There are suggestions out there, among some fans and some in the media, that the best course of action for the Eagles is to start from scratch and tear apart the foundation of the team and build from the ground up.
That makes no sense at all from this perspective.
I understand that Andy Reid hasn't won a Super Bowl in his 13 seasons here as the head coach, and that at some point in time Reid has to win one, or the Eagles must go in a different direction. I get it. I feel the frustration, too.
And when the Eagles were 4-8 and coming off that embarrassing loss in Seattle, I heard the drumbeat and the criticism and felt that the Eagles were at a very serious stage in the Reid era.
But to evaluate a coach and a player and a philosophy is to consider the entire picture, not just a piece. The Eagles are now 7-8, winners of three straight games. After teasing us with great performances in the first 12 games of the season -- the blowout win over Dallas and the dominating performance in New York -- the Eagles have finally found their stride and brought with them some consistency in these last three impressive victories.
Keep Reid? Absolutely. He is the best head coach in franchise history -- Greasy Neale would argue, I'm sure, but that was a different era -- and he is the man who gives the Eagles the best chance to win the Super Bowl in 2012, 2013 and in the years after, a window during which I believe the Eagles are talented enough to win.
To ignore what you've seen from the team this year is foolish. Every phase of the team has improved from the rocky beginning, from those impossibly painful days of September, October and November. Back then the Eagles were a collection of talented coaches and talented players thrown together with the hope that they would win enough to stay in contention until they hit their stride.
They didn't do that. They fell into a hole so deep they couldn't climb out and here we are, with one game remaining in a season that started with the highest of hopes.
But look at this team and tell me you don't see something terrific in the making. The offense, when it doesn't turn the football over, is dynamic and versatile and tremendously talented. The offensive line, which brought in a new coach in Howard Mudd and then introduced new starters at four positions, could be outstanding for years if Mudd returns and if the Eagles keep left guard Evan Mathis, or replace him with an upgrade. Quarterback Michael Vick is a question because of his injuries the last couple of years, and the Eagles need to be well-stocked there. Quarterback is an offseason priority, as it has been the last couple of years.
Running back has never been more exciting, with LeSean McCoy in his prime and youngster Dion Lewis a fine prospect. Why he isn't playing now is a mystery to me, but I expect to see a lot of him next season.
Owen Schmitt gives the Eagles what they want at fullback, and rookie draft pick Stanley Havili, on the practice squad now, figures to compete for the job next season.
The pass catchers are talented and productive, but of course the DeSean Jackson question is the largest one looming for this team as far as the roster goes in the months ahead.
Defensively, the Eagles are ages ahead of where they were at the start of the season. Coordinator Juan Castillo has worked himself into an excellent game-day signal caller and he has meshed with his coaching staff. I can't ignore what the defense has done these last three games, nor how the scheme has changed and the use of personnel has been enhanced. Castillo promised to work hard and he has done that, and he has earned kudos for a job well done in his progression.
Was it a mistake promoting Castillo from offensive line coach to defensive coordinator this year? Maybe, in the early going, anyway. It was probably unfair to expect him to be great right away, especially without the benefit of an offseason, but that's the way it worked. Castillo was under fire and he held up well and he is reaping the results of his hard work and dedication. The Eagles have dominated Miami, the Jets and Dallas with three weeks of some of the best back-to-back-to-back defense the Eagles have played in the modern era, and while those three teams aren't exactly offensive powerhouses, the performances were great by the defense.
Hey, I know that I don't know what the Eagles are going to do. They have to evaluate the entire season, and not just the last month of the year. They can't ignore what happened in the draft, in free agency or the way this team opened the season. They can't look for an easy way out, because going from 8-8 (I'm always going to pick the Eagles to win, and Sunday against Washington is no exception) to 12-4 or better won't be easy. The Eagles need to be a better team. They need some answers all around -- another playmaker or two on defense, another piece at quarterback and a big-time return man for kickoffs would be right at the top of my list -- and they will head into a critical offseason next Monday lining up their agenda.
I know Reid isn't the most exciting guy during press conferences and I know that you have his stock answers memorized by now. He isn't going to change his approach with the media now, although I give him credit for being more open with his answers and softening his edge after losses in the second half of this season.
Reid, though, is a very fine head coach. He's one of the best in the NFL and he has reached his players. That much is obvious. The Eagles didn't tank the season. They discovered themselves and now feel genuinely good about the chemistry in the locker room. The trust factor that was missing all season because of all the new faces has been established.
The Eagles have something good going here, something on which to build. It makes no sense to blow it up and start over. What makes sense is attacking the offseason, being honest with the roster and challenging positions, every position, with more good football players.
What's ahead is an offseason to win, and to set this team up for big things, championship things, for years to come.
