There was an obvious change in the Philadelphia Eagles following their Super Bowl year in 2022. It was made apparent early in training camp that the tight-knit roster that dominated the league the year prior was not the same in 2023.
The results only showed that. Despite a 10-1 record, the Eagles collapsed inward as both sides of the ball crumbled under the weight of their heightened expectations as a Super Bowl roster.
Philadelphia was able to bounce back from 2023's collapse with a Super Bowl victory in 2024. But as the Eagles prepare for their title defense, they must learn the lessons from their struggles in the past.
And it's not the lesson that many want to take away.
Despite their 14-3 record, Philadelphia had a favorable schedule compared to the hardest in the league during the 2023 campaign. Their dominance this season allowed for blowout wins against bad teams. The 2023 Eagles didn't get that kind of luxury. They had to squeak out close wins against playoff contenders all the way through.
Because so many analysts were worried about their close wins, the team collapsed due to their frustrations.
Winning in the league is hard. It always will be. As the Eagles enter the 2025 season with the fifth-hardest schedule in the league with 10 matchups against teams who made the playoffs, they can't get discouraged if they win close games. It's the nature of the sport.
And while they struggled to learn that lesson in 2023, a Super Bowl victory in 2024 should allow them to enjoy those close wins when they come in 2025.