Super Bowl Showdown: 2017 Eagles vs. 2022 Eagles
The Eagles will have an opportunity to win a second Super Bowl in six seasons on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Ariz. when they play the home team against the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs and old friend Andy Reid.
The 2017-18 version of the Eagles is rightfully regarded as being the best team in the history of the franchise, at least in the Super Bowl era., though some may argue the 2004 team was better and maybe would have won had the Patriots not been cheating.
And old-timers might still argue 1948 or 1960 so we will leave the pre-SB era in the rear-view for now.
The sentiment is growing that the 2022-23 Eagles are the more talented group than the first Super Bowl winner in franchise history but the current team still has to finish the deal to be compared favorably with Doug Pederson’s best unit.
The records are almost identical, 13-3 in the regular season and 16-3 overall for the 2017 Eagles and 14-3 with the extra regular-season game and 16-3 overall with one pending for the current group.
With Jalen Hurts at QB, however, Philadelphia is at 16-1 and counting this season.
So let’s break it down objectively between 2017-18 and 2022-23:
QUARTERBACK
Carson Wentz/Nick Foles
vs. Jalen Hurts
Wentz was playing at an MVP level in 2017 when he went down with a torn ACL/LCL in Week 14 against the LA Rams and despite a few hiccups to close the regular season, Foles turned out to be the best closer this side of Mariano Rivera getting white hot at just the right time in both the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl where he beat the GOAT Tom Brady in a shootout.
Hurts is an MVP finalist this season but is expected to finish behind Patrick Mahomes, accounting for 39 touchdowns so far.
Advantage: Even - It’s an interesting debate. Wentz and Hurts both offered MVP-level play while in the lineup and while it's obvious Hurts is better than Foles, it’s also hard to imagine anyone getting hotter than Foles in the big games.
RUNNING BACKS
LeGarrette Blount, Jay Ajayi, and Corey Clement
vs. Miles Sanders, Kenny Gainwell, and Boston Scott
Sanders is the most talented of the group and finished with a career-high 1,269 yards this season while Gainwell has picked it up in the postseason and Scott is just reliable. Blount and Ajayi offered a more physical downhill approach in 2017 and Clement had a big Super Bowl.
Advantage: 2022
WIDE RECEIVERS
Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, and Nelson Agholor
vs. A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Quez Watkins
Brown and Smith are the most talented tandem of wideouts the Eagles have ever had but Agholor was a better WR3 than Watkins and had his best game in the Super Bowl. Jeffery and Smith also performed best in big spots which again points to the magical nature of the 2017 season.
Talent-wise, though, this is a blowout for the current team.
Advantage: 2022
Tight Ends
Zach Ertz, Brent Celek, and Trey Burton
vs. Dallas Goedert, Jack Stoll, and Grant Calcaterra
Goedert is the most well-rounded TE of the group but Ertz was at the top of his game in 2017 and was a monster down the stretch when it came to beating the Pats. Celek was still a solid player, and Burton was the triggerman of the Philly Special. The depth was better in 2017, giving that team the edge not to mention the play in big spots, a consistent theme with the 2017 group.
Advantage: 2017
OFFENSIVE LINE
Halapoulivaati Vaitai (for the injured Jason Peters), Stefen Wisniewski, Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks, and Lane Johnson
vs. Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Kelce, Isaac Seumalo, and Johnson
This is great vs. great but the current Jeff Stoutland University class is the best O-Line in the NFL.
Advantage: 2022
DEFENSIVE LINE
Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Tim Jernigan, Vinny Curry, Chris Long, Derek Barnett, and Beau Allen
vs. Haason Reddick, Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, Josh Sweat, Graham, Linval Joseph, Ndamukong Suh, and Jordan Davis
Both groups were obvious strengths for their respective teams but the 2022 version has more depth and Reddick is having an elite season as an edge rusher, the foundation behind a franchise-record 70-sack season that has swelled to 78 with eight sacks in two playoff games.
Advantage: 2022
LINEBACKERS
Nigel Bradham (for the injured Jordan Hicks) and Mychael Kendricks
vs. T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White
The best individual year for any of these players is Edwards in 2022 but this is solid vs. solid as Hicks was an excellent player until he got injured and Bradham stepped in nicely as the on-field leader of the defense. White and Kendricks are similar as athletic LBs with lapses but the latter was more gifted.
Advantage: Even
CORNERBACKS
Ronald Darby, Jalen Mills, and Patrick Robinson
vs. Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and Avonte Maddox
Robinson had a career year back in 2017 and was the best slot CB in the NFL that season but Slay and Bradberry have both been top-10 outside CBs this season, playing at an All-Pro level. This is another blowout for 2022.
Advantage: 2022
SAFETIES
Malcolm Jenkins, Rodney McLeod, and Corey Graham
vs. C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Marcus Epps, and Reed Blankenship
The 2017 team was stocked with smart veteran players at safety. The group didn’t have a playmaker like Gardner-Johnson but was much more reliable as a whole.
Advantage: 2017
SPECIALISTS
Jake Elliott, Donnie Jones, and Rick Lovato
vs. Elliott, Brett Kern (for the injured Arryn Siposs), and Lovato
Jones was again out but still far more consistent than Kern has been since relieving Siposs. Elliott and Lovato have remained steady over the years.
Advantage: 2017
COACHING
Doug Pederson, Frank Reich, Jim Schwartz. and Co.
vs. Nick Sirianni, Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon, and Co.
In hindsight, that 2017 staff was filled with heavyweights and it looks like the 2022 group will be regarded as that down the road.
Advantage: Even
Objectively, the 2022 group will be viewed as the better team if they can finish the deal in Glendale.
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
