Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles waves as he holds his daughter, Lily James, after Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI |
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After finishing 7-9 last season, the Eagles expected to be better this season. But making the Super Bowl better? Winning the Super Bowl better? Never in a million years.
They expected Carson Wentz to make improvement by leaps and bounds after starting 16 games as a rookie. They hoped the veterans they added -- wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, cornerback Patrick Robinson, running back LeGarrette Blount, defensive tackle Tim Jernigan and cornerback Ronald Darby -- would make an impact.
But then the bodies started to fall. Kicker Caleb Sturgis. Running back Darren Sproles. Special teams ace Chris Maragos. Middle linebacker Jordan Hicks. Nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters. And last, but certainly not least, Wentz in Week 14.
Losing Wentz figured to be the Eagles' postseason death knell. He led the league in touchdown passes and was killing it in situational passing, leading the league in third-down and red-zone passing.
But they signed Nick Foles last March for a rainy day just like this. After struggling in the 10 regular-season quarters he played after Wentz went down, he put it all together in the playoffs, and was named MVP of the Super Bowl.
In three postseason games, Foles had a 115.7 passer rating. He was magical on third down with a 158.1 passer rating. He completed 81.3 percent of his third-down attempts, averaged 12.4 yards per attempt and threw four of his six postseason touchdown passes on third down.
"That we've made it to the Super Bowl is amazing," owner Jeffrey Lurie said. "That we've made it there in spite all of the injuries we've had to deal with this season speaks volumes about our players and coaches."
WHAT WENT RIGHT: In just his second NFL season, Carson Wentz threw 33 touchdown passes and led the league in third-down and red-zone passing. If he weren't injured in Week 14, he might have been the league MVP. General manager Howie Roseman had a near-perfect offseason, adding key pieces such as cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Patrick Robinson, defensive ends Chris Long and Derek Barnett, defensive tackle Tim Jernigan and wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith. Then he added running back Jay Ajayi with a midseason trade with Miami.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Injuries. The Eagles lost a slew of key players, including nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters, running back Darren Sproles, middle linebacker Jordan Hicks, special teams ace Chris Maragos, and, late in the season, Wentz.
