The offense scores the points. The defense makes the stops. So where does special teams fit in?

It is very easy to underestimate the importance of special teams during game play. But when it comes down to it, special teams is an integral piece of the game that needs much attention ...and the players will be the first to admit it.

"It's an opportunity to get out on the field and contribute," said linebacker and special teams stalwart Mark Simoneau, who notched a sack in Thursday's preseason game vs. Basltimore.

LB Shawn Barber

"Something you take pride in is performance. We were a little lower as far as around the league last year, but we are trying to step up and come out right away be one of the best special teams in the league. Special teams makes you a total football player."

Having a whole team of total football players would be something that head coach Andy Reid would never turn down, and with the help of special teams coordinator John Harbaugh, who is widely regarded as one of the best in the NFL, coach Reid may soon see that for his lineup.

Harbaugh, who is entering his ninth season as the special teams coordinator, and was one of four assistant coaches to be retained by Reid when he took over in 1999, said that this season he sees improvement from his unit that had a down year last season.

"Well, the results have been different so far," said Harbaugh. "So that's probably the most obvious thing and that's what you're referring to, but we're covering better so far. But we covered pretty well early in the year last year once the regular season came around.

"So, we can't sit there and say okay, we're fine because we're not fine. We have to get better. The old saying, you're either getting better or you're getting worse; we have to get better or we are getting worse."

So far this preseason, the special teams unit has looked a lot better than the team that allowed a 96-yard kick return for a touchdown and went through eight different specialists (four placekickers and four punters) last season.

Both of the starters (kicker David Akers and punter Dirk Johnson) are back and healthy. Akers has hit all three field goal attempts in the preseason and Johnson is averaging 43.7 yards per punt.

In the return game, the unit has held the opposition to an average kick return of 21.3 yards and a punt return of only 4.9 yards.

"Special teams is huge," said tight end/fullback Stephen Spach. "It's a third of the game and it establishes most of the field position, which has a huge effect on turning points in the game. Especially for me, a guy fighting for a roster spot, special teams is a huge thing. If you can show that you're valuable person in that phase, that could be the difference when the coaches are crossing names off."

As Spach mentioned, one of the biggest impacts of special teams, besides determining job security, is the battle for field position. It is imperative for teams to have good field position on offense, and back up the opposition on defense.

Ninety percent of the field position is decided on special teams.

"It's a very vital part of any team," said linebacker Shawn Barber. "The thing about special teams is that, if you look at the teams that have won it all, the teams that have gone to the Super Bowl, they have great special teams.

"What special teams does is, it takes a fifth(-ranked) offense or a sixth-ranked offense and makes it number one. Because instead of having to go 80 yards, you have to go 50. On defense, it's the same thing. You can have a 10th-ranked defense or so, but you're going to be playing like a third- or fourth-ranked defense because the offense you're opposing will have to go 80 yards instead of 50.

"The special teams sets a tone, sets a tempo. The special teams starts the game and they finish the game."

Harbaugh's unit is ready to set the tempo and establish great field position for the Eagles offense and defense. That is its place on this team ...which suits it just fine.