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For the fourth time in five years, the Eagles open the 2009 NFL season on the road and this time it will be against the defending NFC South champion Carolina Panthers. It will be the Eagles' first trip to Carolina since the 2003 season.

The Panthers' two-headed attack in the backfield of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart propelled them to a 12-4 record, which was not only good enough to win the NFC South title but it also tied for the best record in the conference. However, the Panthers' playoff run was quickly dashed by the Arizona Cardinals as quarterback Jake Delhomme turned the ball over six times.

The future is bright for the Panthers, who got immediate impact from their two first-round picks last year in Stewart and offensive tackle Jeff Otah, as well as third-round pick Charles Godfrey who became the third rookie defender in franchise history to start all 16 games. The Panthers also have two of the most dominat defensive players in middle linebacker Jon Beason and defensive end Julius Peppers. Points will be at a premium against this defense.

Carolina remains committed to Delhomme despite his playoff meltdown. The Panthers re-signed offensive tackle Jordan Gross to a massive new contract to help keep Delhomme clean. At this point in the off-season, the Panthers have added no new pieces to the puzzle on offense or defense. Meanwhile, they've allowed players like cornerback Ken Lucas, wide receiver D.J. Hackett and running back Nick Goings to leave the team. And without a first-round pick, it went to the Eagles in a draft-day trade last year, the Panthers will be pressed to find an impact player to help the offense.

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The Eagles stay in the NFC South as they open the home portion of their schedule against the New Orleans Saints, a team which finished 8-8 and in the basement of the highly-competitive NFC South in 2008.

Despite boasting an offense that ranked first in points (28.9), yards (410.7) and passing yards (311.1), the Saints struggled to consistently put wins together and were unable to close games last season. In fact, they were 0-5 in games that were decided by three points or less.

Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees leads a high-octane offense that will provide an early test for Jim Johnson's defense. Brees, who led the league in passing with 5,069 yards last season, has an assortment of talented and athletic weapons at his disposal, including tight end Jeremy Shockey and receivers Devery Henderson, Lance Moore and Marques Colston. The problem area for the Saints is in the backfield which has already lost veteran Deuce McAllister. New Orleans ranked 28th in the league in rushing offense last year, with Pierre Thomas leading the way with 625 yards and nine touchdowns and Reggie Bush adding 404 yards and two scores.

Defensively, the Saints have turned to guru Gregg Williams to help fix this group. Last season New Orleans' defense ranked near the bottom in a number of key categories. The Saints allowed 24.6 points (26th) per game in 2008, and ranked 23rd in both yards allowed (339.5 yds.) and passing yards allowed (221.7 yds.)

Over the last two years the Saints have been hit for more than 60 passes of 25 yards or longer. That said, New Orleans added veteran secondary help in free agency with safeties Darren Sharper and Pierson Prioleau, cornerback Jabari Greer and defensive tackle Rod Coleman. The Saints figure to tab an outside linebacker in the draft.

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With new GM Scott Pioli, new head coach Todd Haley and new quarterback Matt Cassel, the Chiefs make their first appearance in Philadelphia since 1998. Pioli and Haley's recent successes in New England and Arizona, respectively, will be put to the test as they attempt to rebuild a team that hit rock bottom a year ago with a mere two wins. The question is, how quickly will the players and coaching staff gel.

In acquiring Cassel and veteran linebacker Mike Vrabel from the Patriots last month - and adding receiver Bobby Engram and linebacker Zach Thomas - the Chiefs' staff strengthened both sides of the ball. Cassel is fresh off his breakout year in New England, where he won 11 games and threw for 21 touchdowns and 3,693 yards. Many question how Cassel will fare in an offense that does not have receivers like Randy Moss and Wes Welker. The Chiefs do, however, still have veteran playmakers on offense in running back Larry Johnson and Tony Gonzalez. Meanwhile, Vrabel, Engram and Thomas will help in providing a strong locker room presence and strong leadership.

Offensively, Haley figures to favor a pass-oriented attack. Defensively, Kansas City may transition to a 3-4 scheme.

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Chucky will not return to Philadelphia.

Former Eagles assistant coach Jon Gruden was fired after the Bucs lost their final four games of the 2008 season to miss the playoffs despite a 9-7 record. The Bucs already watched one young assistant move on and win a Super Bowl as a head coach - Mike Tomlin of the Steelers. The Bucs didn't want to allow it to happen twice, so Raheem Morris was named the eighth head coach in franchise history back in January.

Even though Morris was a defensive assistant who was well-versed in the classic Tampa 2 ran by former coordinator Monte Kiffin, the hiring of Jim Bates to become the new defensive mastermind signals a shift in philosophy to include more blitzing from the linebackers and a mixture of 4-3 and 3-4 looks.

Morris is not just changing the schemes, he's overhauling the personnel. Gone are tenured veterans like linebacker Derrick Brooks and running back Warrick Dunn. The Bucs did sign away Derrick Ward from the Giants in the off-season and franchised receiver Antonio Bryant after his best season in the league, but who will run the offense? Jeff Garcia was allowed to sign with the Raiders and right now, the contenders to take over include Byron Leftwich, Luke McCown and Brian Griese.

Don't forget that Andy Reid has never lost in the week after the bye. It will be interesting to see if Morris can get the Bucs back on track early in his first season as head coach.

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Yes, the Eagles owe the Oakland Raiders big time for beating the Bucs in final week of the 2008 regular season. If the Bucs had won, the Eagles would not have made the playoffs.

But don't expect the Eagles to reciprocate any generosity on this day in their first road trip in over a month.

While the Raiders have been one of the league's doormats for a number of years now, there are signs that change is on the horizon. Tom Cable took over as the head coach midseason after Lane Kiffin was fired and made the Raiders a competitive team, even though the final 5-11 record wouldn't quite indicate that. The Raiders were so impressed by Cable's performance that the "interim" tag was removed at the end of the season.

The Raiders also jettisoned a number of high-profile signings including DeAngelo Hall in the middle of last season and safety Gibril Wilson at the start of the 2009 off-season. Oakland also released Kalimba Edwards and Ronald Curry.

The offense has some question marks involving very high draft picks in quarterback JaMarcus Russell, a former No. 1 pick, and running back Darren McFadden, the No. 4 overall pick last season. Russell has not blossomed into a productive player and McFadden was slowed down last season by injuries. For the fifth straight year, the Raiders have a top 10 pick - the seventh overall. Compare that to the Eagles who have not had a top 10 pick since 2000.

The Raiders also have to find a way to cure the ills of the 27th-ranked defense from last season. In the off-season, the Raiders have not made any splashy moves which may be a good thing for a franchise that has made all the wrong moves of late.

This will be the Eagles' first of two trips to the West Coast in 2009 and the first voyage to the Black Hole since 1995.

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Fresh off of a trip to the West Coast, the Eagles travel to the Nation's capital to complete the first set of three back-to-back road games in the 2009 season. This game marks the first against an NFC East opponent, the only team in the league that beat the Eagles twice in the 2008 season. After a 4-1 start to the 2008 season under first-year head coach Jim Zorn, the Redskins looked like they could be prime contenders in the NFC. However, the Redskins stumbled losing four of their final five games to finish with the worst record in the NFC East at 8-8.

The Redskins defense provided plenty of red tape for the Eagles to navigate in last year's meeting at FedEx Field. The end result was only three points scored for the Eagles. And if it wasn't already tough enough, the Redskins signed the best defensive player on the free agent market in tackle Albert Haynesworth. The Redskins were tied for 28th in sacks last season even though they made the big trade for Jason Taylor. To bolster the end position, the Redskins signed Renaldo Wynn from the Giants and re-signed Phillip Daniels to a one-year deal.

By re-signing DeAngelo Hall, the Redskins also have one of the toughest secondaries. The safety tandem of LaRon Landry and seventh-round pick from last year Chris Horton will be one to watch for years to come.

If the Eagles want to win the NFC East in 2009, they must do better against the teams within the division. Last year, the Eagles were 2-4. Here is their chance to get the NFC East slate off to a good start.

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This marks the second of three straight games against the NFC East. Philadelphia comes into the contest having won two straight against the Giants.

New York made some solid additions to a defensive unit that ranked fifth in points and yardage allowed last season. Addressing the defensive line, linebackers and secondary, the defending NFC East champions added defensive end Chris Canty (Cowboys), defensive tackle Rocky Bernard (Seahawks), linebacker Michael Boley (Falcons) and safety C.C. Brown (Texans).

On offense, New York locked up running back Brandon Jacobs to a four-year deal, but watched his backup, Derrick Ward, sign with Tampa Bay. Ward rushed for 1,025 yards and two touchdowns in 2008 while sharing playing time with Jacobs, who also gained over 1,000 yards.

The Giants have come up in trade rumors involving wide receiver, a position which remains a big question mark for New York with the release of Plaxico Burress.

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A grueling three-game divisional stretch wraps up with Dallas coming to town in a prime-time Sunday night affair.

The Cowboys' late-season collapse, capped by the season-ending dismantling in Philadelphia, prompted talk that a new attitude was needed. Owner Jerry Jones backed that up with the release of Terrell Owens, who has been known to divide a locker room or two. This time, it was reported infighting with quarterback Tony Romo, tight end Jason Witten and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett that spelled Owens' fall from grace.

With Owens gone, Dallas can focus on running its offense and not have to worry about pleasing a specific player with a certain number of looks or touches. At receiver, Dallas will look to former Lions standout Roy Williams, who led the NFC in receiving yards in 2006. There's also Sam Hurd, Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin, plus Witten, one of the game's best pass-catching tight ends.

On defense, the team cut ties with Roy Williams, a five-time Pro Bowler as a strong safety. Meanwhile, Dallas added veteran linebacker Keith Brooking, a five-time Pro Bowl selection and Atlanta's leading tackler each of the last eight seasons. To replace Chris Canty, Dallas inked free-agent defensive lineman Igor Olshansky, who recorded 179 tackles along with 11 sacks in five seasons with the Chargers.

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After three straight games against the NFC East, another tall order stands in the Eagles' way.

The Eagles have been to five NFC title games in the last eight years. The Chargers have won the AFC West in three consecutive years.

The Eagles boast one of the best offenses in the National Football League with Donovan McNabb at quarterback and the electrifying Brian Westbrook in the backfield. The Chargers have one of the best young quarterbacks in the league in Phillip Rivers and a dynamic duo in the backfield with LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles.

The Eagles defense, third-best in the league in 2008, is on the rise with a lot of young players who have yet to reach their potential. The Chargers welcome the return of defensive playmaker Shawne Merriman and have an outstanding secondary with Antonio Cromartie, Quentin Jammer and Antoine Cason at cornerback.

Both teams struggled early in 2008, but rallied late. The Chargers were one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl in the preseason, but started out 4-8. However, a four-game win streak - combined with Denver's collapse - allowed the Chargers to win the West. And once the Chargers got in, they stunned the high-flying Indianapolis Colts before before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Steelers.

Even though it's been quite a while since these two teams met, Tomlinson surely can't forget the last time they played. He was held to just seven yards rushing and saw his streak of 18 consecutive games with a touchdown come to an end back in 2005. Tomlinson is out to prove that he's still one of the elite backs, but so is Westbrook who always seems to be mentioned after Tomlinson in the discussion of the league's best all-around back.

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Are these two teams division rivals?

You would think so since the two are playing one another for the third straight year. It will also be the second straight season that these teams clash under the bright lights of Sunday night football.

This year's matchup will have the added spice of the Bears' new quarterback Jay Cutler. The Bears pulled off one of the biggest blockbuster trades in recent history by sending two first-round picks, a third-round pick and a productive starting quarterback in Kyle Orton to Denver for the 25-year-old Pro Bowl quarterback who threw for a franchise record 4,256 yards last season.

Will Cutler be able to deliver now that the city's hopes for a Super Bowl title rest on his shoulders?

Cutler will not have to go at it alone. Running back Matt Forte was one of the best offensive rookies last season and Greg Olson and Desmond Clark form a potent 1-2 punch at the tight end spot. Receiver is a different story. Cutler enjoyed throwing the ball to Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal in Denver. Now, Devin Hester is his top wideout. The Bears do have Earl Bennett, who was a teammate of Cutler's at Vanderbilt.

The Bears defense was certainly good enough a few years ago where a quarterback like Cutler could have easily helped them win a title. Last year, the reputation of the Bears defense was better than the actual performance. The 21st-ranked defense was good, but not great in 2008 as the Bears finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs.

The Bears might have been good enough to beat the Eagles, who didn't have Brian Westbrook in the lineup, last season. The Eagles will try to flip the script this time around in the Windy City.

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This marks the second meeting between the teams in a six-week period. The Redskins have had the Eagles number on the road of late, winning three of their last four contests at Lincoln Financial Field.

The chess game for the Eagles' coaches in this one is what adjustments need to be made following the first meeting. How will they handle defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth a second time around.

On defense, it starts and ends with shutting down running back Clinton Portis, who has hurt the Eagles in the past.

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The Eagles travel South to take on the Atlanta Falcons in the final battle against the NFC South. The Falcons caught many teams by surprise in 2008. The franchise completed one of the more recent amazing turnarounds in NFL history last year. In 2007, the Falcons were buoyed by the criminal case of Michael Vick, who was at the time the face of the franchise. The Falcons were further embarrased when head coach Bobby Petrino quit in the middle of the season.

The Falcons finished 4-12 and were in dire need of a fresh start. They hired former Jacksonville defensive coordinator Mike Smith to be their head coach. They brought in former Patriots personnel man Thomas Dimitroff to be the general manager. Both men stepped into their respective roles for the first time at the NFL level. With the third-overall pick in last year's draft, the Falcons found a franchise quarterback in Matt Ryan and later in the first round a left tackle in Sam Baker. In last year's free agency, the Falcons signed Michael Turner, who took the pressure off of Ryan and had an MVP-caliber season.

Atlanta finished 11-5 to earn a Wild Card berth in the playoffs. Along the way, the Eagles got a taste of what will be one of the best quarterback-receiver tandems for years to come in Ryan, who won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, and Roddy White. The Eagles escaped last year's meeting with a win, but this time around they will head to the Georgia Dome for the first time since 2005. The Falcons focused on improving their 24th ranked defense from a year ago by letting veterans like Keith Brooking, Grady Jackson, Rod Coleman and Michael Boley sign with other teams. If the defense comes along in 2009 as quickly as the offense did last season, the Falcons will be a dangerous team to contend with.

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The Eagles turned the Meadowlands into a home away from home last season.

Now, the Eagles will return in Week 14 to redecorate one final time before the Giants move into their new digs in 2010.

After a convincing 20-14 win in December to help ignite the Eagles' playoff run, the Eagles extinguished the Super Bowl champs with a 23-11 win in the Divisional Round.

The Eagles know that the Giants will be back and no matter what the record is of these two teams, the games always go down to the wire. Don't forget that the Giants won 12 games in the regular season and held homefield advantage for the playoffs before being eliminated. Of course, the Giants were a much-more dangerous team on offense with Plaxico Burress. Once Burress' season was ended after he shot himself in the leg in a New York City nightclub, the Giants didn't have that go-to guy on offense. Quarterback Eli Manning went from Canton-bound to shell-shocked in the same season. He only had one touchdown pass to a wide receiver after the loss of Burress.

Right now, the Giants don't have a replacement for Burress. The Giants did give running back Brandon Jacobs a new contract, but they lost fellow 1,000-yard rusher Derrick Ward in free agency. The Giants have a very good offensive line, but if the Eagles don't have to be as concerned with an outside weapon like Burress that will make Manning and the running game that much more ineffective.

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At this point in the season, a playoff spot in the NFC could be up for grabs in this one as the fiery Mike Singletary leads the 49ers into Lincoln Financial Field. Singletary made the most of his brief coaching audition in 2008, leading the 49ers to wins in five of their last seven games. Will the team be able to carry that momentum into 2009.

Jimmy Raye in as the new offensive coordinator. The quarterback figures to be either former first-round pick Alex Smith or Shaun Hill, who owns a 7-3 career record as a starter. The 49ers have also shown interest in Southern California quarterback Mark Sanchez, whom the Niners hosted for a visit at the team's facility. The Niners have playmakers on offense, including Frank Gore and Vernon Davis. The team addressed some line issues in free agency with the addition of former Steelers tackle Marvel Smith.

Defensively, the 49ers came on late in the season and finished last season as the NFL's 13th-ranked defense. The pass rush was one of the 49ers' weak spots as the unit collected just 30 sacks despite the offseason addition of Justin Smith from the Bengals.

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This game marks the long-awaited homecoming of safety Brian Dawkins, who returns to Lincoln Financial Field as a member of the Broncos. Playoff positions could be on the line in this one and there is no doubt that the intensity level will be high.

Under new head coach Josh McDaniels, Denver has had a busy offseason. While adding a ton of free agents, including Dawkins and former Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter, the Broncos dealt Jay Cutler to Chicago in exchange for Kyle Orton, who should be able to manage the game.

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The Eagles and the Cowboys will close out the regular season for the second straight year. It will also be the Eagles' first trip to the new Texas Stadium. What better way to end the regular season than by embarrassing the Cowboys as they show off their new digs.

Of course, the last time the Eagles traveled to Dallas it was a shootout worthy of being in the Wild West.

The end result could very well come down to which Tony Romo shows up. When Romo's on, he's a bona fide quarterback. In Week 2 of last season, Romo was nearly flawless with his accuracy as he frustrated the Eagles defense all-game long. Fast forward to the regular season finale and Romo could not have been any worse. The Eagles harassed Romo and forced him into one mistake after another and fans rejoiced over the 44-6 thumping.

The pieces are still in place for a very potent offense. Even though Terrell Owens was sent packing, Roy Williams is one of the most physically-gifted receivers in the league. Now that he's the playmaker, Williams will have to prove that it was worth a king's ransom to pry him from the Lions. The backfield is stacked with three talented ballcarriers in Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. Jason Witten is still one of the best tight ends in all of football.

No matter what, Eagles-Cowboys is one of the best rivalries in sports and fans can now book their trip to turn Dallas green and celebrate the New Year in grand style.

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