The playoffs are here, and despite their tumultuous season, the Eagles are still playing.
Now the question is how far they can go.
The Eagles' message since their win over the New York Giants on Sunday night has been that with the playoffs beginning, every team has a 0-0 record. That is true, but it is also true that they had the worst regular-season record of all the NFC teams, and are tied for the worst record of all the teams in the tournament. Because of their relatively poor play, the Eagles start the playoffs as the team with either the worst odds, or close to the worst, to win the Super Bowl.
As the Eagles have shown before, however, they are at their best when nobody believes in them — and there is reason to believe they can prove everyone who doubts them wrong again.
Here are some reasons a playoff run by the Eagles shouldn't be counted out:
Quarterback is red hot: It isn't always the case, but more times than not, the quarterback that plays better is going to win their playoff matchup. Heading into the postseason, the Eagles have to feel good about the guy they have under center. Carson Wentz, after a poor start to the season, is playing his best football entering Sunday's matchup with the Seattle Seahawks.
In his last four games Wentz has totaled 1,199 yards, seven touchdowns, no interceptions and two game-winning drives. His accuracy has been considerably better, and his decision making has been close to flawless with the football. The Eagles' coaching staff appears to have found the right mixture of plays to get Wentz going, as he has been out of the pocket considerably more than he was earlier on in the season, and as a result the team's offense is clicking at the right time.
There is no denying that Wentz making his first playoff start, especially against Russell Wilson, is concerning. The track record of quarterbacks in their first playoff start is not great. If Wentz can get past Sunday, however, there is no reason to think his inexperience will be the reason the Eagles are eliminated.
Defense has allowed under 20 in five of last seven: The defense has been the target of plenty of criticism this season, but in a results-based business, one thing is clear — this unit is one that should be counted as a strength, not a weakness, heading into the playoffs.
Take away their one poor showing against the Miami Dolphins, and the Eagles' defense is giving up an average of 16.75 points since October 20th. That isn't just at home — that includes four away games. The defense is getting the job done with a bend, don't break mentality. The pass rush has been pretty inconsistent. The cornerbacks have been average. They are still allowing explosive plays.
When they have had to, however, this unit has come up with a big stop almost every time they have needed it over the last two months — an extremely encouraging sign heading into the postseason.
Offense is making explosive plays again: In their back-to-back losses to the New England Patriots and Seahawks earlier this season the offense scored a total of 19 points. Since then, they are averaging 27.2 points per game, and they are doing it by making explosive plays down the field. The Eagles have had a play of at least 30-yards in each of their last five games, and overall, are averaging a full yard more per play (4.3 vs. 5.5). The offense finally connecting on plays down the field has cut down the margin for error, as they don't need to depend as much on long, dink-and-dunk drives to put points on the board. The encouraging part is that the big plays haven't all been through the air, as the running game — fueled by Miles Sanders and Boston Scott — have become a dynamic one-two punch out of the backfield. An Eagles' offense that was once painful to watch is now a dangerous one heading into the postseason.
DeSean Jackson could come back: The Eagles have a number of key players sidelined, and as we saw last week with Jordan Howard, getting them back into the game even when they are healthy is no guarantee. Receiver DeSean Jackson, however, might be different. Jackson will be eligible to play in the Eagles' divisional playoff game if the Eagles win this Sunday, and if he is cleared medically, chances are he will get right on the field. Why? Unlike Howard, Nelson Agholor or Lane Johnson, Jackson completely changes how an opposing defense both prepares for and plays the Eagles' offense. Jackson doesn't have to catch eight passes and two touchdowns like he did in Week 1. Just having Jackson on the field will make an impact, and should open things up for the Eagles' young skill position players.
Doug Pederson: As complicated a game as football is, sometimes things are pretty simple, and this playoff run might be one of those times. Head coach Doug Pederson is 4-1 in the playoffs during his time with the team. He knows how to win big games, and he knows how to do it when nobody believes in him or his team, as they have been underdogs in each of their playoff victories. Opening at home, and with his team playing their best football of the season, bet against Pederson at your own risk.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
