Inside the Iggles
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Philadelphia Eagles not far off from winning a Super Bowl

By Ryan Quigley

Nov 28, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) reacts after a touchdown run in front of Green Bay Packers strong safety Morgan Burnett (42) during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) reacts after a touchdown run in front of Green Bay Packers strong safety Morgan Burnett (42) during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Philadelphia Eagles are closer to winning a Super Bowl than you may think.

The Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons is just over a week away. Once again, the Philadelphia Eagles will be watching the big game from home. The Eagles haven’t won a playoff game since 2008 and have missed the playoffs each of the last three seasons. After coming off two consecutive 7-9 campaigns, it may seem that the Eagles have a long way to go before even becoming playoff contenders.

But believe it or not, the Eagles may not be all that far off from winning the elusive Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Half the battle of becoming a Super Bowl contender is having a franchise quarterback. For the first time since the Donovan McNabb era, the Eagles have that in Carson Wentz. Despite being surrounded by a weak supporting cast, Wentz had himself an outstanding rookie season and has since been named a finalist for the NFL Rookie of the Year Award. With Wentz fully entrenched as the franchise quarterback, the Eagles already have a big part of the Super Bowl puzzle solved.

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Next to quality quarterback play, a sturdy defense is also a fundamental aspect of challenging for a Super Bowl title. After all, they don’t say “Defense wins championships” for nothing.

The Eagles’ defense took a large step forward in 2016. Philadelphia had the NFL’s second-best front seven in 2016, according to Pro Football Focus. Despite a leaky secondary, the unit managed to finish the season ranked 13th in total defense and 27th in defensive penalties. The Eagles are playing responsible defense and it will only get better in Jim Schwartz’s second season as defensive coordinator.

Another crucial ingredient to becoming a Super Bowl contender is youth. Philadelphia’s cornerstone players are all either in or about to enter their prime years. The players who could sensibly be considered the foundation for the Eagles’ future are as follows:

The average age of these players is just 26 years old. Seven of them are scheduled to be wearing an Eagles uniform through at least the 2018 season. Philadelphia’s core of quality players will be the driving force behind an eventual Super Bowl run and the group’s youth only extends the longevity of the team’s uprising.

Next: Eagles only 2017 NFL mock draft

Of course, the Eagles still have plenty of work to do before being considered legitimate Super Bowl contenders. The secondary needs fixing, the receiving corps requires a full overhaul and the offensive line needs regularity. But the hard part for the Eagles is over. They’ve finally found their long-term quarterback, their defense is in a good place and the team is young and on the rise. It may sound strange now, but the Eagles could very well be playing in the big game in the not-too-distant future.

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