The Eagles went a perfect 4-0 in the post season culminating with a commanding Super Bowl LIX performance whipping the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22.
The score never felt that close.
With 34 seconds left in the 3rd quarter the Birds were leading 34-0. The Chiefs never crossed midfield in their first 9 possessions.
During the 4-0 postseason blitz the Birds took the ball away 13 times, a plus-12 turnover ratio.
One team in NFL history had a better postseason ratio.
I could wax on about how dominant the Birds were on their path to earning their second Lombardi Trophy but that's what the whole world has done to this proud organization and to all the players and coaches since the evening of February 9 as the victory confetti fell from the sky inside the Superdome.
The obligatory parade was well attended, players have left town to have their own small town celebrations with family and friends. Offensive coordinator and mastermind, Kellen Moore has left to become the head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
As expected, the Birds were hit with a bounty of free agent defections on both sides of the ball. Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, Darius Slay, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Kenneth Gainwell, Mekhi Becton among others have departed, leaving holes in the roster and severely affecting the roster's depth.
And if you listen closely, last year's prize free agent, Bryce Huff, can be had for the right draft pick.
So what are the challenges to an organization that would love to "run it back' ? They always start with the main issue that every Super Bowl winning team faces. That monster is known as complacency.
Nothing is as urgent as it once was after you hoist the Lombardi Trophy and spend much of the next five months celebrating the victory.
In addition, you now are the target for every team out there on the schedule. Recall after the Birds won their first Super Bowl Trophy seven years ago and what happened the following season.
Carson started on the injury report and finished the season on the injury report and the Eagles did not qualify for the playoffs with a 9-7 record.
I think things will be drastically different in 2025. Although you never return to the same team, the Birds will bring back 10 starters on offense. Most of the 10 finished the season healthy and in no need of off season surgery.
The biggest loss is Kellen Moore. Kevin Patullo was elevated from the passing game coordinator to the new OC. He has never been an OC nor a play caller before so he will begin the season under the microscope.
He did come from Indianapolis with head coach Nick Sirianni. He should know exactly what Nick wants and how to get it done having worked side by side with him for a half dozen seasons. It should be a seamless transition of ideas but not always.
Kellen did a terrific job of becoming a run first team in an organization the doesn't believe that that is the best way to win championships. Let's just say that that is not what the analytics say.
The other concern is the pounding that Saquon took. He accumulated nearly 500 touches in 20 starts last season. Not many running backs have ever had that kind of work load and played the following season without any kind of negative impact.
They very much need to watch him far more closely than they did in 2024. Hopefully newly signed free agent AJ Dillon could really help as Saquon can't be expected to perform as Superman two years in a row.
Defensively I think the Birds are going to be just fine. Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith are both playing at an elite level and the free agent acquisitions of Josh Uche and Azees Ojulari are both young and have had some success. They should add depth the the defensive line rotation.
The re-signing of Zack Baun to a mega-deal was earned while Nakobe Dean will return from injury.
It's not needed to go position by position and the aggregate of losses. Vic Fangio was already ticked off the the Birds surrendering 22 points in a little over a quarter of the Super Bowl so he will start the off season on his own vitriolic warpath.
The biggest reason for my optimism next season, despite a large number of defections, is the Birds ability to draft and develop talent. This is the deepest defensive line draft that I have seen in a long long time. I feel like the Eagles can draft 2 eventual starters from this college crop.
Perhaps the biggest reason why I believe this defense can be great again is Jordan Davis. To this point he has been a disappointment.
But I believe he has everything it takes to be dominant. It's more mental than physical. If he can fight to stay on the field up to 60 percent of the snaps instead of 35 percent it will make this defense that much more difficult to run on.
The offensive and defensive lines in totality should be the best in the NFL. That philosophy of the Eagles, that you win Championships in the trenches should keep them highly competitive this season and beyond.
The biggest fear is still complacency, but if you have the right leaders like Lane Johnson, Jalen Hurts, Saquon, and Zack Baun then they have a great chance to overcome that common hurdle
The Birds are my prediction to represent the NFC in SB LX next season. *
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