Never has there been more appreciation for the grunts. In Part 4 of my roster analysis of the Eagles, the focus is up front, to a group of men who are suddenly in the national spotlight after the Super Bowl once again illustrated the important of success at the line of scrimmage. As much as the Giants were lauded for their defensive pressure and the success of their line against quarterback Tom Brady, the Patriots were criticized for the way they played along the line.

So what about the Eagles? They have to play the Giants twice a season, and they fully understand the fury New York's front four brings. In both meetings last year, New York's front gave the Eagles fits. Other than the first drive of the second game against the Giants, when the Eagles took the opening kickoff and went down the field and scored, the Philadelphia offense did virtually nothing against New York. In the first game, the Eagles were without left tackle William Thomas, tight end L.J. Smith and running back Brian Westbrook and, yes, those injuries contributed to a terrible offensive performance.

In the second game, after that opening drive, the Eagles were just plan beaten up front. That wasn't the sole reason the Eagles scored just 13 points in the loss, or 16 in two games to the Giants. But in light of the Super Bowl stunner, the Eagles have to make sure they are good enough win the line of scrimmage against every team, starting with the Giants.

On paper, the Eagles are set. They have veterans at tackle with William Thomas and Jon Runyan, and inside the trio of Pro Bowl guard Shawn Andrews, left guard Todd Herremans and center Jamaal Jackson is as accomplished as it is promising for 2008 and beyond. While the offense didn't click enough last season, the Eagles still did a lot of good things offensively. They ran the ball effectively, led by the brilliance of Brian Westbrook. They moved the ball extremely well at times. The red zone was a problem, no question about it, and the line shares in the blame.

Was the line good enough last year? Probably not. The Eagles had some injuries across the board -- only Jackson emerged unscathed -- and there is no question the line took a quarter of the season, and maybe more, to get to a level it wanted to reach. Moving forward, with age creeping in on the edges of the line, the Eagles have to make sure they are challenging each position up front and making the line as good as it can be.

It's really a matter of making sure the Eagles have all of their bases covered. Both Thomas and Runyan continued to play at a high level last season, so it's probable they will stay right where they are in the upcoming season. Are the coaches happy with that level of play? They know the defensive ends out there are younger and faster, and the looks in the NFC East are as different as can be -- from the Giants and their depth and speed and power up front, along with their blitz package, to the Cowboys' 3-4 scheme, to the Redskins and their new-look defense with the overhauled coaching staff. If the Eagles really want to challenge every player on the roster, with whom do they challenge the tackles?

Certainly, it is very comforting to have the bookends back for another season. The Eagles know what they are going to get with both Thomas and Runyan. Both are technically sound, complete professionals and they hold the point of attack very well. There are a lot of teams wishing they could have a tackle situation like this.

Inside, the guards and center combination is sound. Very much so. The Eagles are big enough to handle large tackles and they have the communication and quick feet to play well against blitzes and games that teams run.

But would it be a huge surprise if there were changes up front? The Eagles have a couple of young linemen, led by Max Jean-Gilles, who are ready to push for some playing time. The Eagles allowed 47 sacks in 2007, some of which were attributed to Donovan McNabb holding on to the ball too long and too many attributed to a line that did not adequately protect in passing situations.

Continuity is king up front for the Eagles, and they have been blessed over the years to have so much success at the tackle positions. Both Thomas and Runyan enter the final year of their contracts, with their futures somewhat unknown for the first time in many seasons. At some point, the Eagles have to make the determination that they need to be better on the offensive line, and/or that they need to prepare for the day when their veteran tackles won't be around.

Offensive lines are in focus all around the NFL these days. The Eagles have a good group, one considered among the best in the league. It is a good situation, but can it be better? Would the Eagles use a high draft pick on a lineman, something they haven't done since Winston Justice a few drafts ago (second round, 2006)? Would they sign a free agent? Would they shake up the line and go with some of the younger linemen currently on the team?

Or will a return to good health from tackle to tackle mean all the difference in the world for the Eagles? These are the questions to ponder for the offensive line.

Next Position: Tight End