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For most NFL fans, Philadelphia Eagles fans included, there is only one measurement that truly matters. Championships define legacies, and teams that fall short are often remembered more for what they didn't accomplish than for everything they did. That reality makes a recent ranking from Pro Football Focus particularly interesting.
PFF recently released a list of some of the best recent NFL teams, but there's a twist to those that qualify. Said teams had to meet two criteria. They had to play during the past two decades, and they had to come up short in their pursuit of a Super Bowl championship. Unsurprisingly, the 2022 Eagles earned a spot among the league's elite non-champions.
If ever there was a team that was built to win it all, it would be the 2022 Eagles. They landed at No. 5 on Bradley Locker's list. As he states, the Eagles' first Super Bowl run under Nick Sirianni featured a team that was elite in almost all facets.
Meanwhile, for those who are interested, the 2007 Patriots—a team that came within four points of completing a perfect season—earned the distinction of topping Locker's list. Locker also noted that the Eagles lacked the volume of elite individual grades found on some of the teams ranked ahead of them. He also pointed out that their point differential, while impressive, wasn't historically dominant when compared to some of the greatest teams of the modern era.
Still, those criticisms feel minor when viewed against the entirety of the season. Few teams seen in Eagles history were as dominant or as explosive, especially on defense.
The pain of Super Bowl LVII has never completely disappeared. For many Eagles fans, the memory of coming so close to a championship remains difficult to revisit. Players often speak about missed opportunities lingering longer than victories, and that team undoubtedly left the field believing it had more to accomplish. Fortunately, history provided some relief.
The Eagles ultimately climbed the mountain two seasons later, capturing a Lombardi Trophy and delivering the championship celebration Philadelphia had been craving. That achievement doesn't erase the disappointment of 2022, but it does provide a valuable perspective.
The 2022 Eagles may not have completed the mission, but that shouldn't prevent them from being remembered for what they were: one of the most complete and dominant teams of their era. The fact that they still rank among the NFL's greatest non-champions serves as a reminder of just how special that season truly was.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: PFF ranking confirms 2022 Eagles’ place among elite NFL teams
Continue reading...
PFF recently released a list of some of the best recent NFL teams, but there's a twist to those that qualify. Said teams had to meet two criteria. They had to play during the past two decades, and they had to come up short in their pursuit of a Super Bowl championship. Unsurprisingly, the 2022 Eagles earned a spot among the league's elite non-champions.
Remembering a special Eagles team
If ever there was a team that was built to win it all, it would be the 2022 Eagles. They landed at No. 5 on Bradley Locker's list. As he states, the Eagles' first Super Bowl run under Nick Sirianni featured a team that was elite in almost all facets.
Meanwhile, for those who are interested, the 2007 Patriots—a team that came within four points of completing a perfect season—earned the distinction of topping Locker's list. Locker also noted that the Eagles lacked the volume of elite individual grades found on some of the teams ranked ahead of them. He also pointed out that their point differential, while impressive, wasn't historically dominant when compared to some of the greatest teams of the modern era.
Still, those criticisms feel minor when viewed against the entirety of the season. Few teams seen in Eagles history were as dominant or as explosive, especially on defense.
The pain of Super Bowl LVII has never completely disappeared. For many Eagles fans, the memory of coming so close to a championship remains difficult to revisit. Players often speak about missed opportunities lingering longer than victories, and that team undoubtedly left the field believing it had more to accomplish. Fortunately, history provided some relief.
The Eagles ultimately climbed the mountain two seasons later, capturing a Lombardi Trophy and delivering the championship celebration Philadelphia had been craving. That achievement doesn't erase the disappointment of 2022, but it does provide a valuable perspective.
The 2022 Eagles may not have completed the mission, but that shouldn't prevent them from being remembered for what they were: one of the most complete and dominant teams of their era. The fact that they still rank among the NFL's greatest non-champions serves as a reminder of just how special that season truly was.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: PFF ranking confirms 2022 Eagles’ place among elite NFL teams
Continue reading...
