Philadelphia Eagles 4th in NFC East Team Page	Select Team AFC EAST Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New York Jets AFC NORTH Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Pittsburgh Steelers AFC SOUTH Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Tennessee Titans AFC WEST Denver Broncos Kansas City Chiefs Oakland Raiders San Diego Chargers NFC EAST Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles Washington Redskins NFC NORTH Chicago Bears Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings NFC SOUTH Atlanta Falcons Carolina Panthers New Orleans Saints Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFC WEST Arizona Cardinals St. Louis Rams San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks

Westbrook is Philly's most electric player, but injuries have kept him from joining the elite backs. Simon Bruty/SI

2006 Schedule Date Opponent Date Opponent Sept. 10 at Houston Nov. 12 WASHINGTON Sept. 17 N.Y. GIANTS Nov. 19 TENNESSEE Sept. 24 at San Francisco Nov. 26 at Indianapolis Oct. 2 GREEN BAY (M) Dec. 4 CAROLINA (M) Oct. 8 DALLAS Dec. 10 at Washington Oct. 15 at New Orleans Dec. 17 at N.Y. Giants Oct. 22 at Tampa Bay Dec. 25 at Dallas (M) Oct. 29 JACKSONVILLE Dec. 31 ATLANTA Nov. 5 Bye (M) Monday Breakout Player Roderick Hood, CORNERBACK Hood's play filling in for injured All-Pro corner Lito Sheppard last season has put Philly's coaches in a bind this year: With Sheppard back, where to put Hood? The physical fourth-year pro fought his way to the pros, first as a walk-on at Auburn and then as an unsigned free agent. "He's one of the best-kept secrets in the NFL," linebacker Jeremiah Trotter says. "He's going to be a serious weapon in this league."

Happiness is life without T.O. But how long will the smiles last if Donovan McNabb doesn't get the help he needs?

THE BELIEF The return to health of Donovan McNabb -- and the banishment of his nemesis -- will restore this once-feared team to prominence, even though Philadelphia doesn't have a marquee receiver to catch McNabb's passes.

THE REALITY The circus -- as defensive end Jevon Kearse describes it -- has folded its tent and headed west, and the Freak and his teammates couldn't be happier. With the off-season move of Terrell Owens to the Cowboys, the Eagles believe they're past the nightmare of 2005. "There's no more War of the Roses," linebacker Dhani Jones says, referring to the messy feud between T.O. and McNabb that set an ominous tone for what turned out to be a 6-10 fall from grace. "One person can make or break a team, and last year you saw the difference between when a team is superunified or disassociated."

The truth is that Philly was done in by more than Owens's petulance and the resulting distractions. Coming off four consecutive NFC title games and a Super Bowl loss to the Patriots, coach Andy Reid's team, some players say, had become complacent. Then there was the seasonlong barrage of injuries, McNabb's sports hernia being the most devastating.

After some brilliant and heroic efforts by McNabb early on, the five-time Pro Bowl quarterback went down for good in mid-November. He has come back strong and is as breezy and upbeat as ever, resolute in his belief that the lack of a receiving option that even comes close to approaching Owens's skill level won't keep him from regaining his mojo.

Before Owens joined the Eagles in 2004, McNabb, bereft of big-time playmakers, tended to play unevenly in big games -- as though he believed he had to win the game by himself. How much help he'll have this year depends on the development of the team's young pass catchers, with '05 second-round draft pick Reggie Brown, who led all NFL rookies with 571 receiving yards, the most logical to emerge as a reliable target. McNabb is also intrigued by the potential of Hank Baskett, a 6'4", 220-pound rookie free agent from New Mexico who has excellent hands, and backup tight end Matt Schobel, a free-agent pickup formerly with the Bengals.

When healthy, fifth-year halfback Brian Westbrook is McNabb's most explosive option. The quarterback puts the 5'8", 203-pound Westbrook in a class with "the old Marshall Faulk. He has a bigger heart than his size would indicate." Problem is, the diminutive rushing-receiving threat gets hurt a lot, missing the last four games of last season with a right-foot sprain and most of the preseason this year with a sprained left foot.

What's more, the NFC East is a different division than the one Philly ruled from 2001 through '04 -- stronger top to bottom. It will take a spirited and focused effort by the Eagles for them to compete with the defending division champion Giants, the resurgent Redskins and, of course, their old friend T.O. and his fellow Cowboys.

"Last year is buried in a casket, and the casket doesn't need to be opened up for any DNA tests," safety Brian Dawkins says. "You'll see a very emotional group this year. I promise you that." -- Micheal Silver

Issue date: September 4, 2006