Eagles trying to open championship window as wide as possible

The Philadelphia Eagles don’t have a lot of flaws, and if they do, we haven’t seen them. The only undefeated team in the NFL has barely trailed at all this season, with first-quarter deficits to the Lions and Jaguars being the only times thus far that they’ve been on the wrong side of the scoreline.

So with Philly constantly being frontrunners, you’d think their sack total would be higher. In addition to a top-five scoring defense, the Eagles have one of the better pass rushes in the league, boasting top-10 marks in hurry and pressure rates. However, for whatever reason, the Eagles haven’t been able to get the quarterback on the ground as much as you’d expect with their opponents always playing catchup. Philly is tied for 10th as a team in sacks at 17, but that may rise with the organization acquiring Robert Quinn from the Bears.

The 12th-year pro out of North Carolina was second in the league in sacks a year ago at 18.5 for a Chicago team that wasn’t very good. All the Eagles had to give up was a fourth-round pick, which is a tradeoff worth taking considering the wretched state of the NFC.

Pundits loved the Birds before the season, and this move only heightens the enthusiasm for a squad that’s surpassed at least my expectations. If we’ve learned anything about championship windows in the NFL, it’s that they don’t last long. Philly has a quarterback and a star receiver still on rookie contracts, and appears to be at the forefront of title contention. So why not add depth and talent wherever possible with the fates — and the salary cap — currently in your corner?

People also thought the Eagles were going to be a perennial powerhouse during Carson Wentz’s MVP season, and we know how that turned out. Injuries, bad luck, or both can strike relentlessly over the course of 17 games, and this is a smart, calculated risk by a front office that’s done a great job rebounding after Wentz’s ACL took a left turn.

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It doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s Philly, and it’s happening during a Brotherly Love sports renaissance. The only comfort the city’s many detractors have right now is a woeful Sixers franchise, who dropped to 1-4 in James Harden’s first full season on the team after a lethargic loss to the Raptors on Wednesday.