Five Things We Learned About The Eagles In 2013

Jan 4, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) leaves the field after the 2013 NFC wild card playoff football game against the New Orleans Saints at Lincoln Financial Field. The New Orleans Saints won the game 26-24. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Well Eagles fans, the 26-24 playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints are about as difficult as they come. Even though losses like that are disappointing and hurt, there is a lot of good that can be taken away from this season.

Nobody expected this team to win ten games and the NFC East title, but that’s exactly what they did. Here’s ten things we learned about the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013.

1. The Eagles Are Back

Even though the Eagles didn’t win a playoff game, you have to consider 2013 a success and believe that the Philadelphia Eagles are back in business. The 4-12 season that happened last season was a complete fluke.

Nobody expected the Eagles to win ten games let alone the NFC East at the beginning of the year. In fact, back in August Bleacher Report had the Eagles going 6-10, and Pro Football Talk had the Eagles ranked 26th.

The Eagles may not have won the Super Bowl,  but they did way more than what was expected of them and they found their franchise quarterback in the process. The NFL better watch out, because the Eagles are back.

2. Chip Kelley Came Out With a Bang

The myth that college coaches making the transition to the NFL tend to struggle may officially be busted after what 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, and after what Eagles head coach Chip Kelly have done in the past few seasons.

The Eagles were in a complete rebuilding process after a disappointing 4-12 season the year before. Long time head coach Andy Reid was fired and the team was ready to start over. No way were the Philadelphia Eagles supposed to be contenders and win the NFC East, but that’s exactly what they did.

The Eagles were in a complete rebuilding process after a disappointing 4-12 season the year before. Long time head coach Andy Reid was fired and the team was ready to start over. No way were the Philadelphia Eagles supposed to be contenders and win the NFC East, but that’s exactly what they did.

Sure Kelly had his struggles and growing pains, but what new college head coach doesn’t? By the end of the year, he was starting to figure the NFL game out a little more, which isn’t good for the rest of the league.

The Eagles have a good thing going right now, and they could be serious contenders for years to come, and a lot of that credit goes to Kelly.

3. Nick Foles Is The Quarterback Of The Future

Eagles quarterback Nick Foles may not have won his first playoff game, but he at least gave his team a chance. The Eagles were down 13 points at one point to the Saints and fought back, only to come a missed field goal away from winning.

Coming into the season it was assumed that the Eagles would be in contention for a high draft pick and would then draft one of the top quarterbacks. The answer to the quarterback position surely wasn’t on the roster, when in fact it was.

Foles shut down his critics by posting a record tying seven touchdown performance against the Raiders, leading the Eagles to their first home win since early in the previous season, and lastly winning the NFC East, taking the Eagles to the playoffs, and posting a 9-2 record as the starter.

You absolutely cannot say enough about this kid and after hearing what he had to say you have to assume he is going to take this loss, build on it, and only get better.

"“My guys are depending on me to go out there and make plays,” Foles said. “They’re going to look at me in those situations. I’m going to keep moving forward. That’s what the guys can count on from me. They know I’m going to keep fighting for them.”"

Franchise quarterbacks come around once every blue moon, and it looks like the Eagles may have found theirs in Nick Foles.

4. The Eagles Are Resilient

From starting 3-5 in the first half of the season, to coming back from a 13 point deficit against the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs, the Eagles showed that they will fight until the end.

The Eagles started the season 1-3, lost their starting quarterback in Michael Vick, and still won nine of their final 12 games to win their division and make the playoffs.

The Eagles aren’t the same team they were a year ago when they would just quit when things got tough This team fights and makes sure that you remember them at the end of the game. That’s what you like see in a team looking to improve.

5. A Few More Pieces And The Eagles Can Be Serious Contenders

As mentioned before, a missed field goal, or a defensive stop, and the Eagles would be playing the Carolina Panthers next week. However, by adding a few pieces this offseason, the Eagles could be serious contenders in 2014.

Defensive coordinator, Billy Davis, did a great job with what he had on defense. At one point the defense put together a stretch in which they didn’t allow more than 20 points in six consecutive games. When you do that, you give yourself a chance to win.

Adding a safety and a cornerback in the secondary will do wonders for this team, as well as adding a pass rusher.

Offense isn’t much of an issue when you have an offensive mastermind like Chip Kelly, it’s the defense that the Eagles have to be concerned about and need to fix. The future is bright, even if the Eagles missed an excellent opportunity to do something special in this postseason.