2011 NFL Predictions: 5 Reasons the Philadelphia Eagles Will Win the Super Bowl

The “dream team” has been assembled with one goal and one goal only: to win a Super Bowl.  Looking at the team on paper, it’s hard to argue that they’re not a legitimate contender.

During the last decade, the Eagles have flirted with bringing Philadelphia a Super Bowl ring.  However, Eagles fans always find themselves heartbroken by the end of the season.

We’re tired of seeing the team get into the playoffs and then get knocked out before bringing home a title.  Philadelphia doesn’t want to deal with close anymore.  They want to deal with a parade down Broad Street.

No games that matter have been played yet, but there are a number of reasons why the Eagles should be able to bring home a Lombardi Trophy.

1. Nnamdi Asomugha and Asante Samuel

You can throw Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie into the mix here, but Asomugha and Samuel will see the most time on the field.

To begin, Asomugha is a huge upgrade from those who tried to fill in across from Samuel last year.  Actually, "huge" probably isn’t even a fair word to use.

If you look at the stats, it’s pretty clear that quarterbacks don’t like to throw towards Asomugha or Samuel.  We saw a little preview of that in action when the Eagles played the Ravens.

The NFL is a quarterback’s league, and quarterbacks are going to have a lot of trouble finding open receivers with Asomugha and Samuel teamed up on the field.

2. Improved Offensive Line

The Eagles' biggest offensive weakness last season was the right side of their offensive line.  It was extremely shaky, and Michael Vick seemed to be running for his life much too often as the season wore on.

This area was immediately upgraded when the Eagles drafted Danny Watkins back in April.  He’s a rookie, but he has looked very solid early on and should be a force at the right guard position.

Right tackle was another area the Eagles attempted to address by bringing in Ryan Harris.  However, Harris is now having problems with his back.  This is an area of concern as he’s had back issues in the past.

If Harris’ back doesn’t stop him from playing, the Eagles will have a much more talented offensive line than last season.

3. Michael Vick’s Leadership

If you play the quarterback position, you have to be a leader.  There’s really no way around it.

Last season, we saw Vick take over the offense and immediately develop into a leader in the huddle.  He’ll be an even stronger leader this season.

Unlike last year, Vick entered training camp as the team’s starting quarterback.  He’s the No. 1 guy, and he knows that the success of the Eagles offense starts with him.

Vick has no quit in him, and he puts all he has into every play.  When players see that, they want to do the same thing. 

This team was built to win a championship this season, and Vick will do everything that he can to make sure that happens.

4. Upgraded Defensive Line

Everyone was excited when the Eagles brought in defensive line coach Jim Washburn.  After one preseason game, we can already see why.

Washburn hasn’t had a very long time to apply his scheme, but we’re already seeing results.  The Eagles racked up six sacks against the Ravens last week, and applied a lot of other pressure that broke up plays.

Jason Babin has been added to the unit, giving the Eagles two Pro Bowl-caliber ends on the line.  Darryl Tapp has looked amazing in camp, and Juqua Parker is always a consistent contributor.

The middle of the line will feature Cullen Jenkins, Antonio Dixon and Mike Patterson with a bunch of other players working into the mix.

The upgraded defensive line won’t give quarterbacks much time to throw the ball, and we already know it’s going to be a challenge for them to throw against our corners.

5. Countless Offensive Weapons

The Eagles had an extremely explosive offense last season, as they set a franchise record for points scored.  However, they’ve added even more firepower to the offensive side of the ball.

Ronnie Brown and Donald Lee have joined the mix already, while Steve Smith will look to get healthy and contribute this season as well.  Dion Lewis is a rookie that has looked solid and should serve a contributing role as well.

The scary part is the foundation that already existed before them.  Michael Vick is the most dynamic quarterback in the league and can make plays with his arm as well as his feet.

LeSean McCoy continues to get better and should be a legitimate Pro Bowl candidate in 2011.

If Jeremy Maclin is able to play this season, he and DeSean Jackson will wreak the havoc we’re used to seeing out of them.  Behind them, Jason Avant and Riley Cooper are solid as well.