The 2022 NFL regular season is officially over, which means the playoffs are just around the corner. One of the biggest surprises was the emergence of the Philadelphia Eagles, who finished at the top of the NFC. As they prepare during their first-round bye, it is not crazy to believe the Birds can win a Super Bowl title this year.
Philadelphia finished 14-3, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the best record in the league. Notably, the Eagles won their first eight games of the season, being the last undefeated team in 2022.
Last season, they lost 31-15 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round. This year, the Birds will try to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2017 season when they defeated the New England Patriots, their only Super Bowl victory.
While this NFL season has been very unpredictable, there are many reasons to believe the Eagles will win it all. With that being said, here are three reasons why the Eagles will win the 2023 Super Bowl.
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3. Philadelphia has one of the best defenses in the league
In the postseason, the Eagles will likely face some offensive powerhouses. They could play against the Minnesota Vikings and Justin Jefferson, who led the league with 1,809 receiving yards. Also, they could have Tampa Bay in back-to-back years, and Tom Brady is always a threat. In case of a playoff appearance, they could have the Kansas City Chiefs or Buffalo Bills on their way. Fortunately for Philadelphia, its defense showed it can get the job done.
The Birds led the league with 70 sacks. Additionally, they became the first team in NFL history to have four players recording 10-plus sacks in the same season. Outside linebacker Haason Reddick led the way with 16.
Philadelphia's defense also had 17 interceptions, tied for fourth in the NFL. The team forced 15 fumbles, good to place the Eagles in the top 10 in the category.
With so much at stake, it seems Philadelphia can rely on its defense to make key stops. If the unit performs as well as it did in the regular season, the Eagles are in very good shape.
2. The WR duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith
One of the biggest trades in the 2022 offseason was the acquisition of A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans in exchange for the 18th pick in the draft. In his first season with the Eagles, Brown did not disappoint.
He had 88 catches for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns. He ended up setting a new franchise record for receiving yards, surpassing Mike Quick's 1,409 yards in the 1983 season.
To make things better, Brown paired with DeVonta Smith. The second-year wideout finished the regular season with 95 receptions for 1,196 yards and seven scores. His 95 catches set a new Eagles record for most receptions in a single season by a wide receiver, edging Irving Fryar's 88 in 1996.
Having a 1,000-yard receiver could be an X-factor in the playoffs. Having two should seriously impact how opponents see Philadelphia's offense. Both players are familiar with big stages as Brown made the postseason in every season of his career while Smith won two national titles in college and won the Heisman Trophy.
Should the duo continue its solid season, the Eagles will have plenty of options on how to attack and adapt to opponents' defenses. Brown and Smith should split targets, which won't allow defensive double-teams and will make at least one of them in a good position in many snaps.
1. Jalen Hurts is back
There is no secret that one of the main reasons for Philadelphia's success in 2022 is related to the rise of Jalen Hurts. In just his second year as a full-time starter, he emerged as an MVP contender, leading the team to one of the best records in the NFL.
In 15 games, he completed 66.5% of his passes for 3,701 yards with 22 touchdowns against only six interceptions. He also added 760 rushing yards and 13 scores, the latter being the most among quarterbacks. With him as a starter, the Eagles went 14-1.
The problem is that Hurts dealt with a sprain on his throwing shoulder, causing him to miss two games this season. Without him, Philadelphia ended up losing both contests and risked not clinching the NFC East.
Luckily for the Birds, Hurts returned in Week 18, playing in all of the offensive snaps and leading the team to a 22-16 victory over the New York Giants. While his performance was not as impactful as his previous ones, he certainly played a big role in the result.
With Philadelphia having a first-round bye, Hurts will have an extra week to still recover from his shoulder injury so he can be 100% for the Divisional Round contest. At the end of the day, the fact he played in the regular season finale and was solid should be a good sign for the Eagles in the 2023 playoffs and maybe the Super Bowl.
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