It is not easy to repeat as Super Bowl Champions. In fact, in this century it’s been darn near impossible. Only once since the turn of the century has a team won back to back titles. Furthermore you’d have to go back even further to 1997-98 to find another one. They say “heavy is the head of he who wears the crown” and the Philadelphia Eagles are finding out first hand just how hard it is to mount a defense of their title. However, the question still remains, why is that? Is it merely coincidence, bad luck, or a mix a of both. Only time will tell.
How We Got Here
The Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LII over the New England Patriots in dramatic fashion. Philadelphia’s defense, as they had done all year ended the game with back to back defensive stands. First, with a strip sack by Brandon Graham that allowed to go up 8 in the final two minutes. Secondly they forced an incompletion on a last second Hail Mary. These defensive heroics became the norm for the entirety of 2017. It seemed as if every other tight game ended with Jim Schwartz’s defense standing tall. Injuries mounted but that didn’t seem to matter, as Philadelphia made crucial stop after crucial stop on their way to the city’s first Lombardi Trophy.
What A Difference A Year Makes…
Fast Forward to 2018 and the Eagles defense is like a bucket with a whole in it. They can’t hold anything. They have surrendered multiple 4th quarter leads as well as astronomical numbers in the passing game. Furthermore, 5 of their 6 loss have come by 8 points or less. In their last outing alone they gave up 546 total yards to Drew Brees and further legitimized his MVP candidacy. This is not the Eagles defense or secondary we have come to know. This is not the defense that you could count on to put away any opponent in the 4th quarter. This was ineptitude the likes of which we have never seen. But why?
Bitten By The Injury Bug
Injuries first and foremost have been the main issue with the Eagles failing to live up to last years Super Bowl season. Furthermore, the secondary especially has been decimated week after week with catastrophic losses. Starting safety Rodney McCleod is gone for the season, starting corner Jalen Mills has been MIA for the last several weeks and to top it all off their replacements went down with injuries in the saints game. That includes 2nd and 3rd string cornerbacks Sidney Jones and Rasul Douglas as well as back up safety Avonte Maddox who went down in the humiliating loss to the Saints. These injuries coupled with the loss of Derek Barnett early in the season and the decline of Chris Long have led to struggles on the front and back end of a once reliable defense. To make matters worse although playing well, the offense has failed to pick up the slack. Carson Wentz has been good but not even he can save this sinking ship.