebody high on two of the Saints, Jets and/or GB is reasonable. 12-4 is not an unreasonable prediction by any stretch.To summarize: I'm not trying to argue with the predictions of 10-11 wins. Although I disagree...I can at least unbderstand the reasoning that could lead to those predictions. What I don't understand is why the folks thinking 10-11 can't see why I see 12 or more.Thanks for your time!ETA: BTW...New York teams do not enjoy a significant home field advanatge over Philly....(we don't over them either...just too close)
My prediction was 12-4.Culpeppers injury was MUCH more severe then McNabb's. For that matter, so was Palmers, and later in the season. Palmer did ok, didn't he?AS I said in my post, I expect Dallas to be a playoff caliber team, and the Eagles biggest threat. I can see 10-11 wins for Dallas, and a WC berth. Although I don't see 12 wins for Dallas, I have not poked fun at the Dallas homers predicting that, because it is well within the realms of possibility and reasonability.It's the Redskins homer predicting 12 wins for the skins we should both be 
at! (Giants too)
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or just really, really, REALLY stupid. Or a Dallas fan.Dallas fan here. I was just showing the opposite theory of the 14-2, 13-3 guys. Realistically, of the first 7 games, 4 are on the road and one of the home games is against the reighning NFC champ(CHI). Favre playing his last season opener at Lambeau, 2 road games in NY and a new look MIN team that we don't know much about(though I do think they'll suck) but who knows? This is the NFL and on any given Sunday..... @Green Bay WashingtonDetroit@N.Y. GiantsBYE@N.Y. JetsChicago@MinnesotaI just think it's silly to predict dramatically improved records from the previous season when injuries/personnel changes on both sides of the ball have not been evaluated.
Both good teams but from 2001-Present the Eagles have been better 
and Im sure if you look at the begining of each of those years Vegas would agree with me.
my thoughts exactly, but I don't think that is a very popular opinion right now.
my thoughts exactly, but I don't think that is a very popular opinion right now.
my thoughts exactly, but I don't think that is a very popular opinion right now.
on it.
:(
Poor Scientist. Can't remember his own posts. Hopefully he'll remember that we have a bet on 7 wins "if not much changes for them" in September.
