Can the Philadelphia Eagles recover from their disappointing 2023 season? While their regular season record seems to show a relatively successful season, the postseason results say otherwise. Their positive record masks the severe underperformance of a team fresh off of a Super Bowl run. As a result, they were bounced out of the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This season, the Eagles committed to reloading their roster. In particular, they signed arguably the biggest name in free agency in ex-New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley. The new-look roster has fans dreaming of a redemption tour in 2024. That includes diehard Birds fan Charles Barkley, who made his trademark guarantee on Philly’s Super Bowl win this year. (video via Tom Pelissero)
Barkley, a part of the critically-acclaimed NBA halftime show “Inside the NBA”, has this long-standing tradition of making “guarantees” about sports matchups. The joke is that oftentimes, these “guarantees” end up backfiring. Chuck has leaned into the jokes about this pretty well, but he’s surely hoping that for once, the “guarantee” curse doesn’t haunt his Eagles.
The Eagles’ last taste of Super Bowl action was two years ago, when they faced off against the Kansas City Chiefs. It was quite the back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading touchdowns. However, a key punt return touchdown by Kadarius Toney sealed Philly’s fate as they fell short. Philadelphia is looking to get another run at the crown this season, but the road there won’t be easy.
Eagles’ road to Super Bowl
The Eagles will have some stiff competition in the NFC on their way to the Super Bowl. Of course, there’s the San Francisco 49ers, the reigning NFC Champions. Even if they end up losing Brandon Aiyuk, the Niners still have one of the most terrifying offenses in the entire league. In addition, they also have a strong defense that’s remained mostly intact in the offseason. In other words… they’re the team to beat.
On paper, the Eagles should be the second-best team in the division, but even then, it’s pretty close. The Detroit Lions are emerging as a strong contender for the NFC crown. They made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game last season, and the core of their roster is also mostly untouched. It’s between them and Philly for the second NFCCG position.
Other strong contenders lurk as threats for the Eagles. The Green Bay Packers are a dark-horse team to take another step next season after Jordan Love’s breakout season. The Buccaneers are ready to prove that their success last season was not a fluke. While the Dallas Cowboys did not make any significant moves, Philly of all teams should know how dangerous they can be.
That being said, the Eagles should still be supremely confident in their abilities. They boast one of the best quarterback-wide receiver duos in AJ Brown and Jalen Hurts, with DeVonta Smith being an elite #2 guy as well. The addition of Barkley should bring a much-needed boost to a running back room that’s been mostly a committee effort in past years. Their defense has gotten better in areas where they struggled, such as their secondary.
This season is the Eagles’ best chance to prove the doubters wrong. Do they have what it takes to be the best of the best?
