Super Bowl favorites - Eagles, Patriots

Terrell Owens and Jevon Kearse arrived in Philadelphia this spring as the top receiver and pass rusher who can elevate the hopes of a team that has lost three straight NFC title games.

But as the 2004 NFL season starts, the Eagles are battered, a reminder that injuries are the great equalizer that can neutralize any big-money, big-name offseason moves.

"People are going to get hurt in this business and we understand that. The next guy steps in and he plays. Nobody is going to hang their head or worry about it or anything else," Eagles coach Andy Reid said after defensive end N.D. Kalu and running back Correll Buckhalter were lost for the season and a dozen or so other players were banged up.

Reid can take hope from New England, which lost many key players to injury a year ago and still won its second Super Bowl in three seasons, beating surprising Carolina.

And the Eagles aren't alone. Important players have been falling daily this summer.

St. Louis last week placed offensive tackle Kyle Turley on injured reserve with a back injury that will keep him out all year.

This year seems a little different from recent seasons because New England and Philadelphia seem a cut above the other teams in their conferences.

But that defies the illogic of the NFL in the salary-cap era -- at least one team always seems to come from nowhere to reach the Super Bowl. Last year, it was Carolina, 1-15 in 2001, 7-9 in 2002, then nearly champions, losing the 32-29 to New England on Adam Vinatieri's field goal with 4 seconds left, his second title-winning kick in three years.

So book it now: The Eagles or Patriots won't be there and a team at .500 or below in 2003 could be.

"This game is about 'What have you done for me lately' and 'What are you about this year' because there are new challenges. There are new teams, new expectations," says New England quarterback Tom Brady, a player from nowhere -- a sixth-round draft choice who became a two-time Super Bowl MVP. "For us to accomplish our goals, we are going to have to play better than we did last year."

They will also have to play differently on defense. Every team will.

The most important offseason move by the league was a crackdown on bumping receivers beyond the 5-yard zone. The Patriots were obvious offenders in their bruising win over Peyton Manning and Indianapolis to take the AFC title.

Fllags have been flying in the preseason.

The bump rule will get a quick test in the season opener next Thursday: Indy at New England. The first full Sunday is Sept. 12 and the Super Bowl will be played later than ever, on Feb. 6, 2005, in Jacksonville.

There are seven new coaches, four of them returnees: Gibbs (Washington 1981-92), Arizona's Dennis Green (Minnesota 1992-01), Oakland's Norv Turner (Washington 1994-00) and the New York Giants' Tom Coughlin (Jacksonville 1995-02). The others are Lovie Smith in Chicago, Mike Mularkey in Buffalo and Jim Mora Jr. in Atlanta. Green and Smith bring the number of black head coaches to five, most ever in the NFL.

There also figure to be new stars from one of the best rookie crops in a while, including Rams running back Steven Jackson.

New England remains the favorite in the AFC because of coach Bill Belichick's ability to blend role players into a cohesive unit and the addition of Corey Dillon to a team that has lacked a first-rate running back since Curtis Martin departed after the 1997 season.

In the NFC, the additions of Owens and Kearse make the Eagles the pick on paper.

Seattle looks like a major contender with Matt Hasselbeck finally emerging as a top quarterback, although defense is a concern.