Packers at Eagles: Getting To Know The Eagles Offense

After I asked JasonB of Bleeding Green Nation a few questions about the defense, I moved onto a few questions about the Eagles offense.

Acme Packing Company: The interior of the offensive line looks banged up, but it sounds like Jamaal Jackson and Todd Herremans should play. Are they ready, and how important is it for them to both return?

Bleeding Green Nation: Well first, it's very important for them to return because they're both above average players and there's the depth behind them isn't particularly exciting. 

As to whether they're ready, you're guess is as good as mine. Jackson hasn't played in the preseason at all and Herremans played a couple quarters in one game. I think Herremans will be fine, but Jackson is coming off knee surgery very late last year and will remain a question mark until we actually see him. The offensive line was very poor in preseason and week one will be the first time the guys that were projected to start before the year will actually play together. I guess our hope rests in the fact that when this group was healthy and playing together, the Eagles went 8-1 last year.

APC: Is LeSean McCoy the answer in the post-Brian Westbrook era? Or should they turn Leonard Weaver into the feature back? 

BGN: They certainly shouldn't turn Leonard Weaver into a feature back. I think everyone is generally positive about LeSean McCoy. For all intents and purposes the "post-Brian Westbrook era" started last year since he almost never played and McCoy finished 3rd among rookie rushers. His rookie showed that he's obviously very quick and talented, but needed to work on his blitz pickup and run more decisively. He's run much more decisively this preseason, but it was hard to tell one way or the other whether his blitz pickup has improved. That's not something you get to see a whole lot of in preseason.

APC: Finally: the Kevin Kolb questions. His unimpressive 2010 stats are only preseason stats, so how do you think he played this preseason? Will the offense be any different with the change from McNabb to Kolb?

BGN: His play really fluctuated with the performance of the offensive line. They were solid against Jacksonville and he was good. Against Cincy & KC, they were downright terrible and he struggled. Fact is that no QB is going to be successful playing behind a line that played like the Eagles' did in those two preseason games. So really it was hard to get a read on Kolb. Generally, we all feel pretty good about Kolb and if he gets protected I think he'll have a fine season... but the offensive line has to come together now that everyone is back.

I don't think the offense will change all that much. It's likely you'll see more of the quick, rhythm passing game that McNabb struggled with and Kolb excels at... but for the most part I think the offense will be what it has been.