No matter the result in the playoffs, the 2021 Eagles are a major success (1/8/22)

Before the start of the season or amid training camp, fans, sports analysts, etc. thought that the 2021 Eagles would be a terrible team and possibly the worst in the league.

Didn’t blame them for thinking that because of how big of a mess the whole organization was from top to bottom.

They had fired longtime and Super Bowl champion head coach, Doug Pederson. After a disastrous season, franchise quarterback, Carson Wentz, was traded to the Colts and is now reunited with former Eagles offensive coordinator, Frank Reich.

It was hard to have faith in a rookie head coach in Nick Sirianni, and a quarterback in Jalen Hurts who had only started four games previously in the NFL to be able to completely turn around the team’s fortunes.

According to PFF’s (Pro Football Focus) NFL team rankings before the season, they had the Eagles listed as the 30th best team in the league.

A majority of people thought that this team would only win between 4–6 games, even with the NFL’s easiest schedule.

After a 2–5 start and several really bad losses to some of the NFL’s top teams in the Buccaneers, Cowboys, and Chiefs, it looked as though a lot of those predictions on how the team would be really bad were starting to come to fruition.

Nick Sirianni looked to be a “one-and-done” head coach, Jalen Hurts wasn’t playing like an NFL starting-caliber quarterback, and it was looking as though general manager, Howie Roseman, might finally get the ax.

Then all of the sudden, the Eagles came marching into Detroit, and they beat down the Lions by a score of 44–6, which resulted in a huge season turnaround.

Ever since then, the Eagles have completely transformed their offense from a passing attack that wasn’t working effectively, and to now a rushing attack that has the players performing at a higher level.

Since this new style of play, the Eagles have a current record of 9–7 and are 7–2 over their last nine games.

With one more regular-season game remaining tonight versus the rival Cowboys, the Eagles have already clinched a playoff spot for the fourth time in five seasons.

Sirianni is looking like a good coaching hire. The players love playing for him, and he has proven to be an effective game planner and has shown the ability to adjust on the fly.

Hurts has the potential to become the team’s next franchise quarterback, and he most definitely needs to be the team’s starting quarterback next season.

Howie Roseman has not completely won over the Eagles fanbase because of the past mistakes he has made such as being the root cause for the organization’s dysfunction from a year ago, and the drafting of wide receiver Jalen Reagor over Vikings All-Pro receiver, Justin Jefferson.

It looks as though he has been able to regain some of that love back. The 2018 draft class will go down as one of the best Eagles draft classes in recent memory.

Outside of Matt Pryor, every member of that class has earned a contract extension and is having a career season.

The 2021 draft class is looking like an absolute home run. Devonta Smith has a chance to break the all-time Eagles rookie receiving yards record, and he will be the team’s best receiver for years to come.

The pick of Landon Dickerson was heavily criticized at first, but it has turned out to be a really good pick. Dickerson has shown that he will become a future staple along the offensive line.

Defensive lineman in Milton Williams and running back Kenneth Gainwell have both shown great flashes throughout the season.

Roseman’s two prized free agent/trade acquisitions from a year ago both have become staples for the team’s defense in Darius Slay and Javon Hargrave.

Slay is arguably having the best season of his career. He has locked down every single wide receiver that he has gone up against this season. He is one of the team’s two players that were selected to go to the Pro Bowl. Based on his performance, I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes an All-Pro team.

Hargrave is having a career season with a career-high in sacks, and he has established himself as one of the best defensive tackles in the league.

The future of the franchise looked to be very murky, but because of this season and its revitalization, this team’s future is looking extremely bright.