2017 Eagles similar to 2015 Broncos?

It is Super Bowl week, and the Philadelphia Eagles are looking for their first Super Bowl win in three appearances. Most people think New England will win, including Vegas, as the Patriots are a 5.5-point favorite. However, the Eagles do have a chance to win, led by that defense. Now, I am not going to say this Philadelphia defense is as good as the defense of the 2015 Denver Broncos. But, I will say that this Eagles team reminds me a bit of that team. That doesn’t mean they will win, obviously, as the Broncos won against the Panthers, but I don’t think you can sell this Eagles team short.

The biggest similarity is the defenses. Like I said, the Broncos defense was better, as they had one of the best defenses in NFL history. However, this Eagles defense is really good, and has improved since the Carson Wentz injury. The easiest way to slow down Tom Brady is with pressure, and the Eagles defense can do just that. No team in the NFL put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks this season than Philadelphia, as the Eagles did so 271 times this season, a whopping 27 more than second place Cincinnati. One thing that makes stopping the pass rush so tough is that Philadelphia can bring it from more than one player, as four players have at least five sacks on the year. The defense has played better since the injury to star quarterback Carson Wentz. In the first 14 games, Philadelphia averaged giving up 19.9 points per game. Since then, it has averaged giving up 8.3 points per in the four games Wentz hasn’t played. I don’t know if it is the defense feeling they need to win every game for them, but the unit has been outstanding.

Compared to that vaunted Denver defense from two years ago, Philadelphia holds its own. In yards per game, Denver allowed just 4530 (1st), 296 points (4th) and took the ball away 27 times (8th). Philadelphia, on the other hand, allowed 4904 yards (4th), 295 points (4th) and took the ball away 31 times (4th). Points is obviously the most important statistic, and they are virtually dead even. In the playoffs, the Eagles offense has had to do just enough, because the defense has been lights out. Philadelphia has just allowed a total of 17 points in its two playoff games so far. Denver allowed an average of nearly 15 points per game in the playoffs. I will say, though, that the offenses Philadelphia has played so far are no match for the offenses Denver played, as the 15 points per game came against three of the four highest scoring offenses that season. Incredible!

Next, the quarterback play was spotty at best most of the time. Yes, I realize Nick Foles played like a combination of Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers in the NFC Championship against Minnesota’s top ranked defense, but that is not the norm. In the five games in place of Wentz, Foles has a 60 percent completion percentage with five touchdowns and two interceptions. However, much of that damage was done in his first game against the woeful New York Giants defense. Without that performance, the numbers fall to a 58 percent completion percentage, one touchdown and two interceptions, as well as his team scored just 11.3 points per game. Not good.

Amazingly, the Broncos quarterback duo in 2015 of an over-the-hill Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler was even worse. The duo had a completion percentage of just under 61 percent and had a combined 19 touchdowns, compared to 23 interceptions. Not surprisingly, their combined quarterback rating was just 76.3, which if you are not familiar with what a good quarterback rating is, a 76.3 rating is bad. Really bad. Philadelphia will need to pull a 2015 Broncos and carry Foles across the finish line. Will Foles have another game like two weeks ago? I suppose he could, but with Bill Belichick having two weeks to prepare, I am betting he reverts to the mean.

Each team had (or has) a strong running game, led by multiple running backs. Neither team had a running back reach 1,000 yards on the ground, but both teams had two backs hit at least 700 yards. Denver’s leading rusher was Ronnie Hillman with 863 yards, while C.J. Anderson added 720 for the Broncos. I will add, though, that Anderson had a nice playoffs with 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Philadelphia finished third in the league in rushing with 2115 yards, with former New England Patriot LeGarrette Blount leading the way with 766 yards. Jay Ajayi had 408 yards on the ground with the Eagles, but 873 total, as he was acquired from Miami midway through the season. Corey Clement, the No. 3 running back, also has had a nice season, rushing for 321 yards on the ground.

Like I have stated, I don’t believe the Eagles have as great of a defense as the 2015 Broncos did, but this defense located in the City of Brotherly Love is a salty unit. With the poor quarterback play and the tremendous defense played by the Eagles, it makes me think of the Denver Broncos team of 2015. I am not saying Philadelphia will win on Sunday, especially against the GOAT, Tom Brady. I am, however, saying that to not sell this team, and specifically, this defense, short. It should be a fun one at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.