Finally, the Eagles have won a Super Bowl. It is the team's first Lombardi Trophy, and the first championship since 1960, before the AFL-NFL merger. That was almost 60 years ago!
The reason the Eagles won is the exact reason I like watching football so much: If you want to win games, you have to play as a team. In baseball, you can win with a couple of sluggers and ace pitchers, but in football, although the quarterback is the most important position, all 11 men on the field have to get the job done. This became obvious to Washington owner and colossal douchebag Daniel Snyder when he tried to play real-life fantasy football and signed a bunch of high-priced players. The team tanked because everyone in the locker room thought they were better than everyone else, and many members of the team hated each other. In 2005, the last time the Eagles got to the Super Bowl, talented but cocky wideout Terrell Owens had a very public beef with then-QB Donovan McNabb and the locker room was fragmented. One of the analysts on the Eagles postgame show (I forget who) even said they should send T.O. to Al-Qaeda so he could tear that organization apart from the inside.
The Eagles were able to play as a team because there were no clashing egos, and most of the players seemed to like each other. That was evident in their sometimes hilarious TD celebrations, and the fact that they worshipped together every week, as evidenced in this video. I still believe that God doesn't care about the outcome of a sporting event, but the fact is that the players are men of faith, and this faith unifies the team.
Finally, they were bitten by the injury bug, losing Darren Sproles, Jason Peters, and, most significantly, starting QB Carson Wentz. Fans were going crazy, but the Eagles didn't panic, and simply asked, "Who's the next man up?" Granted, Nick Foles is one of the better backup QBs in the NFL, and is better than the starters on several teams.
The coaching was great as well. Give credit to head coach Doug Pederson, a former QB himself, because he had the guts to run so many run-pass option plays, and the "Philly Special," which will go down in Eagles history along with the Miracle at the Meadowlands and the fans booing Santa Claus.
Also, many Super Bowls are boring blowouts, or 7-3 defensive duels. This was actually one of the best and most entertaining games I have ever watched. It was the shootout to end all shootouts - There were a total of 1,151 offensive yards, the most in any NFL game, regular season or postseason. There was one punt in the entire game. Zach Ertz' second TD reception was a bit questionable, but God knows the Patriots got enough breaks from the refs this season.
Foles, who was named Super Bowl MVP, was brilliant. He passed for 373 yards and 3 TDs, and even caught a TD reception on the Philly Special play, something Tom Brady was unable to do during a similar play.
So, a lot of people are wondering if this team will stay together. The Eagles will face salary cap issues next season. I think Foles will either start somewhere (many teams like Arizona and Cleveland need starting QBs), or may retire. Why not? He was the Super Bowl MVP, and according to my pastor, wants to become a clergyman after retiring from football. Sproles is old and injury-prone, so he can go, and Jason Peters, as good as he is, costs the team a lot of money and isn't getting any younger.
People are saying this is the start of a dynasty. I won't go that far yet, but Wentz will be back next year, and hopefully many more years, and he is damn good.
For now, let the celebration continue, because the team and the city deserve it. More than 2 million people turned up for the victory parade, because Eagles fans are the greatest fans in the world!
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