Philadelphia Eagles: Why the Eagles Will Make It to the Super Bowl in 2011

When the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the 2010 playoffs, most fans simply chalked it up to another substandard season.

Granted, quarterback Michael Vick did deliver a highlight reel of a season and dished out a large dose of pizazz.  But the entertainment he provided only served to mask the foul odor of yet another Super Bowl-less season.

And yet from the ashes of defeat rises a new season and with it a newfound hope.

As it stands now, this Eagles team shows plenty of promise.  Perhaps more so than at any other time during the Andy Reid era.

Which is why it just might not be that crazy to say that this team is headed for its first Super Bowl appearance since 2004.

The most obvious justification for a bold prediction such as that would be the offense.  Just look at it.  It simply exudes talent at all of the skill positions. 

First you have Vick, who alone has the ability to keep a defensive coordinator up until the crack of dawn the night before a game. 

Then there is the talented trio of DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant at the wideout position.  With their ability to take the top off a defense as well as move the chains, these three make it impossible for defenders to double-team any one of them.

If they are not the best receiving corps in the league, then they are definitely a close second or third. 

Add to that running back LeSean McCoy—who in only two years has become nearly as productive as Brian Westbrook in his prime—and you have the makings of potentially the most lethal offense in the NFL.

But after finishing third in points (27.4) and second in total yards (389.4) per game last season, it is clear that the Eagles’ offense was never the problem.

Rather, it was the defense that destroyed their chances of getting to the Super Bowl.

In today’s quarterback-driven NFL, you need to have a defense capable of stopping the aerial attack.  Apparently the Eagles did not receive that memo. 

Under former defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, the Eagles proved that they were exceptionally vulnerable against the pass.  Which is an understatement considering that they allowed a league-worst 31 touchdowns through the air.

That is why GM Howie Roseman has made it clear that his team is going to be an aggressive participant in this year’s free agency. 

Even if the Eagles do not land Nnamdi Asomugha, there are a number of other free agents who can come in and make an immediate impact at the right cornerback position.  Either Johnathan Joseph or Ike Taylor would be an upgrade over anyone the team currently has on its roster. 

And when (not if) the Eagles land a cornerback in free agency, this defense will have a good chance of finding the former glory it had when under the reign of the late Jim Johnson.

But free agency is not the only answer to some of the team’s problems.  Whether fans realize it or not, there are a number of players on the Eagles’ roster that can be expected to contribute in a big way next season.

Take the Eagles’ first two picks of April’s draft.  Offensive lineman Danny Watkins and strong safety Jaiquawn Jarrett were impact players in college and are poised to have big rookie seasons.

Then there are the diamonds in the rough like Antonio Dixon, Nate Allen, and Jamar Chaney.  All three of these defensive players flashed their potential in 2010 when they were given the opportunity to start. 

Expect them to build upon their success from last season and post monstrous 2011 campaigns.

Of course, it also never hurts to have coaches who can bring out the best in their players.  It seems Andy Reid would agree with that statement, because at the end of last season he brought it two of the most distinguished and respected position coaches in the league. 

Both offensive line coach Howard Mudd and defensive line coach Jim Washburn excel at their profession.  They make sure to utilize every last drop of raw talent a player possess and then turn that talent into success on the field. 

But at the end of the 2011 season, it may be new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo who turns the Eagles into champions. 

People question his ability to run the defense because, for the past 13 seasons, he has been the Eagles’ offensive line coach.  But what many perceive as a weakness just may end up being a valuable strength.

Think about it.  The job of a defensive coordinator is to predict what an opposing offense will do and then create schemes to stop it.  Who better to create those schemes than someone who has spent the last 13 years thinking like an offensive coach? 

So when quality coaching is combined with an ample supply of talent, success is inevitable.  Add to that a dash of free agency acquisitions, and you end up with a recipe for greatness.

The talent is there. The coaching is there.  The willingness to spend money in free agency is there.  Now all the Eagles have to do is put it all together. 

If they can do that, they will end the 2011 season with rings on their fingers.