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With Donovan McNabb having Terrell Owens at his disposal, the Eagles will be a dangerous offense.
With every deep pass that Terrell Owens catches, or every twisting run Brian Westbrook reels off, Donovan McNabb starts to realize how electrifying Philadelphia's offense can be this season.
"It can be terrifying," McNabb said Friday. "I don't say that in a cocky way. I say it in somewhat of a confident way. This is the most weapons I think the Eagles have ever had just in my era."
Those are fearless words from a quarterback who may be the Eagles' most talented player -- and the one who will try to shake the burden of three straight NFC championship game losses.
But McNabb could be right.
Owens is the sure-handed, playmaking receiver the Eagles craved after watching their wideouts drop passes and get pushed around by Carolina in last year's NFC title game.
Westbrook, if healthy, can run, make catches out of the backfield and turn the corner as well as any back in the league.
L.J. Smith and Chad Lewis combine speed and power at tight end, while the Eagles have quality depth in the backfield and at receiver.
With high expectations comes added pressure. That's fine with McNabb.
"We definitely haven't even reached the climax of where we can go," McNabb said. "It's exciting to know that."
For the offense to click, it needs a healthy and focused McNabb. So far, the elusive quarterback is having the best camp of his six-year career, coach Andy Reid says. Experience, a vigorous offseason workout program and Owens' addition have all played a role.
"He looks sharp. He's managing the offense really well," Reid said. "He's got a great command of the offense right now."
McNabb's passes have some extra zip and been accurate for most of camp. He said he's healthy after a thumb injury hindered his production early last year, and his season ended with a thud after he was knocked of the title game with injured ribs.
So McNabb retreated to his offseason home in Arizona where he tweaked his workout routine and paid better attention to his diet. Teammates like Owens, Westbrook and Todd Pinkston joined him for some workouts with a heavy emphasis on conditioning and the playbook.
"The things we were able to do away from minicamps has helped us out in so many ways," McNabb said. "We all spent time together and worked on different things we might be faced with during the year. It's showing out here on the practice field."
If that carries over to the season, it could be the most prolific offense in team history. The 2002 team, when McNabb missed half the season with an injury, has the record for points with 415.
With so many possibilities, could there be too many options?
"You're going to have a lot of choices, so you have to be smart with the ball," McNabb said. "It's just like basketball. Not everyone can shoot the ball."
Owens, known just as much for his sideline tantrums and arguments with coaches than his Pro Bowl numbers, insisted everyone will get their shot.
"I think that is part of the reason they brought me here, just to kind of open it up a bit," he said. "I know there will be opportunities where they are looking for me to get the ball. At the same time, defenses are going to double team me and scheme against me. If I can take the top of a coverage off and allow some guys underneath to get open and allow them to operate on the outside to get open, that is a plus for the team."
Source: AP
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