American football and rugby are the two most popular team contact sports in the world. But how do the sports differ? Not when looking at the rules, but when examining the characteristics of the games? There are many different ways to compare the game of rugby to football. This is an issue I have dealt with quite extensively as an NFL fan in the rugby-crazed South Africa. Obviously the sentiment over here is usually that rugby is much more tough, and basically the harder game of the two. I'm not quite sure if one can come to that conclusion either way, but I am going to try and compare them as objectively as possible. I have very good rugby knowledge, and I also understand the nuances of football as well as anyone that has never played the game possibly can.

I'm going to use a scoring system to judge different aspects of both games. Let me start off with the juiciest part, namely the physicality. It has long been argued that rugby is more physical because players don't wear as many pads and helmets to protect themselves. I say this is false. Something that many people in the States might not realize, is that in rugby you are not allowed to tackle someone in the same way as football. The rules state that it is dangerous play to tackle a player above the shoulders in rugby. Sup-flexing a player is not allowed (a la Brian Dawkins), and you are not allowed to "spear tackle" a player (lift him off of the ground and "dunk" him back down). These types of tackles all result in penalties, with the possibility of the transgressor receiving a yellow or red card (a yellow card means that the player is taken off the field for ten minutes and a red card means that the player is not allowed to come back onto the field at all. This means that the team whose player committed the offence, will play with 14 players against the 15 of the opponents, clearly a huge disadvantage). This doesn't mean that there aren't big tackles in rugby, it just means that it isn't quite as hard as people might think. In rugby, tackles are also carried out in a more one-on-one fashion, whereas running backs especially are gang-tackled very often in the NFL. Obviously, I'd rather be tackled by one guy than by three or four. It really is a much closer race than people think, but I'll have to give the edge to football by a slim margin, mainly because more brutal hits are allowed. I don't care how many pads you wear, when Dawkins hits you, you will feel it.

Physicality Score: Football +2.

Another important area is in the all-round abilities of the players. In football, the positions are specialized. When you play OT, you won't usually be asked to pass or catch the ball. It is not the same in rugby. Although there are also skill positions in rugby like centre of fly-half, it happens in every game that a player like a prop or a lock needs to catch, pass or even kick the ball. This versatility means that man-for-man, rugby players have better all-around skills. A good example is the fly-half. He needs to be able to kick, pass and catch the ball, as well as to tackle opposing players. He is very much the QB of a rugby team, but I don't see Tom Brady kicking, punting, passing, receiving and tackling. I'm sorry, I just don't. S o when it comes to the all-round skills of the average rugby player vs. the average football player, rugby takes this round.

All-round skills: Rugby +5.

Then we come to individual skill players. Who wins when you compare the skill-position players in the NFL to the skill-position players in rugby? Skill position players in the NFL are QB, RB, WR and TE. A case could also be made for CB. In rugby the skill positions are scrumhalf, fly-half, centre, wing and fullback. Let's take the International Rugby Board's (IRB) player of the year for 2007: South African Springbok wing, Bryan Habana. And let's compare him to the Philadelphia Eagles' MVP for 2007: RB Brian Westbrook. Let me start by saying that Bryan Habana is fast. The guy has really good acceleration as well as a good top speed. Brian Westbrook is also fast, with a great burst. In the speed stakes I'd say they are pretty even. Habana is slightly taller than Westbrook at 5'9'' compared to 5'8''. Westbrook outweighs Habana with 203lbs to 198lbs. But they are very similar in build. However, when watching these guys play, it jumps out that Westbrook has a skill set that outweighs Habana's by a ton. The way that Westbrook is able to evade three, four or five players and still have the speed to take it all the way is amazing. Habana is dangerous in space because he is fast, but he won't make a defender miss very often. This fact can be found all the way through both sports. Skill players in rugby pale in comparison to the skill players of the NFL.

Skill-position players: Football +10.

The next important aspect is fitness. I am a strong believer that a player is better at his sport when he is as fit as possible. I guess that is something that comes from my rugby roots, but it is really very true. Even if you have a big, fat DT, he will still be a better player is he is able to jog for five miles. This is where football takes a lot of flack in the rugby world. NFL players are able to come off of the field very often, while rugby is a game that continuously flows. The only way that a player gets off the field in rugby, is if he is substituted. There are 15 players in the starting line-up, with 7 available replacements per game. If a player is replaced, he is not allowed back onto the field unless he plays prop (there are two props per team). The argument is often made that rugby players need to play continuously. This is true to a certain extent, but allow me to break down another myth. A rugby player is on the field for the full eighty minutes, but he is not involved for that entire time. He doesn't run at full speed for eighty minutes. He doesn't continuously tackle for eighty minutes. Thus, the intensity is lower than in the NFL, where every play is done at full speed and power. So even though rugby players don't take breaks, the intensity of the few seconds that a play is run in the NFL is much higher than in rugby. Rugby is also eighty minutes, compared to the sixty minutes of a football game. This extra twenty minutes plays a role when comparing the fitness level of rugby to football. This one is not as clear-cut as many rugby pundits believe.

Fitness level: Rugby +2.

It is clear from these comparisons that each game is difficult in its own way. There is no reason to believe that one is better than the other, and it depends largely on what aspects you like the most to determine if you would like rugby or football. However, the aspect that gives football the edge in this particular comparison, is the amount of skills that the skill-players have in the NFL.

Final score: Football +5.

I don't know if Donovan has ever been represented next to a Baobab tree in SA before.

May and June certainly isn't the time to read too much into the state of an NFL football team. But we are in July now, and perhaps this time just before training camp is the perfect time to look at what the prospects for the upcoming season are, especially when compared to previous years.

There are a few very important things that stand out to me at this point. I remember an article by Dave Spadaro about the same time last year, where he posed the question: "Is it a good thing or a bad thing that the biggest position battle is between the punters?" This is a good point to start from. He went on to say that time will tell. Obviously that is in the history books now, and time has indeed told. It was not good for this team. During training camp last year the biggest question marks involved the punter and the development of Broderick Bunkley. That was it. Looking back, this may have been a factor involved in the release of Jeremiah Trotter. A year on, it is clear that the linebackers that have replaced him and Takeo Spikes is a source of good competition. And eventhough I still yearn to have Trot on the field in green on Sundays, I must admit that the prospect of the current linebacking corps gets me very excited. This could be an example of where increased competition has improved the team.

The linebackers are a very interesting group, with a good amount of competition between them. Eventhough Omar Gaither, Stewart Bradley and Chris GoCong may be penciled in as the starters, competition dosn't have to refer to direct competition. The competition between the linebackers is primarily one where each one of them needs to prove that they are indeed the real deal. And having three young, energetic men vying for respect can be a devastatingly good thing. The important factor is that they seem to have a good relationship, which means that they will push each other in a positive way. The athleticism of this group is further evidence of the good things that youth and competition brings. Stewart Bradley is the prime example. He is bigger than Patrick Willis, Jon Beason and Paul Posluszny (6'3'', 254lbs), and he is more explosive than them (4.17 shuttle time). GoCong and Bradley tied for the lead among this group in bench reps (28). Of course, these are just combine numbers and they don't matter much on game day. But the point is that this group is primed to be an example of how good competition can be for a team.

During training camp last year, I also distinctly remember William James proclaiming himself ready to take over Sheldon Brown's job at cornerback. When looking at the level of competition at cornerback this year, I can't help but chuckle even more at the thought of James baing a starter on this defense. Something that people seem to forget about the Lito Sheppard "situation" is the level of competition it brings to the secondary. And based on what was evident from camp last year, it seems obvious that competition is a good thing. Having competition between two Pro-Bowlers and an unbreakable shutdown corner, as well as a rising star in my opinion in Joselio Hansen? Well that is something we could only have dreamed about last year.

Even the undervalued position of fullback is enjoying a huge amount of competition, to the point where it actually seems as if the coaches can't make up their minds! But this could also prove to be very good, as this will probably result in the position being upgraded over Thomas Tapeh.

Strictly speaking, Quarterback is another position featuring competition. Last year, Donovan McNabb was the starter, A.J. Feeley and Kelly Holcomb were the backups and Kevin Kolb was the youngster. This time around, Kolb appears to have beaten Feeley out to take that second spot, and this means that he is one injury away from starting (usually that doesn't mean much, but unfortunately it is a factor when considering McNabb). Of course, the dynamic becomes even more interesting if Kolb were to get meaningful playing time during the regular season...But I don't see that as being good competition. That could in fact be potentially devastating.

Other positions that have some nice internal competitions going on include: Running back - This may be the position that has the biggest impact offensively this year, and seeing the competition between Booker, Buckhalter and Hunt for that backup spot is encouraging. Wide Reciever - This battle will be primarily for the 3rd and 4th WR spots between Jackson, Baskett, Avant and Lewis. Tight End - The emergence of Brent Celek and the addition of Kris Wilson means that there will be great competition for playing time behind L.J. Smith. Left Guard - This competition was highly publicized prior to OTA's, but Jean-Gilles has been dissapointing so far and Herremans is the clear favourite. Left End - This is a good battle between the size of Victor Abiamiri, the speed of Chris Clemons and the stability of Jaqua Parker. Strong Safety - Sean Considine needs to make a push to prove that he is worth keeping on this team, while Quintin Mikell is the favourite to start next to Brian Dawkins.

I see the positions that feature a healthy dose of competition this year as the following: QB, HB, FB, LG, DE, LB, CB, SS.

That sure is a whole lot more exciting than Sav vs Dirk.

The draft passed in a flurry of trades for Eagles fans. We have all analyzed the picks, and graded the draft in our minds. But I want to share with the you the way in which I experienced the draft. I live in a flat with a roommate, but he went home for draft weekend. So I invited my buddy who lives across the street to watch the NFL Draft. We bought lots of Windhoek Lagers, and stocked up on our supply of "biltong" and "droëwors". Windhoek Lager is a beer made in Namibia, according to the traditional "reinheitsgebot". Biltong is a true South African snack: it is raw meat (from cows, kudus, springbok etc) that is dried for a long period, and then some spices are added. Droëwors is literally translated as "dried sausage". It is made by mincing meat and passing it into a hollow piece of intestine, and then drying it in the same way as biltong. The draft started at 21:00 and finished as 02:00, when the broadcast switched to ESPN2 (not available in SA). I was able to speak in my own language about the draft: "Daar gaan Al Davis alweer agter die superster aan!" (There goes Al Davis, once again taking the superstar player). "Ons het weer ons eerste round pick getrade! Twee jaar in 'n ry!" and a bit later on, when I managed to calm down: "Dit was 'n flippin goeie move deur die Eagles om daai picks te trade." (We traded our first round pick again! Two years in a row; It was a great decision by the Eagles to trade those picks). So here we were in my flat at 21:00: drinking Namibian beer, speaking Afrikaans, eating South African biltong and droëwors, and watching the drafting of players for American Football. Eventhough we did things differently than everybody reading this article, there was still one similarity: the love of Football. This game has truly crossed the differences between cultures for me, and I have great appreciation for the efforts that the NFL are making to take the game global. This is also a great example of the benefits that globalization has brought to deveoping countries like mine. And the main piece of this feel-good puzzle is football. Forgetting the problems of the NFL for a while, and just enjoying the game is what it is all about. And being able to enjoy it with fans who have very different lifestyles just makes it all the more worth while.

I was really impressed by the response given to the recent article by 'J' titled 'Open Letter to Donovan McNabb'. The topic of fan critisism really got me thinking about the perceptions that surround the fans of the Philadelphia Eagles.

I was not 'born into the family' like the author of that article was, but I made a CHOICE to support these Eagles. Being an outsider and from a totally different continent, I probably have a different view on this whole situation. But the fact that I made that choice to bleed Eagle green, shows that there is an intangable allure that comes with being an Eagles supporter. I would even venture as far as saying that there are certain traits that identify someone as an Eagles fan (just like there are probably traits that identify someone as a fan of another team as well).

Unfortunately, I have also seen the side of Philly sports that seems to be sent out to the rest of the world. Even in South Africa I am immediatly put into the Eagles' supporter's box, and I am percieved to be impatient, angry and generally just ungrateful. People also beleive that as an Eagles' fan I somehow HATE MY OWN team. This shows just how mistaken people outside 'the family' are, because I have never experienced any sense of pride that rivals the pride of the Eagles. But the perception does have some degree of truth - there are Philly people out there that send out this distorted image. But as Donovan also concedes - they are in the minority, and the majority of fans really support him and the rest of the team.

Eagles fans have a very unique identity. They are the proudest fans in football, and they love this team. But I do have to tell you how fortunate you are to truly be a part of this team. I will probably never get the chance to see the Eagles at the Linc, I don't know if I will ever even see Philadelphia. People like Brian Dawkins, Brian Westbrook and Donovan McNabb will always just be an image on the television, and never truly become human beings to me, because I will never experience what it is like to watch them in action in Philly. I would probably sell my soul to be able to just once in my life tailgate, watch the game, and actually see my heroes in the flesh. So never forget that you are very fortunate to be a part of that city and of this team. It is a privaledge that not everyone has (I only got to see four Eagles games this season on a disgusting rip-off channel of ESPN). So please guys, I am going to beg you pretty soon, please keep the faith in the Eagles. Please support Donovan and the team, because these guys give everything that they have. And please, please, please...Put some pressure on the front office to get us a decent WR!

The recent history of the Eagles has been one filled with surprises. When looking at the time that Andy Reid has been in control, there have been a lot of highs and lows, as well as many surprises, good and bad. Since as recently as three years ago, a lot has happened in Philly. The 2004 season saw the Eagles reaching the Superbowl, 2005 featured the meltdown between Owens and McNabb and the season 2006 saw the resurrection of Jeff Garcia and the Eagles. But 2007 had even more in store in the form of surprises, and it's not over yet.

At the start of the season, there was much optimism surrounding this Eagles team. McNabb and Kearse were back, we had improved the linebacking corps, Reggie Brown was supposed to have a breakout season and Kevin Curtis figured to have a big impact. The expectations were high: it was expected that McNabb continue his pre-injury form, Kearse was expected to build on his 3.5 sacks through a few games in '06, the defence was supposed to be a weakness, especially since Trotter departed and the wide receivers were expected to be quite good. But very little of this came to pass.

The drafting of Kevin Kolb was the first indication that things might be going in a slightly different direction in 2007. Then came the promotion of Omar Gaither to the starting line-up, which raised some questions. However, he has silenced his critics and appears to be on his way to a strong career. But this was one of the few pleasant surprises. Jevon Kearse has regressed, and he was dropped from the starting line-up. His time with the birds is over. McNabb has not played consistently well this season, even though he seemed to progress and his statistics are pretty good. But his ankle and thumb had another surprise wrapped neatly in paper of optimism. And one surprise led to another...A.J. Feeley. McNabb's latest injuries gave Feeley another opportunity to prove how valuable he is to this team, and it has sparked the latest quarterback controversy in Philadelphia. Feeley will probably get the start against Seattle this weekend, which gives him one more opportunity to fuel the McNabb-critics.

But these surprises are individual in nature, and there was a much bigger surprise this season. The Eagles have struggled. It can be said that I was blinded by optimism, but I feel that there were very few signs that this would be a 5-6 team through week 12. The play has been downright dreadful at times, and the only consistent cog in the offensive wheel is Brian Westbrook, who deserves a lot more credit that he gets. The defence has been solid and seems to be a strong unit, but there have been very little turnovers. The play calling has been shocking at times as well. But there appears to be another, somewhat intangible reason why this team has struggled, and it is truly hard to define. My pride and optimism bars me from agreeing totally with "Bleed Green" when he states that this team might simply not be good enough, even though he makes very valid points. I am not discounting this as a possible reason for the poor and inconsistent play, but I don't want to agree completely. My reason for this is that the Eagles have shown at times that they can play brilliant football, and a poor team may sneak in a win on any given Sunday, but a poor team doesn't have so many teasingly good moments. This certainly does not prove that the Eagles are a good team, but it also doesn't strengthen the notion that they are simply not good. It has certainly been surprising to find so many poor performances from a team that had the opportunity to really get far into the playoffs.

The future of this season probably holds a few more surprises. The 2007/2008 offseason could also be an important time for this team, as I am dreading that it will see the departure of McNabb if he doesn't create a few miracles in his next few games (which is certainly possible) and the start of the Kolb-era. Jevon Kearse will also probably be gone and if L.J. Smith doesn't get an extension, we will lose a very promising player. Don't be surprised if by week 12 in the 2008 season Kevin Kolb is the Face of the Eagles, while McNabb starts somewhere else (my gut says that he will be a Viking next year). But hey, this is Philly, and we might still be pleasantly surprised.

The 2007 season has reached a critical point for the Eagles if they are to make a late push for the playoffs. At least four wins from the next five games is needed, but that may not be enough. An evaluation of the team will show whether there is any reason to believe that we could sneak into a wildcard spot.

Quarterback

This is a strong position on the Eagles' team through Week 12. There is no reason why these quarterbacks should cause the team many problems on the field. The trouble lies in deciding who will start, but Andy Reid has never abandoned McNabb, and he won't drop him now.

1) Donovan McNabb

Even though there is reason for critics to call that McNabb should not start, I believe that he deserves another shot. Losing his job while being injured is not the way for McNabb to go. But should he struggle in the next few games that he plays, it is possible that A.J. Feeley will be the quarterback for the remainder of the season.

2) A.J. Feeley

Feeley led us to victory over a weak Dolphins team, and he had a very impressive game against the Patriots. He looked clam in the pocket, directed the offence well, and his teammates rallied around him and made plays. I don't want to take anything away from Feeley's great performance, but I am curios to know how the fans would have reacted if McNabb had thrown those three interceptions, including the one in the end zone that sealed the loss. Would they still have been impressed by the rest of the performance, or would they have blamed McNabb for losing the game? If Feeley is to start, he needs to be scrutinized like a starter, not like a backup who had a good game. But he certainly looked impressive, and deserves one more shot this week against Seattle while McNabb heals.

Running back

This is probably the strongest offensive position on this team, largely thanks to Brian Westbrook. It is odd to see the Eagles more and more as a running-team, but this talent needs to be utilized, and it is.

1) Brian Westbrook

I cannot say enough good things about #36. He is the real deal, the complete package. He provides this offence with a true weapon. Westbrook has become the heart of the offence, and he deserves it. I won't be surprised if he holds the key to success through the next five games. Westbrook must remain healthy for the Eagles to have a chance.

2) Correll Buckhalter

Buckhalter is doing a great job of backing-up Westbrook. He had some strong showings when he started for an injured Westbrook, and he provides a different option. The Eagles must ensure that Westbrook doesn't get hurt, so Buckhalter has an important role to fulfill. On kick-returns, Buckhalter certainly is no Devin Hester, but he is quite solid.

Wide Receiver

The players in this position have disappointed this year, but there were a few decent performances. This position is certainly a weakness for the Eagles.

1) Reggie Brown

Many people believed that Brown would have a breakout season this year, but he has been disappointing. He just doesn't appear to have the ability to get open consistently. There have been good moments, but Brown has only one 100-yard game this season.

2) Kevin Curtis

Curtis was the Eagles' best offseason acquisition. He has amassed some very impressive statistics in 2007. He provides a great burst of speed, and he appears to be one of the most committed players on the team. However, he has also been inconsistent, and this does not bode well down the stretch.

The other receivers have also been disappointing, with Hank Baskett and Jason Avant developing very slowly. Greg Lewis had a good game against New-England, but that is the only positive thing that can be said.

Offensive line

The O-line has not been as consistent as earlier years. McNabb was sacked twelve times against the Giants, but this can be attributed to injuries. However, there have been too many sacks all-round. They had a good game against the Patriots, providing Feeley with ample time to step up into his throw. Barring any injuries, they should be strong for the rest of the season.

Linebackers

There have been mixed results for this group, but there is more positive than negative. Until week 11, there was no sack by an Eagles linebacker, but this changed when Chris Gocong sacked Brady. They have been solid against the run and in coverage, but they have not generated enough turnovers.

1) Takeo Spikes

Spikes has provided the linebackers around him with some good veteran leadership. He plays very hard, and he is committed. A very good offseason buy for the Eagles.

2) Omar Gaither

Gaither has done a very good job replacing Jeremiah Trotter. He had some big plays in coverage throughout the season, and he is quite mobile. He will continue to develop and should be strong through the final five games.

3) Chris Gocong

He has matured nicely through the season and should be solid down the stretch.

Cornerback

This has become a strong, reliable position for the Eagles, and the players are still young. They have looked great when healthy, and are becoming an elite group.

1) Lito Sheppard

This player holds very much promise, and he has had a very strong career so far. When he is on the field, he provides great coverage and is a sure tackle. Sheppard was the only corner that has been able to shut Randy Moss down this year. He must stay healthy, as he gives the team a big boost.

2) Sheldon Brown

For all the talk from William James about taking Brown's spot, Sheldon has shown how dangerous he can be and that he is clearly the better player. He forms a great combination with Sheppard.

Safety

This position features future Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins. There have been a few changes throughout the year as SS, but it us still solid.

1) Brian Dawkins

Dawkins continues to have a great career, providing leadership on and off the field. A healthy Dawkins supplies you with a dangerous weapon.

2) Quintin Mikell

The injury to Sean Considine has had no real effect on the productivity of the Strong Safety position. Mikell plays aggressively and delivers hard hits, so he forms a great tandem with Dawkins. It is truly difficult to decide who the better player between Considine and Mikell is.

Defensive line

The D-line has been very impressive, collecting a lot of sacks and providing good pressure. They have also been solid against the run, which was a problem area last year. Trent Cole is developing into a monster, while Jaqua Thomas deserves to start ahead of Kearse, as he is playing really well. Broderick Bunkley has overcome the struggles of last year and is a solid starter next to Mike Patterson.

The Eagles appear to be in good condition down the stretch. Limiting the injuries will be key, but these players can provide some fireworks.

Whoa. Trot is gone.

The reaction that I had to hearing about the release of the all-pro MLB was initially met with sadness. There were a few moments where I felt like blaming the Eagles for making a poor decision. But when looking at the facts, it is clear that they had a case for letting Trotter go. That doesn't make it an easy decision though.

Let me state it right at the beginning: I am a Jeremiah Trotter fan. He has matured in so many ways during the years, and he has develop into the emotional leader of the Philadelphia Eagles, alongside Brian Dawkins. When looking at his statistics, it already shows that he is a great player, having appeared in four Pro-Bowls. But even the stats don't tell the whole story. Trotter was invaluable to the Eagles, and there was no time when he proved this more than in the 2004 season after he was re-signed. That is also the year that we made our first Superbowl appearence in 24 years.

Trotter just added so much chemistry to this team, especially on the defensive side. The combination and friendship that he formed with Dawkins was one of the most feared in the league. The saddest part about the whole situation when looking to the future, is that Trotter started to form a bond with fellow linbacker Takeo Spikes. I was really getting excited about seeing what this tandem of emotionally strong veterans can do for the team. Now we will never know.

I am hesitent to point to Trotter's age as an obvious reason for his release.I know that linebackers cannot play until they are forty, but Trot was only 30 years old. This argument becomes especially invalid when considering that Takeo Spikes is also 30 years old, and he is currently seen as one of the keys to the Eagles' season, especially now that Trotter is gone.

I beleive that the reason for his release lies in his productivity, which makes this a valid business decision. The fact is that Trotter did not have a good season last year, and that resulted in the Eagles' defence being sloppy against the run. However, I was very encouraged when it was reported that Trotter had lost about 15 pounds during the offseason, and it was projected that he could return to his all-pro form. I am in no posotion to second-guess the coaches, so they must have seen that it was not possible for Trotter to regain that form. It is important to trust the decision made by the coaches.

It is also important to consider the effect that this will have on the team. The fact that Jeremiah showed how great his character as a human being is when he accepted his release with so much grace, shows that he doesn't want this to affect the team in a negative way. Trotter "bleeds green" and he realises that for the Eagles to get over this, he needs to lead again. He needs to lead the team in accepting the situation, and he did just that. Although Donovan McNabb and Dawkins both admitted that Trot will be missed, it was clear that they understand the situation, so I do not believe that it will turn into a team distraction. Trotter will be missed on the field as well. If Omar Gaither and co. don't step-up like the coaches believe they will, the decision could leave a lot of Philly fans very unhappy.

This is a very sad day. The Eagles have lost a part of the heart of this team. However, this doesn't mean that the Eagles will go into cardiac arrest. We should take a moment to reflect on what Jeremiah Trotter has meant to the Eagles throughout the years, and then we should wish him and his family the best of luck with all future challenges. God bless you Trot, you will be missed.

It's 13:31 on a Tuesday afternoon here in the RS of A. I'm sitting in the computer centre of Stellenbosch University. And I'm busy digesting one thing...the performance of the Eagles on Friday night.

There are many people who might have expected that the game against the Panthers would be dominated merely by the return of Donovan McNabb, based on the showing that we had against Baltimore. However, this was certainly not the case. It is fair to say that this was the return of so much more than the return of No. 5. Friday night was the return of the Eagles. There was a huge improvement on both sides of the ball, as the players finally shrugged off the rust and showed how hard they had worked during training camp. They also showed that they had learned out of the mistakes of last week, and they had worked hard to improve on that performance. And they did improve.

Donovan McNabb was certainly the biggest talking point in this game, and he rewarded the confidence that every Eagles fan had in him by having a great performance. The Don was 6 for 9, and he survived his first big impact when he was sacked. I believe that we should read a lot into this. This is the purpose of the preseason-it allows you to read into situations. The situation around Donovan McNabb is now resolved. There shouldn't be so much focus on his recovery from now on, because he has told us and proven to us that he is comfortable and ready. There needs to be a shift of focus towards his performance along with the rest of the team.

An area of concern Friday night was the running game, but I believe that there will be a big improvement on Sunday against the Steelers. A depleted defence with the loss of Joey Porter, especially against the run, allows the Eagles to fine tune certain aspects of the game. It will also be the second game without Shawn Andrews, so the O-line should be more comfortable.

We should all take a moment to relax. McNabb is back, and he never left off his MVP form. The team showed a big improvement, and we know that this is the year that Philly lifts the Lombardi. With the scheduled return of L.J. Smith and co. before the start of the regular season, we will continue to see improvements as the team builds towards peak form in the regular season. There is no need to be too hasty, the Eagles are looking great. We are right on schedule, exactly where we want to be.

Donovan McNabb returns to lead the Eagles.

The one question that every Eagles fan has, will finally be answered on friday night. How good will Donovan McNabb be? The answer is: as good as ever. When looking at the various articles that are published about McNabb and his injury, it seems as if the sporting world simply takes it for granted that Donovan will be ready to play on Friday. However, the initial prognosis in November 2006, when the injury occured, was that McNabb would possibly be sidelined for 11-13 months. It has only been nine months since the star signal-caller sustained the devastating injury.

This kind of complacency that arises whenever a big time American athelete, especially a NFL player, gets injured, is created because there have been so many success stories about atheletes who recover way ahead of schedule. The most recent example to point to is Carson Palmer of the Cincinnati Bengals. He returned ahead of schedule, and had a great season.

But it is also important to remember the busts. Daunte Culpepper was not ready to get back on the field, but he did. And it was a bust, that left him reeling to find a starting job, a mere three seasons after he had one of the best statistical seasons ever. Admittedly, the Dolphins didn't handle the situation very well, but it could still have been avoided if he had enough time to recover.

So back to the big question: How good will Donovan McNabb be? It is important to compare the recovery of McNabb to that of Culpepper and the staff that they have/had around them. In McNabb's case, the mere fact that he has Andy Reid to guide him, gives me great confidence. The character of McNabb, as epitomised by the fact that he has returned ahead of schedule and looked "great", indicates that he is intelligent enough not to rush into something when he is not ready yet. And if he believes that he is ready, everybody should believe that he is ready. There has never been a reason to doubt him.

I believe that McNabb will get all of the reps during the first quarter, exactly like A.J. Feeley had on Sunday. He will be asked to do the same things that he has always done, and he will do them successfully. We will finally be able to look ahead to the 2007/2008 season with the optimism that we have kept restrained because McNabb wasn't ready yet. He is ready now.

After the game we will all be happy to have The Don back, and there will be a collective sigh of relief. Everything will be back to the way it should be.

The Philadelphia Eagles. Thousands of passionate fans in America. And another in Stellenbosch, near Cape Town, in South Africa. That's me.

Now I confess that it is naturally not possible for me to give an opinion that rivals that of expert fans in the USA. But I assure you that, given the limited resources available in the Rainbow Nation, I am as informed as possible. Allow me to elaborate on these "limited resources". The first one is the fact that ESPN only airs two games every week. This means that fans in SA only get to see 4 Eagles regular season games in 2007. Hopefully we'll see some more during the postseason. The second one is the ridiculously high cost of the intertnet in this country. When compared to countries like Australia, England and the US, we have some of the highest internet costs in the world. Telecommunications costs are all absurdly high. This means that I do not have any food to eat during the month, but that is all good, as long as I get to see and read about my Eagles!

At the start of the season, it is appropriate to make predictions. Everyone predicts. This is truly one of the great things about sports, but also one of the most tiresome. But I'm not complaining-so here we go...

On the offensive side of the ball, I envision some magestic things from the Eagles in 2007. We have always been one of the most high-flying offences, and with Donovan McNabb under center, it comes as no surprise. The addition of Kevin Curtis to the Wide Recievers corps gives us that boost of speed and athletisism to make these plays on a regular basis. I also believe that Marty Morningweg and Andy Reid will get Brian Westbrook much more involved in the game. We all saw what he can do to opposing defences in 2006, and coach Reid will exploit this in 2007. The addition of Tony Hunt gives us a legitamite short-gain power back, especially in combination with Correll Buckhalter. The offensive line is very solid, with center Jamaal Jackson on the verge of a breakthrough season, especially with the help of seasoned veterans like Jon Runyan next to him. Overall offensive ranking at the end of the regular season: No 4.

In the defensive department there promises to be a huge improvement. The Eagles finished 26th in 2006, and I predict a giant leap forward. The addition of Takeo Spikes will be earth-shattering. I believe that together with Chris Gocong and especially Jeremiah Trotter, they will develop into a superior linebacking group. Spikes and Trotter seem to have formed a strong friendship as well. The safety group could be seen as slightly depleted with the loss of Michael Lewis to San Francisco, but we need to move forward. There is excellent depth at this position, and the great Brian Dawkins will help Sean Considine to keep on developing. The corners are very solid, with Lito Sheppard also on the verge of a great, injury-free season. Sheldon Brown and William James will continue to push each other for playing time. The defensive line will get stronger with the return of Jevon Kearse, and "The Freak" will ensure that players like Trent Cole continue to develop. The biggest concern last year was the run-defense, but I see that improving dramatically. Overall defensive ranking at the end of the regular season: No 12.

Well, there is my little rant about predictions. Now it is time to see how the 2007 season unfolds for the Birds, and I will certainly be watching...