Can the Philadelphia Eagles Win a Super Bowl Without an Elite Secondary?

Look no further than the secondary for why the 2014 Philadelphia Eagles missed the playoffs.

The turnovers from both quarterbacks didn't help. Neither did the injuries to the offensive line, which led to inconsistency running the football. But this defensive backfield ranked near the bottom of the NFL in all major passing categories, and that culminated in a pivotal three-game December losing streak that left Philadelphia on the outside looking in come January.

The free-agent market has a handful of quality cornerbacks available as well as some talented young safeties who could shore up this unit. Unfortunately for Eagles fans, it doesn't seem to be this organization's philosophy to spend big money on a single player.

When the team could have targeted Darrelle Revis at cornerback, it signed Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher instead. When Jairus Byrd and T.J. Ward were available at the safety position, the Eagles went with the cheaper, more versatile option in Malcolm Jenkins.

Now that Chip Kelly (and Ed Marynowitz) has the final say instead of general manager Howie Roseman, there's always the chance this philosophy could change. But it doesn't seem likely. Kelly prides himself in his system and culture. He didn't hesitate to jettison DeSean Jackson for failing to fit in with the Kelly way, and he's always valued versatility at multiple roles over top ability in a specific area.

That suggests the Eagles won't go after Revis again or the New England Patriots' All-Pro safety, Devin McCourty.

Recent examples in the National Football League demonstrate the true value of a secondary. The Patriots added Revis and Brandon Browner to a secondary that already included McCourty, and that proved pivotal in the Super Bowl title run. The previous year, the Seattle Seahawks' Legion of Boom dominated Peyton Manning en route to a 43-8 triumph on the NFL's biggest stage.

The Eagles rated 31st in passing yards allowed last year. They were 28th in touchdown passes allowed. They were torched down the stretch by stars like Aaron Rodgers and Tony Romo but also by backups like Kirk Cousins, Austin Davis and even Chad Henne in Week 1.

Cornerback Bradley Fletcher was responsible for over 1,000 yards allowed and nine touchdowns, per Pro Football Focus; the team will surely see addition by subtraction in allowing Fletcher to walk in free agency (assuming Kelly doesn't really want him back).

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

But if the Eagles don't get Byron Maxwell or Kareem Jackson in free agency, Williams will likely be back. And starting opposite him may be another cheap free-agent option who will have to overproduce in defensive coordinator Billy Davis' scheme.

At safety, Jenkins will start, but the other spot may be Nate Allen again. Or a combination of Allen and a rookie. Maybe Earl Wolff or Ed Reynolds will be in the mix too.

Can the Eagles really win with that group?

The surprising answer is that they probably can. They can't have Davis leaving Fletcher in man coverage against Dez Bryant all game; they'll need a much more competent all-around corner than Fletcher, whether he comes via free agency or the NFL draft. But they can probably get away with being close to average as a unit.

Even with all those secondary mishaps last season, the Eagles were still sixth in the league in registering turnovers on defense. They were near the middle of the pack in defensive passer rating. And a look at the five most recent Super Bowl winners (compared with the Eagles) shows it doesn't always take an all-world defensive backfield to win championships.

Credit: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Last year's Patriots—with big names in Revis and McCourty—were somehow just in the middle of the pack in many key defensive statistics. The '13 Seahawks are obviously otherworldly in their dominance, and the '10 Green Bay Packers had a tremendous trio (Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams and Sam Shields) in their secondary.

But three of the past five winners don't stand out statistically. They were more of your average secondary that benefited greatly from a strong pass rush.

Realistically, Kelly is probably never going to have an elite secondary. He would much rather spend his time creating an offense that can score points in bunches, while the defense will be a bend-but-don't-break unit that comes up with key plays at opportune times. There's already the foundation of a fearsome front seven on defense, and if the Eagles can at least put up an average performance in the secondary, that may be good enough.

It's all about getting hot at the right time. The bigger similarity between the last five Super Bowl teams is riding elite quarterback play to a championship.

That's why Kelly is so head over heels for his college quarterback, Marcus Mariota. If Mariota can play at an All-Pro level for this franchise, it essentially lessens the importance of the other positions on the field.

This is likely the formula Kelly will follow. Whether it works is something we will find out, but history shows it has worked for other teams.