Debunking Myths: The Window Has Shut

With the season set to begin this Sunday, we're previewing the Eagles by disproving three arguments for why they cannot win the Super Bowl. Yesterday, it was wide receivers. Today, we dissect the theory that the Birds' window has closed.

After several of the most recent disappointing Eagles finishes, the narrative from some of the fans and in the media has been about the "window" being closed.  The stories are always the same.  Donovan is on his way out.  The rest of the division has caught up. Too many key players leave in free agency or get old.

The idea has merit.  In the age of free agency and the salary cap, it's challenging to field a competitive team every season.

The problem is, nobody has actually defined the window, opting instead only to use it as an abstract idea which somehow prevents the Philadelphia Eagles from having a chance.

The official definition of a window is an interval of time during which certain conditions or an opportunity exists.  The opportunity in question is winning the Super Bowl.

The discussion is not whether the Eagles will actually win the Super Bowl, not even if they will make the playoffs, but only if such an opportunity still exists.  Surely, most of you will instantly say no, but I'm not asking for an opinion.

Is this team, as it stands today, good enough to make the playoffs?

If the answer is yes, they could possibly make the playoffs, then how can a championship be ruled out with such extreme prejudice?  Two of the last three Super Bowls were won by Wild Card teams, proving in the process that just making it that far is half the battle.

The Eagles finished 8-8 last season, good for fourth place and no post-season play.  They dropped Week 1 on a pair of muffed punts against the Packers.  They allowed a highly improbable 97-yard touchdown drive against the Bears with less than two minutes to go in Week 7.  The Giants narrowly escaped in Week 14 after a game tying Akers field goal attempt hit the upright.

Had they managed to squeak out an extra victory or two while losing six games by 8 points or less, the Eagles easily make the playoffs in 2007.  Once they get in, who knows what happens.  No one predicted the Giants, coming off an 8-8 season with a distressed quarterback and a handful of locker room issues, would turn a rocky 10-6 season into a Super Bowl championship.

Despite the fact that the Eagles were not so bad last season, there will still be doubters.  Plenty of people don't believe this is a playoff team, either because they play in the toughest division, or the receivers and defense aren't good enough.  The window is shut and it's time to rebuild.

But the Eagles don't need to rebuild, because in reality, they've been rebuilding all along.  This season, all three starting linebackers are on three years or less experience, the defensive tackles four or fewer, while Pro Bowlers like Trent Cole and Shawn Andrews are entering just their fourth and fifth seasons respectively.  Reggie Brown, Tony Hunt, Todd Herremans, Victor Abiamiri, and DeSean Jackson all figure to play important roles this season, none of them coming into the season with more than three years in the league.  Even the next franchise QB is potentially already on the roster.

Sure, the team has some aging players at a few key positions, but the argument they need to blow up the entire roster doesn't hold water.  Departing veterans are constantly replaced by a stream of young guys who the coaches have spent time developing and preparing to take over a starting position.  The Eagles are always rebuilding, always retooling.

How can the window possibly be shut on a young team with a quality veteran quarterback?

They would not even be the first team to break the hypothetical glass.  In 2002, the Bucs were coming off their worst season since '98, a 9-7 campaign ending with a loss in the first round of the playoffs.  Brad Johnson was a 34-year-old QB with one career win in the post-season.  Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Shelton Quarles, Keenan McCardell, and Keyshawn Johnson were all in their 30s.  With Jon Gruden taking over the head coaching job, most thought they had missed their opportunity.

That was not the case then, and it doesn't have to be now.  Maybe the Eagles have missed their best shot, but as long as they keep putting a decent team on the field, the window stays cracked.  Winning the Super Bowl may seem like a lofty goal after the past few seasons, but it's not quite out of reach just yet.

Comments

[Dan Levy]

The official definition of a window is an interval of time during which certain conditions or an opportunity exists.

The schmucks I paid a few grand to last year define a window as something different. And they didn't even come dressed up like actual wizards.

[doc]

kulp is this you? or did dave spadaro steal your log-in?

[Chamomiles Davis]

With Jon Gruden taking over the head coaching job, most thought they had missed their opportunity.

Instead, it ended with the Eagles missing theirs. See, this is why I fear they'll never win a Super Bowl.

[chris]

is this spuds?

[Ron]

Spuds, remember when you live blogged the draft with Merrill Resse this year... That was hilarious!

[enrico]

The spud jokes were funny after his first post. Now, not so much.

[Phil]

The NFC South and NFC West are both fairly weak conferences.

By your logic, any team capable of winning either of those divisions has a window of opportunity to win the Super Bowl.

It's mathematically possible, sure. But it's just as unlikely.

[sports!]

seems like you guys grew up under power lines. With the eagles, nothing is easy, nothing is as it is, or seems to be. This is why we will go back to florida and give donovan an oxygen chamber helmet and get him to play 60 minutes for the Lombardi trophy. Its cool to make fun of DAve? yea you guys are awesome. Positivity sucks. guess what u suck!

[Kulp]

I don't think the NFC South is weak at all. Maybe it was if you're going by last season, but the Saints and Panthers were both 7-9 and both of them went out and made themselves better this off-season, and I don't think the Bucs got any worse.

Carolina still has some question marks on defense, but I think New Orleans is for real. Keep in mind, they were playing for the NFC Championship just two seasons ago.

[Benjamin]

I like it Kulp. I'm already a believer, but i grow more and more convinced. The motto of an eternal optimist : it's not a question of why can't or why you won't, it's why you can and will.

Personally, I can't comprehend enjoying sports if I don't have at least some belief in the possible.

Any one look at the schedule again since it first came out, and adjust your wins and losses? I like it even more now. For some reason, I'm not as apprehensive about the afc schedule anymore.

[The Pattison Pundit]

I don't think the window has closed in the NFC, but I think you could say that for a fair amount of teams in the NFC. I don't think there are many playoff "locks" in the NFC. So, the question then becomes, could the Eagles beat the AFC representative? Right now, I would say that the Patriots, Colts, Chargers, Jaguars and Steelers are all better teams (at least on paper) than our Birds.

[benjamin]

if you get to the superbowl, it's just one game, and just by being there, have every reason to be able to win. Even if the other teams is better, the other team has enough talent to find a way to win. Eli manning people. The unbeaten imperial with lord patriots. ELI MANNING! Besides, we all know you can throw 3 interceptions, and still be driving to win the game, or tie, with under 2 minutes to go. (do you remember who caught our 3 TD's that game? And who didn't?)

Can we get to that game? Sure, it's possible. Some things have to work out, but all teams need things to work out. Who do we have to get through? Dallas?Vikings??? The eagles know how to beat dallas.

[benjamin]

damn stupid iPhone auto correct. "imperial sith lord patriots", not "imperial with lord patriots".