Philadelphia Eagles: Just how far have the Eagles come in two years?

It seems that in just the blink of an eye the Philadelphia Eagles have turned the corner from a complete mess to the most complete team in football.

While watching the Thanksgiving NFL games just the other day, there was one thought that remained in my mind, especially during the Detroit–Minnesota game. I think myself and many other Philadelphia Eagles fans included has throughs of that Thanksgiving game in Detroit just two years ago.

At this time two years ago, the Eagles were a mess. After losing to Tampa Bay 45-17 the previous Sunday, Philadelphia went into Detroit on Thanksgiving looking to turn things around. Not only did then-quarterback Mark Sanchez and the Eagles fail to do that, they turned in yet another embarrassment. They had hit rock bottom.

That 45-14 loss in front of a national audience made many begin to wonder if the Eagles had quit. Just two weeks after losing Sam Bradford in a close loss to Miami, the team looked like they lost all of their wills. The Eagles had quit on head coach Chip Kelly.

This reminds me of the Chip Kelly Thanksgiving game where the Eagles just came out and looked horrific. Beginning of the end for him. Foreshadowing Garrett?
— John Stolnis (@JohnStolnis) November 24, 2017

The team gave fans a false hope that they had put it back together after getting Bradford back. They went up to Foxborough and pulled an upset over New England in a flukey game, and then returned home and topped the Bills to win their second straight game.

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It looked like that maybe, just maybe, Kelly had gotten the locker room back. But those thoughts quickly eroded when the Arizona Cardinals came into Philadelphia and completely embarrassed the Eagles on Sunday night football.

After that loss, the Eagles, and also Kelly had one more chance. The Eagles needed to win that Washington game to win a weak NFC East, and it tuned out that Kelly was coaching for his job in that Saturday night game at the Linc.

Just like they had all season, they gave fans false hope that they were a good team, and gave false hope that they could win that game. When it looked like the Eagles had a chance, one play happened that was not just the deciding factor in the Eagles 2015 season but in Kelly’s coaching tenure in Philadelphia.

As Demarco Murray watched the ball bounce off his hands and on to the wet ground, Eagles fans watched their 2015 season wash away in the south Philly rain. Then just as many thought, the Eagles head coach was to be fired just a few days later.

How had a team that had an innovative up and coming head coach hit rock bottom so quickly? After back-to-back ten win seasons, fans and the Eagles were left with many questions as to just what happened. The downfall of that team can be traced back to Kelly, and his need for control. A need that destroyed this football team.

After a 10-6 2013 season, the Eagles looked like they would be contenders for many years to come. But, we got a first glimpse of that control that the Eagles coach needed when he let Desean Jackson go for absolutely nothing in March 2014. That was just the beginning of Kelly’s complete breakdown of the Eagles.

Even without Jackson, the Eagles still turned in a 10-6 season in 2014. While that team should have finished better, they did not, and still had many holes to fill. Then came the one meeting in early 2015 that changed everything.

Chip wanted complete control. He didn’t want to just coach the players but wanted a say in who the team brings in for him to coach. This led to Chip pretty much replacing Howie Roseman as the team general manager.

He let Maclin walk, then traded his all-pro running back LeSean McCoy, then flipped his quarterback who was 14-4 over the past two season to the Rams for oft-injured Sam Bradford. After all of this, he went out and signed Murray and fellow running back Ryan Mathews. Kelly wanted to put his fingerprints on this Eagles team, and that he most certainly did.

The Eagles went into 2015 with high expectations. We were all lead to believe that these moves were going to put the Eagles on an elite level. But as we watched that last throw hit off of Jordan Matthews hands and picked off at the end of the Atlanta game, many began to wonder if this team had what it took to win.

While this team never really gelled, one thing that many could point their finger to for this team’s lack of success was team chemistry. Kelly was a coach who was more worried about x’s and o’s rather than relationships. There were even reports that Chip would walk past players in the hallway at the Nova Care complex and not even say hello.

A struggling team and a lack of chemistry ultimately led to the team’s demise. Kelly’s ego was just too large to sustain an NFL job. Chip is more suited for the college game than the NFL, where you can do things your way and not be questioned by your players as long as you are winning.

That college offense and that college coaching style just did not cut it in the NFL, and that is why Chip is no longer coaching at the NFL level. It also is the number one reason why the Eagles hit rock bottom in 2015.

As the calendar flipped to 2016, the Eagles were at a crossroads. A broken team had many wounds that had to be healed, and that began with changes all around.

Roseman was re-instituted as the general manager, and he and Jeffrey Lurie began a search for a new guy to put at the helm as the Eagles next head coach. They had one priority in mind: find a player’s coach, something Kelly was not.

After weeks of searching, many thought the Eagles had lost out on some of their top options. Adam Gase went to Miami and Ben McAdoo stayed with the Giants and good thing he did. As the calendar approached the end of January, the Eagles found their next head coach: Doug Pederson.

The Eagles settled for Pederson and he is just another Andy Reid are just some examples of the criticisms one may have read online or heard on sports talk radio about the Eagles hiring of Doug. Pederson for sure had a lot to prove.

The 2016 offseason continued and Howie began to clean house, especially of many of the Kelly deciphers. Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell were dealt to Miami to move up from 13 to eight in the draft. Then the Eagles used that eighth pick to move up and get the guy to help begin their rebuild.

In April of 2016, the Eagles traded many picks to move up to the second pick in the draft. Eagles management knew that if they were to become a top team again they had to start at the quarterback position. On April 28, 2016, the Eagles made the move to possibly set up their franchise for years of success. They drafted out of North Dakota State, quarterback Carson Wentz.

The drafting of Wentz and hiring of Pederson didn’t just put an end to any drama in the Eagles locker room. Obviously, Bradford was not too thrilled with the drafting of Wentz and held out for parts of OTAs. Sammy sleaves was still the starter, but he was pretty much a lame duck quarterback.

Much to the credit of Wentz and Bradford, once Sam returned from his holdout, the quarterback position was handled very professionally. After the preseason concluded, it looked like Bradford would be the starter, and Wentz, healing from a broken rib, would redshirt the season.

All of that changed when Howie worked some more of his magic and dealt Bradford to the Vikings following the injury to Teddy Bridgewater. Not only did Sam net the Eagles a first-round pick, but it allowed for Wentz to play his entire rookie year. An experience that has paid dividends.

Now over a year since the reins were handed over to Pederson and Wentz we are seeing incredible results. Just two years after hitting rock bottom, the Eagles sit with the league’s best record, and there are so many people responsible for such a quick turnaround.

Still plenty of season left to go, but after dealing with the pain of watching the #Eagles quit on Chip Kelly and all the struggles that happened in Doug's first year, I don't think I have ever been more proud to be a Birds fan. This team is special. #FlyEaglesFly
— PiFF Props (@PiFFProps) November 20, 2017

Roseman obviously has done a tremendous job since getting the general manager job back. He managed to rid the team of those Kelly players including Murray, moved up to get a quarterback, and has surrounded this team with great talent.

Wentz is one of the biggest reasons for the Eagles’ turnaround. Ever since the trade of Donovan McNabb in April of 2010, the quarterback position in Philadelphia has been surrounded by instability. Carson finally gives the Eagles stability at the most important position in football.

In addition to that, we have seen that the first thing that great teams have is a great quarterback. If you look at almost every Super Bowl champion of the last fifteen years, almost all of them have been led by near elite quarterbacks. If the Eagles have the quarterback position figured out like we believe they do, they may be set for deep postseason runs for not just this year, but for many years to come.

Last but not least, the guy who may deserve the most credit for the Eagles turnaround and success is none other than their head coach. The Eagles wanted to get away from the negative environment that was brought with Kelly, and they have done that having Pederson leading the charge.

One thing that Pederson is so much better than Kelly at is adjusting and not letting his ego get in the way. While Kelly took a more “my way or the highway” approach, Doug has shown that he is willing to listen and form strong relationships with his players and with his team.

After going through a rough stretch last season, concluding with a bad loss to the Bengals, many began to question if Doug had lost the locker room. Even though they lost their next two, they came out in those games and showed tremendous fight. After finishing the 2016 regular season with back to back divisional wins at home, the vibe surrounding Doug and his team was much better. This shows that Pederson was able to not let things get out of control.

In 2017 the Eagles have been so successful, but it has not come without some adversity. This team has suffered many crushing injuries, but Doug has this team coached so well that no matter who they lose or the situation they are playing in, they are always ready to play. This team also does not suffer letdowns.

This Eagles locker room may be the strongest one in the NFL. The bond this team has is unlike any team has seen in a long time. Players feel that they can speak their mind, and they are comfortable in their environments.

It was not that long ago that same locker room turned very toxic and in just two years the script has been flipped entirely in that regard.

Just two years since the Eagles have hit rock bottom, they are flying higher than ever before. This is a team that is the best in the sport, and they are having a great time doing it. Fans love watching this team after having to suffer through some tough times over the past few seasons.

It is seen time and time again, that when teams are in the situation the Eagles were in two years ago, it takes years to become relevant again. Just look at the Browns who have been trying this for over a decade. Just kind of ironic that same Cleveland team was a huge help in the Eagles turnaround.

Now, this Eagles team is reaching heights they have not reached since 2004. The last time they started as well as they have this year, they made the Super Bowl.

Will this team see the same success of that 2004 team, and more importantly, will the Eagles finally capture their first Lombardi Trophy?

Next: The Philadelphia Eagles have a lot to be thankful for

That remains to be seen, but there is one thing we know for sure. Just two years after free-falling all the way to the bottom, the Eagles have quickly soared back to the top.

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