Who Will Be Under Center For The 2010 Philadelphia Eagles? Bet On It

NFL News - January 14th, 2010 - Written by John

The Philadelphia Eagles, bloodied and broken from two-straight losses to the rival Dallas Cowboys at the end of the year, have some serious decisions to make for the 2010 season.

It hasn't been since 2004 that the team reached the Super Bowl, and has only competed for the conference title once in the last five years. Andy Reid has decisions to make on his aging quarterback, brittle running back and a blissfully talented back-up quarterback that has admitted he wants another crack at a starting job.

Donovan McNabb is in the final year of his contract, and after another brief run through the postseason, fans have begun buzzing about back-up Kevin Kolb, who showed flashes of talent in two starts earlier in the year. With McNabb out with a concussion, Kolb threw for 300 yards twice and scored five touchdowns. Reid already issued his vote of confidence of McNabb at a presser after the playoffs, saying the 33-year old would remain the starter next year, but Eagles forums have erupted with debate on the matter.

It has been such a pressing issue that Bodog is floating a prop bet, offering gamblers a say in the matter. If McNabb is the starter in Game One of the 2010 regular season, bettors will be paid out at 1/5, and if it is Kevin Kolb, that reward bumps up to 7/2. There are no odds on whether or not Michael Vick will be the starter.

But that doesn't mean he's out of the equation althogether. He is still one of the club's primary concerns because it is clear his ability as an NFL quarterback is returning, throwing one of Philadelphia's two scores in last week's playoff game. But he has mentioned that he would like to become a starter in the league eventually. The team has a one-year option for him to come back to the team, but will they?

Bodog has 1/1 odds that the Eagles will release him, 10/11 odds that they will trade him, and 13/4 odds that they keep him for the final year of his contract, according to according to NFL Player Prop Bets.

But all of that may be trivial if Philadelphia can't boost it's running game. No Eagles back topped 650 yards in '09, and franchise back Brian Westbrook missed eight games with multiple concussions and had a career-low 61 carries. He has led the team in rushing each of the previous six years, but it's looking more and more like rookie LeSean McCoy will be the future. McCoy led the team with 637 yards and four touchdowns this season.

McCoy has 1/2 odds to lead the team in rushing in '10, and Westbrook is getting 19/10 odds

Westbrook has already indicated that he is pondering retirement, so the keys may have already been handed to McCoy by the time the season starts. But another darkhorse is Leonard Weaver, who is getting 7/2 odds to lead the team after emerging in '09. When McCoy sputtered, Reid went to Weaver next, and was pretty effective. He had three games of 70 total yards or more and finished with 323 on the year.

But he may be a Le'Ron McClain-type back. McClain emerged as the Baltimore Ravens' top option in '08 and made the Pro Bowl with 902 yards. But when sophomore Ray Rice finally found his rhythm, McClain was relegated to his fullback role, where his touches fell from 232 to 46.

If any other back leads the team, Bodog will payout at 7/2.