December 12, 2017
Are power rankings completely dumb and meaningless? Yes. Yes, they are. However, personally speaking, whenever I see them, I click. And now that I've promised many power rankings, you'll read it and like it.
Here's where people around the country have the Birds ranked after their costly win over the Rams.
Carson Wentz's season came to an abrupt end when he tore his left ACL in Sunday's win over the Rams, but what he accomplished this year was stellar. Wentz currently leads the NFL in passing touchdowns and set a franchise record for touchdown passes in a single season (33).
#JimmySays: As so begins the first of many reminders that Carson Wentz is good, and the Eagles will miss him.
There will be those who think the Eagles should move down further, with Nick Foles taking over at quarterback in the wake of Carson Wentz's season-ending injury. Those same folks should consider that Foles has enjoyed success -- darn-near historic success -- as a starter before. Teams have gone all the way with their backup before, too. Everyone knows about Tom Brady and the 2001 Patriots, but that's certainly not the only example. The '71 Cowboys started the season with Craig Morton ... and ended it with Roger Staubach and a Lombardi Trophy. The next year, the perfect Dolphins went most of the regular season with Earl Morrall at quarterback. He started in the Divisional Round, as well, but not the Super Bowl. In 1980, the Raiders turned to journeyman Jim Plunkett after starter Dan Pastorini got hurt. They won it all -- vanquishing Philadelphia on Super Bowl Sunday, as a matter of fact. Doug Williams became the Super Bowl XXII MVP in January of 1988, despite starting just two regular-season games during the '87 campaign. Then there were the 1990 Giants, who hoisted the hardware with Jeff Hostetler filling in for Phil Simms. How about Kurt Warner, who only got the opportunity to start on what would become "The Greatest Show on Turf" because Trent Green went down in the 1999 preseason. Not to mention Trent Dilfer, who won the Super Bowl the next year by riding the Ravens' defense. While the Eagles might no longer be favorites, they're far from out of it. This was a really long blurb. Free football.
#JimmySays: That was indeed one long-ass power ranking blurb.
One of the NFL’s big stories this offseason will be if Carson Wentz can make it back for the 2018 season opener. In comments to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Dr. James Andrews warned that players need 9-12 months to return from ACL surgery. And the Eagles won’t want to ruin Wentz by rushing him back, and everyone will cite Robert Griffin III rushing back from a torn ACL. It will be a tricky situation for the Eagles. (I had no idea where to rank the Eagles. You could have them No. 1 based on what they’ve done or move them way down because now you’re dealing with a team that doesn’t have its best player anymore. We’ll have to see what they look like with Nick Foles. Nobody knows for sure.)
#JimmySays: I'm not sure if Dr. Andrews is setting manageable expectations, but a return sooner than 9-to-12 months is possible.
The Eagles showed their resolve after Carson Wentz went down, rallying around Nick Foles to knock off the Rams. It's not all gloom and doom for what still is the NFC's best team.
#JimmySays: Eh, I'm not so sure they're the NFC's best team without Wentz. We'll see. Home field advantage will help enormously if they can get it.
Just how impressive is Carson Wentz? He played several snaps AFTER tearing his ACL, finishing his season with club record 33rd TD pass in 13th game.
#JimmySays: 10th?!? LOL. The Eagles are 7th in the NFC, according to USA Today, even though only 6 NFC teams will make the playoffs. The Eagles are not only already in after clinching the NFC East, but they are one win over a God-awful Giants team from clinching a first-round bye.
It remains a very good team around the fill-in QB, Nick Foles. But you can’t believe on one hand that Carson Wentz was the NFL’s MVP and then believe on the other hand that his absence due to a torn ACL doesn’t threaten to undo the Eagles’ season. He was the MVP for a reason.
#JimmySays: 8th is dumb, too.
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