One group that definitely deserves a lot of credit is the personnel department.
Howie Roseman was recently named the Pro Football Writers Association's NFL Executive of the Year for the great moves that he and the scouting staff made to build this team. That was before the NFC title game. Roseman and his crew look even smarter after the 38-7 demolition of the Vikings.
Minnesota led 7-0 in the first quarter. Case Keenum dropped back to throw a pass.
What made that pick-six all the more interesting is that Long and Robinson were signed on the same day back in March. Neither player was heralded as a major signing. These additions came after the first wave of free agency. Who would have guessed that a couple of veterans signing mid-level contracts would pair up to make the biggest play of the year?
It is easy to focus on the splashy offseason moves. Adding players like
Roseman and the personnel department were aggressive, creative, and thorough in building this roster. Just think about
The Eagles let backup quarterback Chase Daniel go and went after Foles. That meant a lot of money would be invested in the backup quarterback position. The Eagles were fine with that. They knew how critical the position is and also thought very highly of Foles. To them, that was a smart investment.
Anyone who watched the win over Minnesota would certainly agree. Foles was worth every penny.
Roseman is the preeminent deal-maker in the NFL. This goes back to him being creative and aggressive. You aren't always going to find good players in the draft and free agency. Sometimes you have to look at other rosters and see who might be available.
The Eagles traded for defensive tackle
Roseman and his staff don't ever stop working. They traded for
You always hate to give up draft picks, but this team probably isn't in the Super Bowl without Darby and Ajayi. Darby made game-changing interceptions against the Giants and Raiders. Without those wins, the Eagles wouldn't have hosted the NFC title game.
One of the reasons you hate to give up picks is that Joe Douglas, Andy Weidl, and the scouting department have done such an excellent job of finding college talent.
Barnett had a strip-sack against the Vikings that killed a drive that was in scoring range. Rookies aren't supposed to make impact plays in conference championship games, but Barnett sure did.
College and pro scouts had a hand in the
Sometimes knowing your own players is crucial. The Eagles re-signed guard
The Eagles re-signed
The team re-signed
Sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make. There was a lot of speculation that the team might trade
Let's go back to the Vikings game for a minute. The Eagles scored five touchdowns, all by free agent signings (Robinson,
It is crazy for offseason moves to offer that kind of impact in the NFC title game.
Roseman and the personnel department have built a tremendous roster. The fact the Eagles have dealt with so many big injuries and just kept winning games tells you all you need to about what an incredible job they've done.
The only question left is whether they built a Super Bowl champion, a contender built for sustained success, or both.
Tommy Lawlor, goeagles99 on the Eagles Message Boards, is an amateur football scout and devoted Eagles fan. He is the editor of IgglesBlitz.com.