5 dream scenarios for Eagles in 2023 season
The Philadelphia Eagles were one quarter away from another Super Bowl. What does a successful 2023 season look like?
The Philadelphia Eagles were the best team in the best division in football last season. Jalen Hurts made the jump from promising young quarterback to MVP candidate, A.J. Brown cemented a dominant offense, and the vaunted defense turned in another dominant season across the board.
The result was a trip to the Super Bowl. The Eagles were even up 24-14 over Andy Reid and the Chiefs at halftime before it all went south. That fourth quarter was nightmare fuel for Eagles fans, from the sudden incompetence of the NFL’s best defense to a maddening holding call in the game’s waning moments that all but locked up Kansas City’s comeback victory.
Now Philadelphia has to hit the reset button and prepare for another deep run in 2023. A promising mix of new and old adorns the roster. A few key pieces were lost, both others were gained. Now a fresh crop of former Georgia Bulldogs join the mix, including D’Andre Swift, who Howie Roseman swindled away from Detroit for pennies on the dollar, and No. 9 pick Jalen Carter.
So, what does a dream season for the reigning NFC champs look like exactly? Let’s dive into the best-case scenarios.
No. 5 Eagles dream scenario: Defense stays elite
The Eagles boasted arguably the best defense in all of football last season. It lasted right up until the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, when Jonathan Gannon’s crew suddenly became more permeable than a colander in the ocean.
Philadelphia allowed the fewest passing yards in the NFL during the regular season. Ideally, the new season will follow a similar track, but there is doubt as to whether or not the current defensive core is up to the task.
Notably, star safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson left for Detroit over the summer. The Eagles also have a new defensive coordinator in Sean Desai after Gannon departed for the head coaching job in Arizona. While Philly fans probably aren’t panicking over Gannon’s exit after the Super Bowl, it’s fair to be skeptical of any new regime and last season’s success speaks for itself.
That said, Desai spent last season as the associate head coach under Pete Carroll in Seattle. It’s hard to imagine a better teacher for a defensive coordinator. The Eagles are still loaded on the front line and should put plenty of pressure on the quarterback. New arrival Terrell Edmunds will have big shoes to fill at safety, but he’s more than competent.
If the Eagles can keep points off the board, there’s no real doubt about the offense pulling its weight under the guidance of Jalen Hurts.