Going into the Battle of Pennsylvania in Week 15, the Philadelphia Eagles were hot on the field. They completely dominated one of the best teams in the AFC with a 27-13 dismantling of their cross-state rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers. And the performance was so impressive, in fact, that polarizing NFL pundit Colin Cowherd named them his (new) Super Bowl pick this season.
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On the latest episode of his FS1 podcast, The Herd, Cowherd heaped praise on the Eagles for their on-field prowess.
“Last 25 years they’ve had four coaches, Andy Reid, Chip Kelly, Doug Pederson, Nick Sirianni. All but one have gotten to a Super Bowl and they’ve fired three of them. And if Nick Sirianni lost his first playoff game this year, despite his record, which is one of the top five winning percentages of all-time, they’d fire him too,” Cowherd said.
However, Cowherd also criticized them somewhat for several off-field issues. He called them the “strangest great sports franchise” in all of sports, unable to quite control the narrative, but still managing to win games.
“Then, they’ve got star receivers complaining, players going on local radio banging on the culture. You’ve got Sirianni on the sidelines getting into another beef. They run coordinators in and out of the building. It’s 24/7 drama. They have all the qualities of a bad or poorly run franchise. Yet, all the Eagles do is win.”
Against all odds, all the Eagles do is win…
"I'm going to pick them to win the Super Bowl." — @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/BxJlihnSZQ
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) December 16, 2024
Cowherd was referring to the fact that there was a lot being said publicly by the likes of A.J. Brown and Brandon Graham that could have caused rifts in the locker room. But the fact is that they haven’t lost since Week 4. Even during the Steelers game, Sirianni got into a tiff with defensive line coach Clint Hurtt, but, as we know, the Eagles went on to win that game 27-13.
Cowherd went on to break down how the Eagles dismantled what was viewed as an elite Pittsburgh defensive unit on Sunday. Beleaguered QB Jalen Hurts proved the doubters wrong, finding his top two WRs a combined 19 times. At his post-game presser, Hurts, who certainly heard the criticism from both in and outside the organization, said, “So, that’s what ya’ll wanted to see, huh?”
That improved passing game in the face of a tough run defense like Pittsburgh’s was part of the reason that Philly was able to convince Cowherd that they are the best team in football this year. Another big reason was that they came out of the gates hot and put up some 1st quarter points, which has been an issue for them all season. He also praised the depth and varied experience of their roster.
“[Philly’s 1st quarter struggles are] another part about the Eagles that virtually makes no sense. But I’m gonna pick ’em to win the Super Bowl. I don’t even know what to make of them. They have the deepest roster in the league. They have young stars, stars in their prime, old stars.”
Another thing that pushed Cowherd to make this pick—which is not a shocking one but also not one that many would have backed him in picking just a couple of days ago—is the aggressiveness and physicality that runs through the identity of the organization. In Week 15, they went against another team, the Steelers, that wanted to play like that. Philly played the big brother, showing the little brother how it’s done.
“Only team in the league that has like three levels of greatness. They have the most aggressive general manager, Howie Roseman. They have the most physically aggressive head coach. Their owner occasionally, Jeffrey Lurie, a brilliant man, sometimes meddles. Owner, GM, head coach, quarterback, it’s a lot of Alpha. It’s a lot of puffing your chest out. But I love their aggressiveness. They don’t apologize for who they are or what they are.”
It’s not just the Eagles that convinced Cowherd of his pick. The lack of inspiration he feels about other top contenders in the NFL played a part too. He’s certainly not alone in that last sentiment.
“Buffalo, love ’em but I don’t trust ’em. Kansas City’s barely beating anybody, they can’t protect Mahomes. Baltimore, well, playoffs are their kryptonite. Detroit, I mean they’re running out of players. I’m gonna take Philadelphia. They’ve got five different ways to beat ya, and the layering of talent is incredible.”
Philly now has the same 12-2 record as the injury-plagued Detroit Lions, who lost for the first time since Week 2 on Sunday. They would seem to have at least the No. 2 seed locked up now. They are also now boasting +450 odds to win the Super Bowl, tied with the Lions behind only the Bills (+400).
